Deadline: 14-Sep-21
Applications are now open for the Tribal Stewardship in the Northern Great Plains Grant.
Native American communities have sustainably managed their lands for thousands of years, cultivating, adapting, and transferring traditional ecological knowledge over many generations. This expansive reservoir of knowledge and deep connection to land keep Native communities strong and encourage the land to be productive. Such relationships benefit the natural world that they depend on, and acknowledge the importance of being in harmony with and having true connection with places. First Nations recognizes Native communities’ ability to steward their land to ensure their sustainable, economic, spiritual and cultural well-being. In response, First Nations created its Stewarding Native Lands program to provide financial and technical assistance to support Native ecological stewardship and improve Native control of and access to ancestral lands and resources.
The grasslands of the Northern Great Plains are one of the most crucial and often overlooked ecosystems in the world. Grasslands not only provide ecosystem services such as clean air and water, but they are also home to some of the most iconic species of North America including plains bison, pronghorn antelope, black-footed ferret, swift fox and other wildlife that are of great cultural significance to the Tribes in the region. Since 2012, First Nations has worked with Tribes and Native organizations in Montana and South Dakota to conserve this vital ecosystem while supporting sustainable economic development opportunities that align with their cultural values.
Funding Information
First Nations is now accepting applications under their Stewarding Native Lands (SNL) program. First Nations expects to award 10 grants averaging $25,000 to $30,000 each to organizations in Native communities that are growing and/or expanding programs that support sustainable economic opportunities and preserve native grasslands in North Dakota, South Dakota, and Montana. Organizations that have not been formalized as a nonprofit are encouraged to apply through a fiscal sponsor.
Eligibility Criteria
- Organizations eligible to apply include U.S.-based, Native American-controlled, nonprofit 501(c)(3), Native 7871 organizations, or Native American community-based groups that are involved in conservation and ecological stewardship activities directly related to the protection of grasslands in the Northern Great Plains (NGP) (North Dakota, South Dakota and Montana).
- Types of eligible applicants include, but are not limited to:
- Federal and State Recognized Tribal Governments and Departments
- Native-controlled 501(c)(3) nonprofits
- Native-controlled community organizations with fiscal sponsorship
- Native 7871 Organizations.
For more information, visit https://www.firstnations.org/rfps/tribal-stewardship-in-the-northern-great-plains-grant/