2020 Grantees

After a competitive review process, the following organizations were awarded grants during the 2020 Request for Applications cycle. Grants began on November 1, 2020, and will last for a period of 12-months, 18-months, or 24-months depending on the project.

While NAAF cannot make grants to individuals, these organizations are primed to work with individual Native farmers, ranchers, fishers, harvesters and community producers to deliver business assistance, agricultural education, technical support and advocacy services. NAAF encourages you to visit their website and reach out to them directly to learn more about their Native producer services.

Any questions about these 2020 Grantees can be sent to grants@NativeAmericanAgricultureFund.org or shared by phone at 479-445-6226.

Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians Financial Services  

Portland, OR – $315,150  

CDFI  

Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians Financial Services (ATNI FS) is a certified Community Financial Development Institution (CDFI). With NAAF funding, ATNI FS will provide loans and technical assistance to Native agriculture producers in the Pacific Northwest. ATNI FS will leverage their vast network of partners to deploy capital, offer workshops and trainings, and engage in special projects to support the Native agriculture landscape and build resilient Native communities.  

 

Ahtna Intertribal Resource Commission  

Glennallen, AK   

501(c)(3)  

$100,000 

The Ahtna Intertribal Resources Commission (AITRC) was formed in 2011 to conserve, manage and develop the fish, wildlife, and plant resources of the Ahtna Region according to culturally relevant values. With NAAF funding, they will build a large moose rehabilitation facility to improve the supplementation of local populations for Tribal subsistence usage. 

 

Ajo Center for Sustainable Agriculture  

Ajo, AZ  

501(c)(3)  

$127,600 

The Ajo Center for Sustainable Agriculture (ACSA) specializes in the revitalization of Native American crops, agriculture techniques, and Native cuisine. ACSA will assist Tohono O’odham farmers with mini grants, business, and technical support, as well as increase local food production. 

 

Akiptan  

Eagle Butte, SD  

CDFI  

$965,000 

Akiptan, a Native CDFI serving Natives in agriculture across Indian Country, will use their funds for a two-part project. First, to increase their capital pool to meet the needs of more producers, and second, to hire a staff member to increase the service to producers through the loan and technical assistance process. 

 

Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association  

Anchorage, AK  

501(c)(3)  

$18,221 

The Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association (APIA) seeks to increase community interest in agricultural pursuits by showcasing local producers and by offering resources and educational opportunities for individuals wishing to enter agriculture endeavors. Additionally, APIA will work to hire a master gardener to manage the St. George Greenhouse, create a community-based co-op, and start a seaweed farm. 

 

Amah Mutsun Land Trust  

Albany, CA  

Traditional Food  

$65,000 

The Amah Mutsun Land Trust (AMLT) seeks to develop food sovereignty and implement a collaborative pilot project to design, establish, cultivate, and harvest foods, medicines, and cultural materials from hedgerows composed of native species that are culturally significant to the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band.  

 

Arapaho Ranch Field Station  

Ft. Washakie, WY  

501(c)(3)  

$100,000 

The Arapaho Ranch Field Station promotes ranching sustainability through place-based informal STEM education on a 400,000-acre working ranch. With NAAF funding, the Field Station will develop value-added agricultural opportunities for Native ranchers producing free range beef on the Wind River Reservation in response to COVID-induced shifts to the food system. 

 

Aroostook Band of Micmacs  

Presque Isle, ME  

Traditional Food  

$14,125 

Micmac Farms will work to complete the feasibility studies of three value added products (packaged smoked Maine brook trout, fruit and vegetable specialty preserves, and packaged/bottled apple cider juice product) that may be produced at Micmac Farms to contribute to the farm’s sustainability.  

 

Bad River Band of Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians  

Odanah, WI  

Traditional Food  

$68,753 

The Bad River Food Sovereignty Program will buy equipment and supplies and pay for labor to complete its Tribal mandate to expand current operations. The project will complete an assessment of fruit and vegetable production, prepare additional land for planting, prepare land for a pole barn, assist in the harvest of maple sap to syrup and plant a three sisters’ garden. 

 

Blackfeet Nation Stock Growers Association  

Browning, MT  

Youth  

$45,000 

Blackfeet Nation Stock Growers Association (BNSGA) was founded in 2000 with the mission to promote the development and growth of the livestock industry on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. With NAAF funding, they will provide scholarships to Native students descended from the Blackfeet Tribe and who are pursuing higher education in Agricultural Sciences. 

