Request for Proposals: Seeds of Native Health
Due: Thursday, February 11, 2016 – 5:00 p.m. Mountain Time
First Nations Development Institute (First Nations) is now accepting proposals for its “Seeds of Native
Health” grant program under its Native Agriculture and Food Systems Initiative (NAFSI). The purpose of
the Seeds of Native Health campaign is to support Native tribes and organizations working to eliminate
food insecurity, promote access to fresh and healthy foods, and provide increased access to nutritional
programs aimed at improving the overall nutrition and health of Native people and communities.
With the generous support of the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community (SMSC), which conceived
and created the overarching Seeds of Native Health campaign, First Nations plans to distribute up to 12
grant awards ranging from $30,000 to $35,000 each under this project.
First Nations and the SMSC recently established a new partnership to further the goals of the SMSC
Seeds of Native Health campaign, with First Nations utilizing its NAFSI experience to help achieve these
goals. Both organizations are dedicated to strengthening Native food systems and enhancing the health
and nutrition of Native American children, families and communities.
Seeds of Native Health is a comprehensive, national campaign to improve Native American nutrition
through capacity building, education and research, supported by the SMSC. The campaign builds on
localized efforts to solve the problems of Indian nutrition and hopes to raise awareness, spread
knowledge, create capacity for change, and develop additional solutions on a broader scale. Learn more
at www.SeedsOfNativeHealth.org.
Grant Overview
First Nations is currently accepting proposals for programs and/or projects that focus on strengthening
Native food systems and improving the health and nutrition of Native people and communities. Desired
programs and/or projects will noticeably improve a tribe or Native organization’s effort to increase
access to traditional, fresh and healthy foods and increase access to nutrition-related programs aimed at
improving the overall nutrition and health of Native people and communities. Moreover, selected
proposals will increase awareness of and involvement with where the tribe and/or communities’ food
comes from, expand knowledge of the linkages of food to Native cultures, and/or contribute to tribal
economic growth and development with income from entrepreneurially-related food ventures.
Grant Period
The grant period will commence April 1, 2016, and end March 31, 2017.
Technical Assistance
Selected organizations must send two team members to a technical assistance and training event
hosted by First Nations. To that end, each applicant must set aside a minimum of $2,000 of its proposed
requested funds for attendance at this mandatory technical assistance and training event. These funds
will be used for travel, lodging and other travel-related expenses. This amount, totaling at least $2,000,
must be included in the applicant’s budget, with the total grant amount requested not to exceed
$40,000.
Eligibility
Organizations eligible to apply include U.S.-based Native American-controlled nonprofit 501(c)(3), tribes
and tribal departments, tribal organizations, or Native American community-based groups committed to
increasing healthy food access in rural and reservation-based Native communities and improving the
health and well-being of Native American children and families. In the past, we have supported a variety
of innovative projects, including food sovereignty assessments, commercial kitchens, farmers’ market
development and expansion, farm-to-table programs, community gardens, nutrition education
programs, food repurposing, mentorship projects, and traditional foods projects, to name a few.
Priority will be given to projects aimed at increasing the availability of healthy, locally-produced foods in
Native communities, reducing food insecurity, promoting accesses to fresh, healthy and traditional
foods, entrepreneurship and/or programs that create systemic change by increasing community control
of local food systems. Moreover, this project will give priority to organizations that can assist and
contribute to the development of emerging and promising practices in strengthening Native food
systems.
Application
All applicants must fully complete the First Nations ONLINE Grant Application, including the submission
of all necessary attachments. The following attachments must be uploaded during the submission
process:
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Attachment A: An estimated budget for the proposed project that breaks down costs and is
reasonable and related to grant expenditures. (view sample)
Attachment B: A detailed project timeline that documents important project goals, milestones
and benchmarks. (view sample)
Attachment C: A copy of the organization or fiscal sponsor’s IRS Determination Letter.
Attachment D: List of Board of Directors, with tribal affiliation (if applicable), and Key Staff.
To begin an application visit: http://www.firstnations.org/grantmaking/2016SONH
Optional Conference Calls for Interested Applicants
First Nations will host two conference calls for interested applicants. Conference calls provide an
opportunity for applicants to ask questions about the application process, proposal criteria or other
proposal-related questions before the application deadline. Participation IS NOT mandatory, but
applicants are encouraged to participate. Applicants can participate in one or both calls.
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The first call will be held on January 28, 2016, at 11 a.m. Mountain Standard Time.
The second call will be held on February 1, 2016, at 3 p.m. Mountain Standard Time.
The call-in number for both calls is 1-877-427-7602 (toll-free). The conference code is 731 589 1721.
Question
Should you have questions about this Request for Proposals or this program, please do not hesitate to
contact Raymond Foxworth or Marsha Whiting by phone at (303) 774-7836 or by email at
[email protected] or [email protected].
About First Nations Development Institute
For 35 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 Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community
The SMSC is a federally recognized sovereign Indian tribe located southwest of Minneapolis, Minnesota.
The SMSC has a deep-seated tradition of helping other tribes and Native American people. This
campaign represents a new extension of its long history of philanthropy, by committing a portion of its
annual charitable giving to a dedicated purpose. Since opening its Gaming Enterprise in the 1990s, the
SMSC has donated more than $300 million to organizations and causes and has contributed millions
more to regional governments and infrastructure projects such as roads, water and sewer systems, and
emergency services.