FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEFirst Nations Accepting Applications for the "Time for the Harvest: Renewing Native American Food Systems" Project
LONGMONT, Colorado (September 2, 2011) - First Nations Development Institute was awarded a three-year grant from the United States Department of Agriculture Community Foods Projects Competitive Grants Program (USDA-CFPCGP), which supports Native American communities in assessing, evaluating and identifying their community's food security needs. The beneficiaries of this program include Native nonprofits serving rural- or reservation-based American Indian communities.
First Nations' “Time for the Harvest: Renewing Native American Food Systems” project builds the capacity of targeted Native American food-related programs to help them become full participants with USDA-CFPCGP, and in so doing, increases their ability to meet community food and nutrition-related needs. Through specialized training and targeted technical assistance, First Nations will select and support 10 Native groups in implementing or expanding projects that increase community control of food resources.
Applications for the Community Foods Project must be submitted online by Friday, September 23, 2011. Selected organizations will be notified by September 30, 2011.
COMMUNITY FOODS PROJECT PRIORITIESFirst Nations’ goal through the Community Foods Project is to assist Native communities to control their assets and build their capacity to direct their economic futures. The project focuses on the following priorities:
- Increase awareness and understanding of the USDA-CFPCGP within the Native American community;
- Increase the pool of well-qualified Native American applicants within USDA's CFPCGP;
- Increase the organizational capacity of grantees and potential applicants to carry out their programs effectively; and
- Promote the use of community food assessments within Native communities as a critical aspect of mapping community assets, and planning long-term solutions to address food security issues and to promote sustainable, local, community-based food systems.
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE & TRAININGNative American nonprofit organizations developing or expanding community food-related programs will be selected for the USDA-CFP funded project. There will be no cost to participants to participate in any CFP activities. Attendees will receive scholarships for travel related expenses.
The technical assistance provided by First Nations will build the capacity of targeted Native American food-related programs to help organizations become full participants in the USDA-CFPCGP, and in so doing, increase the effectiveness of their ability to meet their communities' food and nutrition-related needs.
Selected organizations will:
- Create individualized technical assistance plans to assess their capacity building needs and identify resources available to meet those needs. Capacity building needs can include: leadership development, program management, revenue development strategies, financial management and evaluation;
- Attend a two-day training institute in conducting food sovereignty assessments and in basic nonprofit management and development. Grant recipients must attend this institute; and
- Be part of a formal evaluation to learn about the project’s effect on leadership development and capacity building in Native American food-related programs.
Project trainings are held in Native communities where First Nations highlights model projects and provides capacity building training to improve community food, agriculture and health-related programs. The final convening is scheduled for October 26-28, 2011, at the Sandia Resort and Casino in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Travel days will be October 25-28, 2011. Additionally, specialized training will be provided on the use of a Food Sovereignty Assessment Tool (FSAT) - a tool designed by First Nations to assist Native American communities in the evaluation of their local food systems. The FSAT includes information about communities' local food systems, exercises to examine the economic impact of agricultural assets and information about the cultural significance of local Native agricultural traditions. In addition to hosting convenings, First Nations will develop tailored technical assistance plans for each group, based on their unique capacity building needs as revealed by the organizational effectiveness assessment. APPLICATION PROCESS To apply for this program, visit our Grant Applications page. Applications must be submitted online by Friday, September 23, 2011. Selected organizations will be notified by September 30, 2011. CLICK HERE for more information on the convening agenda and location.
To learn more about First Nations, visit us at www.firstnations.org.
Contact: Tina M. Farrenkopf, Senior Program Officer
303-774-7836
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