Strengthening Native Programs & Feeding Families Grant: Round 3

Types of eligible applicants include, but are not limited to:

• Federal- and State-Recognized Tribal Governments (Tribal Government Programs, such as Tribal Arts Programs, Heritage Departments, Economic Development Entities, etc.)
• Native-controlled 501(c)(3) nonprofits
• Native-controlled community organizations with fiscal sponsorship
• Native 7871 Organizations

All grantees must be in the United States.

Please refer to the Grantmaking FAQ section for further insight regarding applicant eligibility.

Applications are due October 5, 2023, no later than 5 pm Mountain Time.

Unfortunately, First Nations cannot make any emergency exceptions to application deadlines. Partial applications, incomplete applications due to user error, or faxed/emailed/mailed applications will not be considered unless they have received prior approval.

Allowable Grant Activities

Selected grantees under this opportunity must use funding to support work that is addressing food insecurity/hunger in Native communities.

Examples of allowable activities under this funding opportunity include, but are not limited to:

• Building on needed or existing infrastructure
• Supporting logistics (e.g., food safety, food processing, packaging, transportation)
• Capacity building for the organization and staff (e.g., specialized trainings, transportation)
• Networking (e.g., for food recovery to collect edible, safe foods that would otherwise be discarded and, instead, distribute them to hungry families)
• Accessing healthy foods traditional to a Native diet

Examples of unallowable activities under this funding opportunity include:

• Lobbying
• Entertainment
• Capital construction projects (including the construction, purchase, renovation, and/or furnishing of facilities)
• Funding of individuals
• Development campaigns
• Endowments
• Scholarships or tuition assistance

First Nations seeks projects that:

• Project serves and understands the food insecurity needs of Native American, Alaska Native, or Native Hawaiian communities
• Ability to strengthen the Indigenous food system or build organizational capacity
• Provide a clear plan of action with specific, measurable, and realistic goals and objectives
• Present a logical program-implementation timeline and budget
• Ability to track, measure, and share the impact of the project
• Demonstrates the capacity or desire to source and distribute at least 5,000 lbs. of food during the grant period

Evaluation & Reporting: Grantees will be required to submit a short narrative report that includes photos of their project along with budget expenditure report. A recorded video call may take the place of a final narrative report. These reports will enable First Nations and American Express to: (1) gain a further understanding of projects addressing food insecurity within Indigenous communities; (2) tell grantee stories, including accomplishments, challenges, impact, and programming practices; and (3) measure the impact of funding support on grantee programs.

Online Application Process & Required Attachments

All applicants must complete the First Nations online grant application, including submission of necessary attachments, no later than October 5, 2023, at 5 pm Mountain Time.

First Nations recognizes that some of our most rural and remote applicants may have limited access to high-speed Internet. Any exceptions to use of the online system must be made at least two weeks in advance of the application deadline by submitting an email request to grantmaking@firstnations.org. Please include your name, organization, contact information, and the name of the RFP for which you are applying. If you do not have access to email you can call our office at (303) 774-7836 and ask to speak with a member of the Grantmaking Department.

Download instructions for First Nations’ Online Application System here.

Access First Nations’ Online Application system to begin a new application here.

The following attachments must be uploaded during the online submission process:

• Attachment A: An estimated budget for the proposed project with a detailed cost breakdown that is reasonable and directly related to proposed grant activities.

(Download Budget Template)

• Attachment B: Tax-Status Documentation. A copy of the organization’s or fiscal sponsor’s IRS Determination Letter if the applicant is a 501(c)(3) organization or a community organization using a fiscal sponsor. Tribal programs and governments may submit proof that they are a federal- or state-recognized tribe.
• Attachment C: Leadership & Staff List. Native-controlled nonprofits should submit a list of their Board of Directors, with tribal affiliation (if applicable), and Key Staff.  Community organizations with fiscal sponsors should submit a list of their own leadership team (not the fiscal sponsor’s), with tribal affiliation (if applicable), and Key Staff. Tribal programs and governments should submit a list of their Tribal Council in lieu of a Board of Directors.

First Nations will hold an RFP Q&A Session to discuss the grant program:

Wednesday, September 20, 2023, 2 to 3 pm MT.

Register here.

Grant Writing Resources

First Nations has compiled a number of free resources related to the grant writing process. Whether you are a small organization new to grants or an organization with extensive experience, these resources will help with development of your application to First Nations.

Please click here to access First Nations’ free grant-writing resources.

Questions

Should you have any additional questions about the RFP or this specific funding opportunity, please contact Brickman House at Bhouse@firstnations.org or at 360-303-3937.