Deadline: 7 July 2020
MIT Solve’s Indigenous Communities Fellowship seeks solutions by Native innovators across the US that consider both technology and traditional knowledge to support and scale positive impact.
Solve’s 2020 Indigenous Communities Fellowship is made possible in part by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.
To that end, Solve welcomes Native-led solutions that:
- Increase access to jobs, financial capital, and skill development opportunities
- Support language and cultural revitalization, quality K-12 education, and support for first-generation college students
- Provide healthy and sovereign food, sustainable energy, and safe water
- Improve healthcare access and outcomes, including around mental health and substance use disorders
Funding Information
- All solutions selected for Solve’s Indigenous Communities Fellowship will receive a $10,000 grant funded by Solve.
- Fellows will also get the chance to showcase their work at both the 2020 Regional Summit in or adjacent to Indian Country, and the 2021 flagship Solve at MIT event, which takes place on the MIT campus in Cambridge, MA.
Eligibility Criteria
MIT Solve is looking for Native-led for-profit or nonprofit solutions that directly benefit indigenous communities within the United States.
- Submitted solutions must include use of technology for practical and functional purposes. This can be high-tech or low-tech: examples include software (mobile app), hardware (computers, phones, connectivity), agriculture (seeds, irrigation), and manufacturing. This may encompass new technology like drones and artificial intelligence, or existing ancestral technology (like traditional home structures or food storage and preservation) applied in new and interesting ways.
- Strong preference will be given to tribal members and Native-led projects that directly benefit and are located within Native communities in the United States. Solve specifically looks for a diverse set of Fellows and projects.
- Applicants can be anyone, such as individuals, students, community leaders, business owners, social entrepreneurs, makers, innovators, teams, or established start-ups. Individual applicants must be at least 18 years old. Teams must have at least one member who is at least 18 years old.
For more information, visit https://solve.mit.edu/challenges/2020-indigenous-communities-fellowship