 

Blue Lake Rancheria  

Blue Lake, CA  

Tribe  

$50,000 

The Blue Lake Rancheria Community Farm project seeks to address local demand for Native farmers, harvesters, and producers for education about farming, value-added agricultural products, and selling agricultural products. This will be accomplished through workshops, community farm plots, and a community farm stand. 

 

California Indian Museum and Cultural Center  

Santa Rosa, CA  

501(c)(3) 

$100,000 

California Indian Museum and Cultural Center (CIMCC) was established in 1996 with the purpose to culturally enrich and benefit the people of California and the public. With NAAF funding, they will develop a traditional food incubator to support local producers and provide agricultural business training and technical support for Native youth. 

 

Cankdeska Cikana Community College  

Fort Totten, ND  

Educational Organization   

$113,660 

Cankdeska Cikana Community College is a Tribal college servicing the Spirit Lake Tribe of the Spirit Lake Indian Reservation in North Dakota. With funding from NAAF, CCCC will provide agricultural education to student apprentices to support reservation public health initiatives through student use of hydroponics for food production and distribution. 

 

Catawba Indian Nation  

Rock Hill, SC  

Traditional Food  

$70,000 

Catawba Indian Nation is a federally recognized Tribe located near Rock Hill, SC. With NAAF funding, the Catawba Indian Nation will install innovative irrigation systems that capture rainwater and automatically distribute it to farms and gardens, ensuring resiliency for a community garden with over 50 traditional and medicinal plants. 

 

Center for Environmental Farming Systems at North Carolina State University  

Raleigh, NC  

Educational Organization   

$200,587 

Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS) is a partnership of North Carolina State, North Carolina A&T and the North Carolina Department of Agriculture researching community-based food systems. With NAAF funding, CEFS will work with Robeson Community College and University of North Carolina at Pembroke to host a sustainable agriculture internship for Lumbee youth. 

 

Center of Southwest Culture, Inc.  

Albuquerque, NM  

501(c)(3)  

$100,000 

The Center of Southwest Culture’s Community Development Center (CODECE) program aims to build the capacity of emerging Indigenous farming enterprises in Isleta Pueblo, Jemez Pueblo, San Felipe Pueblo, and Zuni Pueblo to launch viable agribusiness. This project will strengthen food systems in Pueblo communities by improving access to credit, building on value-added traditional foods, and increasing market access for Indigenous farmers. 

 

Central Council Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska  

Juneau, AK  

Tribe  

$50,000 

Tlingit and Haida will plan and build a greenhouse ready for many growing seasons to come using the best possible sources that staff at Tlingit and Haida can find. Tlingit and Haida hope that the greenhouse continues to expand with additional resources and partnerships.  

 

Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Buffalo Authority Corporation  

Eagle Butte, SD  

Tribe, Traditional Food  

$197,500 

The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Buffalo Authority Corporation (CRST) is a 100% Tribally owned corporation who will alleviate some of the problems found in the supply chain on their reservation. CRST will begin the development of custom meat processing, marketing, and technical assistance in value added ventures. 

 

Cheyenne River Youth Project  

Eagle Butte, SD  

Traditional Food  

$25,000 

The Cheyenne River Youth Project (CRYP) is a Native and women-led organization dedicated to the well-being of Lakota youth. CRYP will expand their efforts by restoring traditional foods and create access to those food for members of the community. 

 

Chief Seattle Club  

Seattle, WA  

501(c)(3)  

$50,000 

Chief Seattle Club is an organization dedicated to physically and spiritually supporting American Indian and Alaska Native people. With NAAF funding, they plan to develop an urban “Sovereignty Farm” where they will train apprentice farmworkers, re-introduce traditional foods and medicines, and host various workshops aimed at building community through food sovereignty practices. 

 

Chippewa Cree Tribe  

Box Elder, MT  

Tribe  

$50,000 

The project is aimed to assist regional Native farmers and ranchers with education and projects to enhance the quality and function of their operation while improving environmental outcomes. The project director will work to assist Tribal members in engaging in conservation practices with the Natural Resources Conservation Service. 

 

Coeur d’Alene Tribe  

Plummer, ID  

Tribe  

$123,559 

The Coeur d’Alene Tribe, through its Food Distribution Program, is seeking to expand its food sovereignty through the development of a five-year strategic plan, the expansion of food production workshops for Tribal and area producers, the development of producer-procurement databases, and the direct training of Tribal members through apprenticeships at its community gardens. 

 

Diné College  

Tsaile, AZ  

501(c)(3), Educational Organization   

$80,000 

Dine College is one of the original Tribal colleges established to service the Navajo Nation spanning three states in the Four Corners Region. With NAAF funding, Dine College will support a cohort of Navajo farmers and ranchers in implementing acquired knowledge into their existing operations, synthesize a food safety certification program culled from the procedures required by Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah, and disseminate a bilingual fully certified food safety program across the Navajo Nation.  

