Deadline: 12 March 2020
First Nations Development Institute (First Nations) has announced a 2020 Request for Proposals (RFP) for projects that focus on youth and support the perpetuation of traditional ecological knowledge, spirituality and the inter generational transfer of knowledge systems, resulting in compassion, respect, dignity, reverence for nature, and care for each other and the Earth.
For more than 39 years, First Nations Development Institute (First Nations), a Native American-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, has worked to strengthen American Indian economies to support healthy Native communities by investing in and creating innovative institutions and models that strengthen asset control and support economic development for American Indian people and their communities.
First Nations began its national grant making program in 1993. Through mid-year 2019, First Nations has successfully managed 1,648 grants totaling more than $35 million to Native American projects and organizations across the Indian Country.
First Nations believes that Native youth represent the future of Native communities and that their health and well-being determine the future health and well-being of a community overall. By investing in youth and giving them a sense of place and tradition in the community, a community ensures that it will have bright and capable future leaders.
Priority Areas
First Nations is seeking projects that focus on one or more of these four priority areas:
- Preserving, strengthening or renewing cultural and/or spiritual practices, beliefs and values.
- Engaging both youth and elders in activities that demonstrate methods for documenting traditional ecological knowledge systems, practices and/or beliefs.
- Increasing youth leadership and their capacity to lead through integrated educational or mentoring programs.
- Increasing access to and sharing of cultural customs and beliefs through the use of appropriate technologies (traditional and/or modern), as a means of reviving or preserving tribal language, arts, history or other culturally relevant topics.
Funding Information
- First Nations expects to award approximately 20 grants of between $5,000 and $19,500 for projects of no longer than one year in length.
- First Nations may consider projects that have previously received funding through NYCF and are seeking additional support to expand the original project, with a view toward sustainability.
- The grant period for this funding opportunity will commence June 1, 2020, and end May 31, 2021.
- Total requests for project budgets within this funding opportunity should not exceed $19,500.
Eligibility Criteria
- All entities that apply must be located in the United States or U.S. Territories and must be Native-controlled nonprofit organizations or Native-controlled community organizations.
- First Nations considers “Native-controlled” to mean that the majority (more than 50%) of the organization’s Board of Directors is tribally affiliated.
- Native community organizations may submit applications through a sponsoring organization if the sponsor has 501(c)(3) status, and can provide written authorization confirming its willingness to act as the fiscal sponsor.
- Urban groups that serve only off-reservation tribal members are unlikely to be funded, as this program is primarily for rural and reservation-based communities.
- Examples of eligible applicants include, but are not limited to:
- Federal- and State-Recognized Tribal Governments.
- Native-Controlled 501(c)(3) Nonprofits.
- Native-Controlled Community Organizations with fiscal sponsorship.
- Native § 7871 Organizations.
Selection Criteria
First Nations seeks projects that:
- Are solid matches between the project purpose and one or more of the NYCF priorities.
- Demonstrate innovative and comprehensive activities.
- Have a clear focus on perpetuating traditional ecological knowledge, spirituality and the inter generational transfer of knowledge systems, resulting in compassion, respect, dignity reverence for nature, and care for each other and the Earth.
- Demonstrate the ability, and/or experience necessary to accomplish the project.
- Have a clear plan of action, specific goals and objectives, and a process to periodically assess, document and disseminate progress and lessons learned.
- Are feasible, cost-effective and sustainable.
- Form partnerships and/or engage broad community participation and support.
- Have potential for application and replication in other Native communities.
How to Apply
Applicants can apply via given website.
For more information, visit https://www.firstnations.org/rfps/native-youth-and-culture-fund-grant-opportunity/