In 2019, First Nations Development Institute (First Nations), in partnership with The Henry Luce Foundation (Luce Foundation) launched the Luce Indigenous Knowledge Fellowship to honor and support a select cohort of fellows as they work to further Indigenous knowledge creation, dissemination and perpetuation in Indigenous communities. The intent of this fellowship is to support the exceptional creativity, progressive and critical thinking, and Native knowledge holders and knowledge makers as they move forward their field in ways that will ultimately lead to broad, transformative impacts for Indigenous communities.
This fellowship will give Native knowledge holders and knowledge makers the funding and connections necessary to maximize their potential and realize their vision. This fellowship will provide knowledge producers with the resources to match their existing knowledge, passion and drive to achieve their personal and/or community goals.
First Nations will award 10 fellowships of $75,000 each outstanding Native knowledge holders and knowledge makers engaged in meaningful work that benefits Indigenous people and communities in either reservation and/or urban settings. These fellowships support the work of Native knowledge holders and knowledge makers as they significantly advance their work and spark transformative change in their communities. In this sense, community is broadly defined and can include your Native community, knowledge community, etc.
The fellowship is a two-year, self-directed enrichment program designed to support the process of growth, development, knowledge and networks of Native leaders and thinkers. This unique and exciting new fellowship will seek to support individuals from diverse fields. The fellowship is open to both emerging and experienced leaders and thinkers from a wide variety of fields, including but not limited to agriculture, food systems, youth leadership development, natural resource management, climate change, economic development, journalism, language and cultural revitalization, traditional and contemporary arts and more.
During the fellowship period, fellows will gather three times to pool their collective knowledge and create a community of practice that crosses fields, geographies and tribal cultures. These three required convenings will give fellows the opportunity to engage in rich conversations intended to strengthen their leadership skills, reflect on their impact, share their learning and experiences and promote enduring professional relationships. These cohorts will empower fellows to overcome any geographic and cultural isolation they may experience by being a Native knowledge holder or knowledge maker, possibly as the only one in their field.
Fellows will also be required to submit two formal reports at the end of year one and two.
Award & Timeline
The start date of the fellowship is January 1, 2025, and the end date is December 31, 2026.
This fellowship will provide $75,000 awards each to 10 individuals. This fellowship is flexible in that it allows emerging and experienced knowledge holders and knowledge makers to determine their own goals and decide how their funds are best used to make a positive impact for creation, dissemination and perpetuation of knowledge. The award is split into three payments across the first year of the fellowship to support fellows in their work and efforts.
Applicants do not have to design or complete a project to be eligible or selected. The goal of this fellowship program is to provide flexible funding to selected fellows as they seek to achieve their goals and further or advance knowledge creation and dissemination in their respective field(s).
The fellowship may be used for a wide range of costs, including living expenses, tuition, conference registration, equipment, travel and childcare. The fellowship cannot be redirected to another person or organization.
Important note: The $75,000 fellowship is considered taxable income. Fellowship recipients will be responsible for all related taxes resulting from this award.