 

Diné Community Development Corporation 

Chinle, AZ 

Youth 

$45,000 

Diné Community Development Corporation (DCDC) provides leadership, program and resources development on the Navajo Nation. With NAAF funding, they will promote their Diné Youth Agripreneurship Program that focuses on educating Native youth through agricultural and financial literacy and economic development workshops to strengthen the skills needed for success in the agricultural sector. 

 

Diné Traditional Food and Agriculture Policy Project  

Albuquerque, NM  

Traditional Food  

$70,000 

The Dine’ Traditional Food and Agriculture Project will establish the Diné Food and Agriculture Policy Council and will consist of representatives from all regions of the Navajo Nation. They will work to develop a set of traditional food policy recommendations for the Navajo Nation through a grassroots advocacy process. 

 

Dream of Wild Health  

Minneapolis, MN  

501(c)(3)  

$100,000 

Dream of Wild Health (DWH) aims to restore health and well-being in Native communities by recovering knowledge of and access to healthy Indigenous foods, medicines and lifeways. With NAAF funding, DWH will launch the Upper Midwest Indigenous Farm Incubator and Training program to increase the number of Native farmers in their region. 

 

Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians  

Cherokee, NC  

Tribe  

$50,000 

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) will assess the economic feasibility for renovating and/or expanding their existing cannery and develop a strategic roadmap for transitioning to infrastructure development for the Tribal cannery to offer increased services for Tribal community members. In addition, the EBCI will design a comprehensive irrigation system for a Tribal plant facility. 

 

First Peoples Worldwide at University of Colorado at Boulder  

Boulder, CO  

Educational Organization   

$250,000 

The University of Colorado-Boulder (CU) is the largest public university in Colorado. With NAAF funding, CU will provide Native farmers, ranchers and food suppliers with tailored business assistance to bridge their enterprise successfully into the post-COVID food market, and to strengthen the Native American food supply chain by establishing a model for an Indigenous food distribution hub that centers Native food sovereignty. 

 

Florida Gulf Coast University  

Fort Myers, FL  

Educational Organization   

$230,190 

Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) is an institution of higher learning that puts forth environmental conscious citizens. FGCU will plan an Indigenous Capacity Building Institute for Agriculture and Natural Resource Management and develop a model to meet Native American community needs through academics and research. 

 

Flower Hill Institute  

Jemez Pueblo, NM  

501(c)(3), Traditional Food, Youth 

$148,520 

Flower Hill Institute (FHI) is comprised of a network of partners and Tribal leaders. In collaboration with these partners FHI provides support and guidance to help developments of Tribal agricultural entrepreneurship and sustainability. FHI will launch a Mobile Food lab that will address the needs of the community and through youth-led speakers, FHI will generate a video series featuring foraging activities and the nutritional information of the harvest. 

 

Fort Lewis College  

Durango, CO  

Educational Organization   

$190,000 

Fort Lewis College (FLC), in southwest Colorado near Apache, Navajo, Pueblo, and Ute Indian reservations, is expanding their programs in regenerative and sustainable agriculture practices. With NAAF funding, FLC will implement a progressive regenerative food systems curriculum that will combine agricultural education, technical support, and business assistance to promote Native American farmers, ranchers, and food champions. 

 

Four Bands Community Fund  

Eagle Butte, SD  

CDFI  

$476,500 

Four Bands Community Fund has a long history of helping Native entrepreneurs, including farmers and ranchers, start and grow their businesses. NAAF funding will provide a strategic combination of financial products and services to Native farmers and ranchers, including loan capital, equity bundles, technology tools, and customized assistance. 

 

Ft Peck Tribes Fish & Game Department  

Poplar, MT  

Tribe  

$36,316 

The Fort Peck Tribes Fish & Game Department manages and enhances wildlife resources on the Fort Peck Indian reservation. They will develop North America’s first Tribal quarantine program for Yellowstone buffalo and provide localized food access, economic and cultural opportunities related to buffalo. 

 

Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council  

Lac du Flambeau, WI  

501(c)(3)  

$50,000 

The Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council (GLITC) is dedicated to support Tribal initiatives including food security. GLITC will develop a strategic plan improving access to capital and education opportunities for agriculture systems.  

 

Healthy Futures Inc  

Albuquerque, NM  

501(c)(3)  

$100,000 

Healthy Futures partners with community-based organizations that provides agricultural education, business management and technical assistance in New Mexico. With NAAF funding, Healthy Futures will empower new and beginning farm producers to learn key management skills to increase the economic viability of their agricultural enterprises in culturally appropriate ways. 

