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The Native American Agriculture Fund (NAAF) announces its fifth year of grantmaking and is opening a pool of $11 million starting on April 1, 2023, and closing on June 1, 2023.
“We are in the era of cultivating agriculture throughout Indian Country. NAAF is committed to being a part of the solution in support of Native farmers and ranchers in developing our food systems and agricultural infrastructure. We look to this year of funding as an opportunity to build upon the enhanced capacity of our grantees to reach new rural tribal areas, address challenges related to rising rates of inflation, and improve market access for Tribal producers,” says NAAF CEO Toni Stanger-Mclaughlin.
All the details about the RFA and webinar registration can be found on the NAAF website starting April 1, 2023. Contact grants@NativeAmericanAgricultureFund with questions.
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Request for Applications Close Thursday, March 23 for WIC Community Innovation and Outreach Project (WIC CIAO) | |
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Up to $10 million in subgrants are available for WIC state and local agencies, including Indian Tribal Organizations and nonprofit entities and organizations, to develop, implement, and evaluate innovative outreach strategies to increase Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) awareness, participation, benefit redemption, and reduce disparities in program delivery.
WIC CIAO is supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) through a cooperative agreement with the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC), the Gretchen Swanson Center for Nutrition (GSCN), the Native American Agriculture Fund, (NAAF) and UnidosUS.
When are applications due?
Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. EST on March 23, 2023
Significant technical assistance will be provided throughout the application process to organizations in underserved communities that may have limited resources and or capacity. Technical assistance will also be provided to all subgrantees throughout the subgrant period.
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Watch the State of Native Agriculture Address | Delivered on March 9 at 12:00 p.m. CT, this is the first virtual broadcast of its kind highlighting the current state of Tribal agricultural economies and the leadership of the Native American producers and Tribes revitalizing our economies, feeding our people, and building our future for generations to come. | |
Washington Leadership Conference (WLC) Request for Applications - Open | |
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The Native American Agriculture Fund (NAAF) is proud to partner with the National FFA Organization to sponsor Native American high school students to attend the Washington Leadership Conference (WLC) in Washington, D.C. WLC is a premier leadership conference that operates on a curriculum based on the principles of: “Explore, Encourage, Advocate and Serve". NAAF recognizes the importance of engaging Native youth in all aspects of Native agriculture and is invested in supporting the future of Native agriculturalists as they step into their future careers.
Any questions about the scholarship may be directed to Jasmine Locklear at jlocklear@nativeamericanagriculturefund.org.
All applications must be received by April 12, 2023 at 11:59 PM EST.
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NAAF at Commodity Classic | |
NAAF attended the 2023 Commodity Classic in Orlando, FL. The event brings thousands of farmers and agribusiness leaders together to learn more about the next generation of farming and agricultural technology. | |
NAAF at Agripulse Food and Policy Summit | | |
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NAAF was proud to sponsor meaningful farm and food policy discussions at the 2023 Agri-Pulse Ag & Food Policy Summit in Washington, D.C.
Focused on harvesting perspectives for the next generation, discussions ranged from food security during supply chain disruptions; innovations in ag-tech and research; collective public and private agricultural investing; to the intersection of climate, conservation, and crop insurance.
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Reservation Economics Summit
April 3-6, 2023
Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, NV
The National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development (NCAIED) is embracing EMPOWERING FOR GENERATIONS for the 2023 Reservation Economic Summit. The event features tribal leaders, members of Congress, federal agency representatives, state and local officials, and top CEO's on a national platform.
Come visit with NAAF throughout the conference!
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As SNAP benefits expire, Tribal nations want a regional food trade hub | |
“We are trying to find solutions through more regional perspectives and solutions based on what will work for the communities and what is more reliably grown in those regions,” Stanger-McLaughlin said. “In the hierarchy structure of the federal government, tribes and states are equal, yet almost every federal program goes through the state, then to the tribe. It’s unfortunate. We hope that tribes can step into their full authority and have the funding go directly to them instead of the states.” | |
Native Youth Agriculture Leadership Summit | |
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Deadline: April 3, 2023 at 11:59 pm central time
Attention Native youth interested in food and agriculture! Foster connections, develop key skills and learn alongside industry experts at the Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative’s Native Youth in Food and Agriculture Leadership Summit 2023.
The 2023 Native Youth in Food and Agriculture Leadership Summit, set for July 18-25, is open to American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian youth ages 18-24 (including recently graduated high school seniors).
Those accepted will receive travel and lodging scholarships. Apply today!
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This spring, the Native Farm Bill Coalition is organizing a series of “fly-ins” for Tribal leaders and Native producers across the country to talk directly with members of Congress, their staff, and the Biden Administration.
Upcoming Regional Fly-Ins
April 18-20 – Northwest Tribes (tentative)
Registration deadline: April 4
April 25-27 – Eastern Tribes (confirmed)
Registration deadline: April 11
May 9-10 – Indian Country in conjunction with the Native American Food Fair (confirmed)
- Registration deadline: April 25
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Native American Food Fair information here
May 16-18 – Southwest Tribes and Navajo Region (tentative)
Registration deadline: May 2
By participating in these fly-ins, Coalition members will have the opportunity to advocate for policy changes that would positively impact Indian Country, such as strengthening tribal self-governance, allowing Tribes to manage nutrition programs, investing in economic development opportunities in rural communities, and much more.
To learn more about the tentative schedule and fly-in details visit the NFBC website.
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Census of Agriculture Deadline Extended | |
The Census of Agriculture helps inform programming and support, such as increasing access to capital and investments in infrastructure at all levels of national, state, and tribal policies. The data gathered from the census is used by many entities, including NAAF, to help conduct outreach efforts to areas with high populations of Native producers to help support them through grantmaking opportunities. Native producers have been underrepresented in agricultural policies due to a lack of accurate data representation.
Filling out the Agriculture Census will provide the foundation for future advocacy initiatives and will be a step towards providing equitable policies which uplift Native agriculture. Learn more about how the Ag Census helps show the impact of diversity of agriculture in Indian Country.
Join us as we show the diversity and strength within Indian Country.
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Registration for the Ninth International Conference on Agricultural Statistics (ICAS IX) is Open | |
Now is your chance to register for the Ninth International Conference on Agricultural Statistics (ICAS IX) at www.icas2023.org. This event will be held in Washington, DC, May 17-19 and will feature topics such as data collection and data quality, climate change, food security, rural development, and more. The conference is hosted by USDA and the World Bank, in coordination with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Register by March 31 to avoid late fees. | |
Do you want to be featured like the grantee's below? |
Tag us, @nativeagfund, in your social media posts and we'll reach out to you to highlight in our next newsletter!
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New Mexico State University - American Indian Business Enterprise
Las Cruces, New Mexico
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In partnership with Navajo Technical University NMSU’s Innoventure Native Youth Ag Camp (INYAC) provides Native youth the opportunity to learn how to construct cattle ranch management plans, learn about business and personal finances, and ultimately gain greater access to capital to become community producers, farmers, and ranchers.
With NAAF funding, NMSU will conduct a project entitled Tribal Resilience-by-Design in Agriculture. This project will combat climate change and food insecurity by working with Native producers to grow a value-added product. The chosen product will later be freeze-dried, packaged, and labeled as a shelf-stable food.
Read the news feature on how the New Mexico State University's American Indian Business Enterprise (AIBE) Center is part of NAAF's $12 million grant in 2022 to support Native American farmers and ranchers.
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