Grantee Highlight: Robeson Community College

Robeson Community College (RCC) has been a NAAF grantee since 2019. The college is in rural southeastern NC, with a rich agricultural heritage and vibrant Native population. With NAAF funding, RCC offered scholarships to students interested in agriculture careers and provided continuing education classes for farmers, ranchers, and growers looking to promote their businesses. The college included several partners for this venture, including Farm School on Wheels (a division of Granit Training Group), Thread Capital, and the Carolina Community Impact Fund. Shortly after their project was underway, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and RCC had to seek different teaching methods to provide resources to their students. They decided to take their project online and provided ten webinars per classroom session and live support with trained instructors.

Robeson Community College also hosted an online 6-week Farm School on Wheels: Business of Farming in Indian Country series for entrepreneurs and farmers to learn how to build the perfect strategic plan to help move farm and small agribusiness forward. The course provided education in a business framework, business operations, financial planning, marketing, and more.

Virtually, the Business of Farming Instructors and Advisors provided one-to-one technical support to help students learn how to access capital and COVID relief funds and grants. Since the program's first year had to be online, guest speakers joined the online classes to discuss various topics throughout agriculture. The range of speakers included local Native American producers and agriculturists who work with the local food network resources like the Lumberton Farmers Market.

Since the virtual option succeeded, the Business to Farming project went from virtual to hybrid once the pandemic safety restrictions were lifted. Students had the opportunity to work alongside culinary faculty members in the Green Zone, the Robeson Community College’s garden. Through working in the Green Zone, students gained an increased understanding of gardening, agriculture (growing cycles, seasonality), local foods, and the environment. Robeson Community College hosted in-person events that featured the Farm School on Wheels: Business of Farming in Indian Country series and Access to Capital workshops.

To learn more about Robeson Community College or their Culinary Program, visit their website: https://www.robeson.edu/public-service/cularts/

BOT Applications- Due Dec. 8

Note on Grantee Eligibility: 

Organizations led or managed by a sitting Trustee are not eligible for grants from NAAF while they are on the Board and for one year after their term(s) end. Those chosen to act as Trustees may continue their involvement with other non-affiliated entities through employment or board service. NAAF maintains a comprehensive conflict of interest policy that rigorously separates Trustees from discussions and decisions related to affiliated entities seeking funding. If you lead or manage an organization that may wish to apply for NAAF grants, please reach out to us at info@nativeamericanagriculturefund.org to discuss the situation before you submit an application for Trustee. 

Qualifications of the Native American Agriculture Fund Board of Trustees:  

• Two-thirds of the Trustees must have substantial knowledge of agricultural issues, the needs of Native American farmers and ranchers, or other substantive knowledge relevant to accomplishing the Trust’s Mission
• At least one Trustee shall have professional finance and investment experience; and  
• At least one Trustee shall have professional grant making experience

Priority will be given to Keepseagle Claimants and those with Agriculture Production Experience. 

Other preferred qualifications include: 

• Keepseagle Claimant
• Documented Leadership experience
• Agriculture Production experience
• Knowledge and experience working with Tribal producers or Tribal entities
• Experience with similarly situated organizations
• Experience with private charitable trusts
• Current or prior CEO, CFO or COO or Tribal Leadership experience
• Relevant skill sets, including legal, finance, investment, auditing, government affairs, public relations, and community experience
• Knowledge of NAAF and NAAF’s stakeholder communities
• Agribusiness experience
• Philanthropy experience
• Non-profit management experience
• Documented board experience
• Aquaculture experience
• Ag Policy experience
• Ag Scientists  
• Ag Specialists  
• Extension Agents 

Finance experience:  

• MBA  
• CFA  
• Private Equity  
• Investment management   
• Fixed-income   
• Macroeconomics  

To learn more about how to apply and more information on other preferred qualifications please visit our website at https://nativeamericanagriculturefund.org/careers/.

Attending NCAI

NCAI is the oldest and largest native advocacy organization, and they are a founding member of the Native Farm Bill Coalition. Carly Hotvedt of the Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative provided an update on the Farm Bill, for more information about those updates, please contact IFAI through Kristiana Coutu, IFAI's Director of Policy, Research and Governance at

kcoutu@uark.edu.

NAAF at IAC Annual Conference

The InterTribal Agriculture Council is dedicated to promoting the conservation, development and use of our agriculture resources for the betterment of all Indigenous peoples.

NAAF will be at their annual Conference from December 12-14, we welcome you to visit our informational booth and to attend our panel on Writing Successful Grant Applications to Increase Access to Capital for Producers on Wednesday, December 13, from 3:30 - 4:25 in room Harper A/B at the Palms. 

NAAF Sponsors INFR

Established in 1976 the Indian National Finals Rodeo has been servicing ag families in 11 Regions within the United States and Canada with members ranging from 8 years of age to 80. This broad reach is crucial to engaging with Native producers of all ages and is the main reason why NAAF sponsored INFR in 2023.

This facilitates the exchange of knowledge on NAAF programming, ultimately engaging and advocating for producers where producers will be.

Diverse Leaders in Climate with the Croatan Institute

NAAF attended The Diverse Leaders in Climate and Agriculture Summit in mid-November that sponsored conversations on two themes: Regenerative Agriculture and Wealth Building in BIPOC communities, and Climate Justice and Wealth Building in BIPOC communities. From plenary sessions, breakout sessions and dine-arounds, the DLCA Summit provided networking opportunities to foster ideas, and learn more about how BIPOC leaders are building more sustainable communities. 

NAAF participated in a discussion on Building Supply Chain Diversity to support regenerative agriculture through implementing strategies and practices that promote a varied and resilient network of suppliers and partners at every mile of the journey.