 

Heart of America Indian Center  

Kansas City, MO  

501(c)(3)  

$55,360 

The Heart of America Indian Center operates as the Kansas City area’s only multi-purpose social service agency for American Indians. With NAAF funding, they plan to educate American Indians in the Kansas City metropolitan area about their traditional food ways and training them to be producers of Native foods. 

 

Homestead Community Development Corporation  

Anahola, HI  

501(c)(3), CDFI, Traditional Food  

$270,078 

Homestead Community Development Corporation’s (HCDC) mission is to develop economic opportunities on or near the trust lands of the Native Hawaiian people. With NAAF funding, HCDC will start a communal sharing farm equipment pilot, support 35 trust land families to establish backyard gardens and chicken coups through savings match and will make agricultural loans. 

 

Hualapai Tribe  

Peach Springs, AZ  

Traditional Food, Youth  

$70,000 

NAAF funding will be used to host traditional foods harvesting education, plan an organize a Native Food Symposium. The Hualapai Tribe will Study and analyze the nutritional value and makeup of culturally significant plants and finally create a cookbook. In addition, the youth project will offer natural horsemanship workshops for 15 Hualapai youth with the goal of building the foundational skills and confidence of the Tribes future ranchers. Horsemanship workshops combined with traditional craft classes to create horse tack will instill a sense of pride and achievement in participating youth who are the future of the Hualapai ranching community. 

 

Indian Land Tenure Foundation  

Little Canada, MN  

Ag Ext  

$755,000 

Indian Land Tenure Foundation (ILTF) is a national, community-based organization serving American Indian nations and people in the recovery and control of their rightful homelands. With NAAF funding, ILTF will move towards a 21st Century Federally Recognized Tribal Extension Program (FRTEP) through strategic evaluation of 35 FRTEPs and increase advocacy. 

 

Indian Pueblo Cultural Center  

Albuquerque, NM  

501(c)(3)  

$100,000 

The Indian Pueblo Cultural Center (IPCC) is responsible for preserving and perpetuating Pueblo culture and is home to the Resilience Garden. This outdoor living exhibit aims to address the needs and build on strengths of New Mexico’s diverse communities with hands-on learning opportunities. This project will provide a rich outdoor learning experience that highlights traditional Pueblo farming techniques, celebrates renewal, and cultivates heirloom seeds and indigenous crops. 

 

Intertribal Agriculture Council  

Billings, MT  

501(c)(3), Advocacy  

$939,568 

The Intertribal Agriculture Council (IAC) aims to pursue and promote the conservation, development and use of our agricultural resources for the betterment of our people. IAC will develop a sustainable model of funding, provide service delivery and stakeholder education, increase fiscal support for Indian agriculture, and lead the Native Farm Bill Coalition with funding from NAAF. 

 

InterTribal Buffalo Council  

Rapid City, SD  

Tribe  

$116,062 

InterTribal Buffalo Council (ITBC) has worked to restore buffalo to Tribal lands for nearly 30 years. With NAAF funding, they plan to support member Tribes in processing buffalo and conduct a feasibility study to assess the needs to build a network and increase resiliency of an entirely Native operated buffalo processing loop. 

 

Kayenta Unified School District #27  

Kayenta, AZ  

Educational Organization   

$174,629 

The Kayenta Unified School District #27, located on the Navajo Nation, has built and sustained a robust presence in agricultural education through Monument Valley High School Agriculture Education Program. With NAAF funding, they will purchase a fodder system to aid local producers and students by creating access to livestock feed. 

 

 

Ke Kula Nui O Waimānalo  

Waimānalo, HI  

501(c)(3)  

$50,000 

The Ke Kula Nui O Waimanalo organization serves the Hawaiian community by providing families access to locally grown and organic food produced in the region. They will initiate a two-year pilot program that will train at least 50 community food producers to enhance food security and human well-being. 

 

Keystone Policy Center  

Keystone, CO  

501(c)(3)  

$50,000 

Keystone Policy Center was founded in 1975 to drive actionable, shared solutions to contentious policy challenges. With NAAF funding, Keystone will work with Tribes in the Four Corners region to create a Tribally led collaborative to address greater food security by improving coordination and resources for food production and distribution. 

 

Klawock Cooperative Association (KCA) 

Klawock, AK 

Youth 

$45,000 

Klawock Cooperative Association (KCA), a federally recognized Tribe in southeast Alaska, has a high citizen engagement with traditional foods. With NAAF funding, they will build from the existing Traditional Foods Program with paid Tribal youth internships, educating them in traditional harvesting, processing and distributive practices, as well as environmental monitoring techniques. 

