Deadline: 01-Jun-2026
The IEN-WMAN Mining Mini-Grant Program provides financial assistance to grassroots communities impacted by mining activities across the United States and Canada. It is designed to support communities—especially Indigenous communities—affected by hard rock and mineral extraction, helping them respond to environmental, health, cultural, and social impacts caused by mining.
The program prioritizes community-led responses that address mining-related harm and strengthen local capacity for advocacy, protection, and environmental justice.
Program Overview
- Supports grassroots communities impacted by mining activities
- Focuses on Indigenous communities and frontline environmental justice groups
- Addresses impacts of hard rock and mineral mining
- Supports protection of environmental and cultural resources
- Promotes community health and well-being
- Funds project-specific responses to mining-related issues
- Operates across the United States and Canada
Key Focus Areas
- Impacts of active and legacy mining (including abandoned mines)
- Environmental protection of land, water, and ecosystems
- Health impacts of mining on local communities
- Cultural and territorial protection for Indigenous peoples
- Community advocacy and rights-based responses
- Education and awareness on mining-related issues
- Technical, scientific, and legal support for affected communities
Funding Details
- Annual funding pool: over $200,000
- Maximum grant size: up to $4,000 USD per project
- Project duration: up to 12 months
- Funding issued once per 12-month cycle per organization
- Grants are project-specific, not general operational funding
Eligible Applicants
- Indigenous communities and organizations
- Grassroots community-based organizations
- Non-profit organizations (registered or unregistered)
- Community groups without formal legal status (must use a fiscal sponsor)
Individuals are not eligible to apply.
Eligible Activities
- Scientific research and technical assessments related to mining impacts
- Legal support and advocacy work
- Community organizing and mobilization
- Education and awareness campaigns
- Media development and storytelling on mining issues
- Outreach and public engagement activities
- Reporting and documentation of mining impacts
- Hiring external experts or consultants for specialized support
- Limited staff compensation linked to project delivery
Ineligible Activities
- General organizational operating costs
- Long-term institutional funding
- Projects not directly linked to mining impacts
- Individual applications without organizational sponsorship
- Activities outside the scope of defined mining-related issues
Project Requirements
- Must clearly define mining-related impacts affecting the community
- Must outline a specific, targeted response to those impacts
- Must be completed within 12 months
- Must demonstrate direct connection between funding and project outcomes
- Must be clearly project-based rather than general support
Fiscal Sponsorship Requirement
- Unregistered groups must partner with a fiscal sponsor
- Sponsor receives and manages grant funds on behalf of the group
- Ensures financial accountability and compliance
Program Priorities
- Indigenous-led and Indigenous-affected communities
- Communities facing environmental harm from mining
- Protection of land, water, and cultural resources
- Grassroots and frontline organizing efforts
- Practical, short-term, high-impact interventions
- Strengthening community voice and advocacy capacity
Program Objectives
- Address environmental and social harms caused by mining
- Support Indigenous rights and environmental justice
- Strengthen grassroots capacity to respond to mining impacts
- Promote awareness of mining-related risks and legacy issues
- Enable communities to advocate for healthier environments
- Support targeted, actionable responses to mining challenges
Conclusion
The IEN-WMAN Mining Mini-Grant Program provides small but targeted funding to grassroots and Indigenous communities affected by mining in the United States and Canada. By supporting advocacy, research, education, and environmental protection activities, the program empowers communities to respond directly to mining impacts and strengthen long-term environmental and social resilience.
For more information, visit WMAN.