First Nations Launches New Grant Opportunity Under Its Native Arts Initiative

Longmont, Colorado, Aug. 16, 2017 -- First Nations Development Institute (First Nations) has launched a new Supporting Native Arts grant opportunity under its Native Arts Initiative (formerly known as the “Native Arts Capacity Building Initiative” or NACBI). Applications are due by Thursday, October 19, 2017. 

The Request for Proposals for the Supporting Native Arts grant opportunity can be accessed at http://www.firstnations.org/grantmaking/2017NAI. First Nations invites interested applicants to join one or all of our Application Q&A webinars, which will be held prior to October 19, 2017, as follows:

• August 30, 2017, 1 p.m. Mountain Time (1 hour), Registration URL: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2962341995258647809
• September 14, 2017, 11 a.m. Mountain Time (1 hour), Registration URL: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4020422925388433665
• September 27, 2017, 11 a.m. Mountain Time (1 hour), Registration URL: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4458969735196796929

First Nations will award about 15 Supporting Native Arts grants of up to $32,000 each to Native-controlled nonprofit organizations and tribal government programs that have existing programs in place that support Native artists and the field of traditional Native arts, as well as a demonstrated commitment to increasing the intergenerational transfer of knowledge of traditional Native artistic practices and perpetuation and proliferation of traditional Native arts. Eligible applicants must also be located in and serve tribal communities in one of the following regions:

1. Upper Midwest (North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin);
2. Southwest (New Mexico, Arizona and Southern California); or
3. Pacific Northwest (Oregon and Washington).

For this grant opportunity, examples of allowable activities that support arts programming include:

• Master/apprentice artist opportunities
• Archiving and collections/preservation efforts
• Promoting artist-focused convenings
• Communal artist spaces for artists
• Artist-led workshops and arts classes
• Artist cooperative development
• Artist-in-residence opportunities

Examples of allowable activities that support organizational infrastructure growth include:

• Governance training for organization’s Board of Directors
• Organizational strategic planning
• Organizational and/or programmatic marketing and communications plan
• Strengthening project management systems

Entities eligible to apply include U.S.-based, Native-controlled, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations, tribes and tribal departments, tribal § 7871 entities, or Native community-based groups with eligible fiscal sponsors committed to supporting Native artists as well as the perpetuation and proliferation of Native arts, cultures and traditions as integral to Native community life. Applicants located in urban areas are eligible if they are located in one of the geographic regions listed and are able to demonstrate a close tie to one or more tribal communities in one of the eligible geographic regions. Grants will not be made to individual artists or for-profit organizations.

Proposals for the Native Arts Initiative grant opportunity will be accepted online and must be submitted by no later than 5 p.m. Mountain Time on Thursday, October 19, 2017. 

About First Nations Development Institute
For 37 years, using a three-pronged strategy of educating grassroots practitioners, advocating for systemic change, and capitalizing Indian communities, First Nations has been working to restore Native American control and culturally-compatible stewardship of the assets they own – be they land, human potential, cultural heritage or natural resources – and to establish new assets for ensuring the long-term vitality of Native American communities.  First Nations serves Native American communities throughout the United States. For more information, visit www.firstnations.org.

About the Native Arts Initiative
First Nations established the Native Arts Initiative (NAI) in 2014 with the goal of stimulating long-term perpetuation, proliferation and revitalization of artistic and cultural assets in Native communities. The NAI is working to achieve this by strengthening the enabling environments in which Native-controlled nonprofit organizations and tribal programs operate to support emerging and established Native artists and sustain traditional Native arts in their communities. Under the NAI, First Nations provides selected grantees with organizational and programmatic resources, including direct grants and technical assistance and training. Since 2014, First Nations has awarded more than $1 million in NAI grant funds to a variety of eligible Native-controlled nonprofit organizations and tribal government programs.

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PROGRAM CONTACT:
Catherine Bryan, First Nations Senior Program Officer
[email protected] or (303) 774-7836 x201

MEDIA CONTACT:  
Randy Blauvelt, First Nations Senior Communications Officer 
[email protected] or (303) 774-7836 x213