 

Klamath Trinity Resource Conservation District  

Hoopa, CA 

Youth 

$45,000 

The Hupa and Yurok tribes that reside along the Trinity River have relied the salmon migration for subsistence since time immemorial. The Klamath Trinity Resource Conservation District with NAAF funding will implement the Regeneration of Fishing Project on the Hoopa Valley Indian Reservation. This project will work with Native youth in bringing back traditional practices of family fishing by leaning on local tribal fishers to instruct lessons. Each youth participant will learn the importance of proper net making when it comes to traditional protocols. 

 

Kohala Center, Inc., The  

Kamuela ,HI  

501(c)(3)  

$100,000 

The Kohala Center has been engaged in agribusiness assistance, adult and youth agriculture education, and farmer training programs since 2011. With NAAF funding, the Kohala Center will increase production and consumption of Native foods through agricultural education, business development and access to capital, increasing island food system resiliency. 

 

Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe College  

Hayward, WI 

Youth 

$45,000 

Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe College is a Tribal college servicing five Ojibwe reservations in northwest Wisconsin. With NAAF funding, LCOOC will introduce their Food Sovereignty Project to empower youth in five Ojibwe Tribal communities through agricultural enrichment workshops, internships, and an Inter-Tribal Indigenous food summit that will include a youth led harvest feast.  

 

Lakota Funds  

Kyle, SD  

CDFI  

$476,500 

Lakota Funds, a Native CDFI serving the Oglala Lakota Tribe on Pine Ridge Reservation, has supported Native farmers and ranchers through business lending, coaching and training since 1986. NAAF funding will continue to provide critically needed access to capital for ranching operations on the Pine Ridge and Rosebud Reservations, including loan capital, line of credit loans, and small equity investment grants.  

 

Little Big Horn College  

Crow Agency, MT  

501(c)(3)  

$100,000 

Little Big Horn College is a Tribal college servicing the Crow Indian Reservation in Montana with a variety of agriculture education programs. With NAAF funding, the college will increase the capacity of the Agriculture and Natural Resource Departments and provide a community service by developing a Shared Equipment Program to facilitate Native individuals in their pursuit of credit access for purchasing equipment or participating in a farm equipment cooperative. 

 

Lakota Youth Development 

Herrick, SD 

Youth 

$25,000 

Located on the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Reservation, Lakota Youth Development’s (LYD) mission is to reclaim Lakota language, culture and spirituality by promoting education and healthy lifestyles for youth through culturally based strategies. With NAAF funding, they plan to expand their Honey Lodge enterprise with the construction of a honey processing building. 

 

Little Priest Tribal College  

Winnebago, NE  

Educational Organization   

$141,004 

Little Priest Tribal College is a Tribal college offering agriculture education programs and servicing the Winnebago Tribe in Nebraska. Using NAAF funding, the college will design and implement a sustainable, culturally relevant and responsive Associate of Applied Science degree (A.A.S.) in Agricultural Science focusing on program planning and curriculum design in the first phase and program implementation in the second phase.  

 

Lumbee Land Development, Inc  

Pembroke, NC  

501(c)(3)  

$48,002 

Lumbee Land Development (LLD) is the grant programming arm of the Lumbee Tribe of NC. With NAAF funding, LLD will provide resources for a new Lumbee farming cooperative, host agricultural financial trainings for producers, expand agricultural career exploration, cultivate an intergenerational organic garden, and award scholarships to Tribal agricultural students. 

 

Lummi CDFI  

Bellingham, WA  

CDFI, Traditional Food  

$100,000 

Lummi CDFI offers a trusted place for Tribal members considering entrepreneurship, building a business and/or strengthening their credit by providing access to education, financing and asset growth. NAAF funds will provide financial loan products, tools, technical assistance and other support services for Native entrepreneurs, individuals, families, fishers and seafood harvesters. 

 

Maqlaqs Geetkni  

Chiloquin, OR  

501(c)(3)  

$22,303 

Maqlaqs Geetkni promotes healthy sustainable food systems to bring fresh food to Chiloquin elders and families. Maqlaqs Geetkni will build green houses to grow greens, traditional foods and medicinal herbs to provide for a healthy community.  

 

Mesa Grande Business Development Corporation  

Ramona, CA  

Tribe  

$53,335 

The Mesa Grande Business Development Corporation (MGBDC) helps ensure the availability of healthy and affordable foods for its Tribal members, as well as reacquainting them with their lands. MGBDC will develop a community organic and ethnobotanical gardens and provide a service for value added goods produced from their gardens. 

