Deadline: 15-Oct-20
First Nations Development Institute has announced a call for proposals for the Native Agriculture and Food Systems Scholarship Program to encourage more Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian college students to enter agriculture and agriculture-related fields so they can better assist their communities with efforts to reclaim local food systems control.
At First Nations Development Institute, they believe that reclaiming control over local food systems is an important step toward ensuring the long-lasting health and economic well-being of Native people and communities. Native food-system control has the potential to increase food production, improve health and nutrition, and eliminate food insecurity in rural and reservation-based communities, while also promoting entrepreneurship and economic development.
Many farmers, ranchers, herders, and others are retiring without qualified replacements trained to take their place. According to the USDA, the number of farmers and ranchers nearing retirement age has grown by 22 percent in the past five years, while the number of young farmers and ranchers adequately trained to replace them has decreased by 14 percent. The lack of qualified replacements in these industries could have potentially dangerous effects on efforts to reclaim control of local Native food systems.
Criteria
To apply for the scholarship program, applicants must:
- Be full-time undergraduate or graduate students majoring in an agricultural-related field, or be able to demonstrate how their degree program relates to Native food systems
- Be tribally-affiliated and able to provide documentation
- Have at least a 2.75 GPA
- Demonstrate a commitment to helping their community reclaim local food-system control
Scholarship Application Checklist
- Proof of tribal affiliation (e.g., enrollment card, CIB, letter from tribe, OHA registry)
- College enrollment verification form
- Unofficial transcript
- Letter of recommendation from faculty member
- Headshot for possible use in First Nations’ publicity activities (optional)
For more information, visit https://www.firstnations.org/grantmaking-scholarship/