Native American Agriculture Fund
Grant funding targeted specifically to Native communities for sustainable agriculture practices is fairly limited. Subsidies and agriculture assistance is given to the food producers with the greatest amount of political influence. There are, however, a number of organizations that provide limited assistance to Tribal communities that want to create a sustaining and environmentally friendly food source for rural communities. The Native American Agriculture Fund (NAAF) provides grants to eligible organizations for business assistance, agricultural education, technical support, and advocacy services to support Native farmers and ranchers. NAAF was created after the conclusion of the lengthy Keepseagle v. Vilsack (1999) litigation. Eligible grant recipients include 501(c)(3) organizations; nonprofit organizations with a fiscal sponsor; educational organizations; community development financial institutions (CDFIs) and Native American CDFIs; and Tribal governments (state and federally recognized) and their instrumentalities. In 2019, NAAF granted funding to 80 organizations that work with individual Native American farmers, ranchers, fishers, harvesters, and community producers to deliver business assistance, agricultural education, technical support, and advocacy services. Funding opportunities can be found on the NAAF website.
Keepseagle v. Vilsack Case History: https://nativeamericanagriculturefund.org/history/
References: Native American Agriculture Fund Grants. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://nativeamericanagriculturefund.org/2020- rfa/#1559601681775-63a2cc43-5da0
Keepseagle v. Vilsack. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://nativeamericanagriculturefund.org/history/
Funding Opportunities: Native American Agriculture Fund
Native Nutrition Conference
There are numerous food sovereignty conferences and training programs that advocate for Indigenous self- determination, cultures, values, communities, economies, languages, wellness, and families while upholding best agricultural practices. Staff from the College of Menominee Nation and its extension division have made connections at the following conferences that have played an important part in our food sovereignty work. Having a well-established network and building relationships with other professionals engaged in food sovereignty work across Indian Country — learning about their experiences, successes, and challenges — is critical. This, by far, is not a complete list of conferences and training programs, but they have empowered and inspired our food sovereignty work.
81
Powered by FlippingBook