 

Methow Field Institute 

Winthrop, WA 

Youth 

$45,000 

Methow Field Institute’s (MFI) mission is to foster cultural awareness and understanding of Indigenous peoples and the natural history of the Methow Valley and Upper Columbia region. With NAAF funding, they will partner with Paschal Sherman Indian School to create an educational program that will encourage students to explore traditional food systems. 

 

Modoc Nation  

Miami, OK  

Tribe  

$127,403 

The Modoc Nation will continue to partner with Symbiotic Aquaponic to fulfill a shared mission of promoting success of Native farmers & ranchers by scaling Maklaks Farm. Funding will also allow training for at least 20 Native Tribal leaders & other change agents. The traditional foods funding aspect of the project is focused on Native seed cultivation as it relates to the history of the Modoc People. Funding will allow for the sustainable growing of Native plants as a means of cultural reclamation. 

 

Montana State University Extension  

Bozeman, MT  

Traditional Food  

$50,000 

Montana State University (MSU) is Montana’s state land grant institution that operates a full College of Agriculture with an Extension service. With NAAF funding, MSU will develop a program to promote resilience among Tribal food systems through mental health promotion, community gardening and agricultural education to provide culturally tailored education to expand and enhance agricultural knowledge, skills and interest among all generations of Tribal community members. In addition, MSU Extension will provide personnel at four Montana Indian reservations to enhance their food security by utilizing local, Native youth produced livestock products as the initial platform in which to strengthen local food systems. 

 

Muckleshoot Indian Tribe  

Auburn, WA  

Tribe  

$105,991 

Located in Auburn, Washington the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe has set up partnerships with the East-West Food Rescue and Farmer Frog to connect Eastern and Central Washington farmers to Tribal communities in need of food. These funds will provide infrastructure for transport, storage, and distribution to Native communities and interurban Native populations in Washington State. 

 

Mvskoke Loan Fund  

Okmulgee, OK  

CDFI  

$283,956 

Mvskoke Loan Fund (MLF), a Native CDFI, provides access to credit through lending capital to Native producers in the Muscogee (Creek) Nation’s territory. NAAF funds will provide services for 30 to 40 Native farmers and ranchers including technical assistance for business planning, training to utilize accounting software for maintaining financial records and long-term planning and lending capital. 

 

NACDC Financial Services, Inc.  

Browning, MT  

CDFI, Traditional Food  

$318,543 

Native American Community Development Corporation Financial Services Inc. (NACDC) is a non-profit CDFI. Their mission is to remove the barriers that exists in Indian Country that prohibit the flow of capital and credit. NAAF funds will provide customized, one-on-one business and financial technical assistance, connecting Native agricultural operators to available resources, and increasing their access to capital by offering ag business loans and a new disaster resiliency loan and equity bundle. 

 

Nalwoodi Denzhone: Strength and Beauty Community, Inc.  

Tucson, AZ  

501(c)(3)  

$50,000 

The Nalwoodi Denzhone: Strength and Beauty Community, Inc (NDC) provides life changing programs, including agriculture, to members of the San Carlos Apache Tribe. NDC will establish a regional food hub to promote production and distribution of healthy food for not only the San Carlos people, but other Tribal communities as well. 

 

National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development, the 

Mesa, AZ 

Youth 

$30,000 

The National Center for American Indian Economic Development (NCAIED) is the largest national Native business organization in the U.S. with over 50 years of experience. With NAAF funds, NCAIED will train over 350 students in agricultural entrepreneurship and business development through their Native Edge Institute at the 2021 Reservation Economic Summit. 

 

Native360 Loan Fund, Inc.  

Grand Island, NE  

CDFI  

$200,000 

Native360 Loan Fund’s mission is to provide affordable credit, capital, technical assistance and related programs to help build strong and self-sufficient Native American business owners. With NAAF funding, Native360 Loan Fund will identify agriculture businesses, make loans, provide specific agriculture-related business technical assistance, quantify credit demand in our area for agriculture loans and develop a network of contacts. 

 

Native American Community Academy 

Albuquerque, NM 

Youth 

$45,000 

The Native American Community Academy (NACA) was founded on a community vision based on the core foundational concepts of academic excellence, identity development, holistic wellness, and leadership grounded in core values. With NAAF funding, they will offer virtual and hands-on learning experiences in traditional food harvesting from Tribal knowledge keepers.  

 

Native CDFI Network, Inc.  

Washington, DC  

CDFI  

$324,128 

The Native CDFI Network (NCN) was formed in 2009 to unify Native CDFIs serving Native trust land communities, American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians. With NAAF funds, NCN will provide technical assistance, educational and technology infrastructure development to 20-25 Native CDFI members to prepare them for entering the Native food producer business markets.  

 

Native Food and Nutrition Resource Alliance  

Santa Fe, NM  

501(c)(3), Advocacy  

$150,000 

The Native Food and Nutrition Resource Alliance (NFNRA) aims to provide professional and technical expertise and support necessary to the Native Farm Bill Coalition specifically on the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR). With NAAF support, the NFNRA will become the conduit for positioning FDPIR experts with support and collaboration of NAFDPIR. NFNRA will advocate and organize to achieve positive change for Indian Country in the 2023 Farm Bill. 

 

Navajo Agricultural Products Industry  

Farmington, NM  

Tribe  

$37,365 

The Navajo Agriculture Products Industry (NAPI) is an instrumentality of the Navajo Nation Tribal government and their primary focus is agricultural related issues. NAPI will initiate its Soil Health Improvement project and NAPI Region 1 Grain Bin Installation for food storage with NAAF funding. 

 

Navajo Ethno-Agriculture  

Fruitland, NM  

501(c)(3)  

$35,000 

The Navajo Ethno-Agriculture (NEA) organization supports farming organizations across the Navajo Nation. NEA will help farmers sell their products and create a fair-trade system between retailers and growers with products donated to at least 10 Navajo communities. 

 

Nebraska Indian Community College  

Macy, NE  Educational Organization   

$220,350 

Nebraska Indian Community College (NICC), a Tribal College, is a fully accredited, open admission, community-based institution designed to provide quality higher education and lifelong educational opportunities to the Omaha and Santee Tribes, and all learners. With NAAF funding, they will provide various practical skills trainings in horticulture and greenhouse operations, welding and solar technology. 

 

New Mexico Community Capital  

Albuquerque, NM – 501(c)(3)  

$133,180 

New Mexico Community Capital (NMCC) creates business assistance for Native owned companies in the United States. NMCC will provide business related technology, one-on-one mentoring, and access to subject matter experts. 

 

New Mexico State University  

Las Cruces, NM – Youth 

$45,000 

New Mexico State University (NMSU) is New Mexico’s state land grant institution that includes the American Indian Business Enterprise housed in their Arrowhead Center. With NAAF funding, NMSU will collaborate with Navajo Technical University to provide Native youth the opportunity to learn how to build ranch management plans for cattle and sheep, along with access to ongoing business assistance. 

 

North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems (NATIFS)  

Minneapolis, MN – 501(c)(3)  

$100,000 

North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems (NATIFS) is dedicated to addressing the economic and health crises affecting Native communities by re-establishing Native foodways. With NAAF funding, they will design the Indigenous Food Enterprise Accelerator program to assist Native farmers, ranchers and community members to launch and expand their Native food businesses. 

 

North Leupp Family Farms, Inc. 

Leupp, AZ – 501(c)(3) 

$50,000 

The North Leupp Family Farms, Inc. (NLFF) is community-based farm for the Navajo community of Luepp. NLFF will expand their existing facility to engage more community farmers, as well as provide education opportunities in traditional Navajo agriculture. 

 

Northern California Tribal Court Coalition  

Talent, OR – 501(c)(3)  

$100,000 

The Northern California Tribal Court Coalition (NCTCC) will conduct a COVID-19 Tribal food systems assessment in which we will evaluate the extent to which Tribal food producers (fishers, hunters, farmers, gardeners, ranchers, and harvesters) have contributed to NCTCC Tribes’ disaster response. The completed assessment will be used to identify and expand opportunities for Tribal food producers and inform the disaster planning and response of NCTCC member Tribes. 

 

Northern Shores Community Development  

Harbor Springs, MI – CDFI  

$244,376 

Northern Shores Community Development, Inc. is a certified Native Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) offering business loans and business assistance to entrepreneurs, artisan, energy efficient and FARM loans to the entire state of Michigan. With NAAF funds, NSCD seeks to grow thier FARM program by building the capacity of Odawa farmers, ranchers and agriculture entrepreneurs throughout the state of Michigan to create and expand agriculture focused businesses, and providing affordable and flexible loans, grants, training, technical assistance, and credit counseling to individuals.  

 

Northwest Native Development Fund  

Coulee Dam, WA – CDFI  

$250,000 

The Northwest Native Development Fund (NNDF) seeks to foster economic and financial independence for Native people by assisting in the development of personal assets through financial and entrepreneurial education as well as providing access to capital through creative lending products. With NAAF funds, NNDF will provide financing to Native agricultural producers and train and grow other Native CDFIs in the discipline of financing agricultural producers. 

 

Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board  

Portland, OR – 501(c)(3)  

$56,600 

The Northwest Tribal Epidemiology Center collaborates with Northwest Tribes to provide health-related research, surveillance, training, and technical assistance to improve the quality of life of American Indians and Alaskan Natives (AI/ANs). This project will support Northwest Native food producers in understanding how to build their businesses, as well as provide them with necessary skills for their projects. 

 

Numu Allottee Association  

Madras, OR – Traditional Food  

$25,000 

Numu Allottee Association (NAA) is a Native nonprofit providing advocacy training and economic empowerment to allottees of public domain allotments. With NAAF funding, NAA will provide technical assistance to the  E’ NUMU DIIP (END) Cooperative and interested Native micro farm businesses as part of local economic development plans for the region. 

 

Old Harbor Alliance, Inc  

Anchorage, AK – 501(c)(3)  

$100,000 

This project will allow the Old Harbor Alliance to establish a hydroponic growing system, cleaning and packaging station and purchase meat processing equipment to enhance efforts for food sustainability at the Sitkalidak Sunrise Farm and throughout their Native village. This project will allow the Village to provide healthy, sustainable, locally grown and harvested vegetables, fruits, fish and game.  

 

Oneida Nation 

Oneida, WI – Youth 

$44,170 

Located in eastern Wisconsin, the Oneida Nation plans to use NAAF funding to educate local Oneida youth on traditional Tribal farming methods and soil conservation practices while promoting the reintroduction of historically important Tribal foods and community production techniques. 

 

Owens Valley Indian Water Commission  

Bishop, CA – Tribe  

$115,920 

The Owens Valley Indian Water Commission (OVIWC) is Tribally charted and consists of three members: Bishop, Big Pine, and Lone Pine Paiute Tribes. OVIWC will provide access to fresh meat and produce, as well as securing support for supplies and equipment to fulfill at least two of their agriculture related projects. 

 

OyateNetworking/Oyate Teca Project  

Kyle, SD  

501(c)(3)  

$50,000 

The Oyate Teca Project (OTP) is a Tribally community-based organization which has helped provide a safe environment for youth and elders. OTP intends to mobilize their Farmer’s Market, thus increasing access healthy foods including traditionally derived crops and herbs. 

 

Painted Desert Demonstration Projects (STAR School) 

Flagstaff, AZ -Youth 

$40,000 

Painted Desert Demonstration Projects is a nonprofit that runs the STAR charter school, serving Navajo families. With NAAF funding, they will work with local, Tribal farmers, a Master gardener, and an Indigenous culinary teacher to teach Navajo students to grow their own produce and later cook nutritional meals with their harvest. 

 

Passamaquoddy Wild Blueberry Company  

Columbia Falls, ME – Tribe  

$127,500 

Passamaquoddy Wild Blueberry Company’s (PWBC) core mission is to preserve and share the millennia-old blueberry picking tradition of the Passamaquoddy Tribe and other Tribes from Maine and the Canadian Maritimes. With NAAF funding, PWBC will increase value-added production of branded, frozen blueberries and create an internship program for Tribal youth. 

 

Penobscot Nation  

Indian Island, ME – Tribe  

$127,500 

The Penobscot Indian Nation will establish Penobscot Native Farms, a six-acre farm that provides a 150-share CSA, contract growing, and community programming to strengthen food security for Tribal citizens.  With the launch of Penobscot Native Farms, the Tribe will conduct market research and develop a business plan to explore expanded business opportunities and value-added production.  

 

Peoples Partner for Community Development, The  

Lame Deer, MT – CDFI  

$335,000 

The Peoples Partner for Community Development (PPCD) is a certified Native CDFI serving Tribal members on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation. NAAF funding will provide access to capital to Northern Cheyenne Farmers and Ranchers on the Northern Cheyenne Reservations. Small agriculture loans will be available to 20 Native American farmers or ranchers.  

 

Piikani Lodge Health Institute 

Browning, MT – 501(c)(3) 

$100,000 

Piikani Lodge Health Institute (PLHI) engages Blackfeet ways of knowing and being and global Indigenous Research Methodologies to lead research and action across health, food, land and water systems. With NAAF funding, they will finalize their multi-species processing plant feasibility study, design Blackfeet Nation grass-fed and organic standards and international trade plans. 

 

Port Gamble S’Klallam Foundation  

Kingston, WA – 501(c)(3)  

$89,000 

The Port Gamble S’Klallam Foundation is dedicated to improving the quality of life for Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribal members. This project supports Tribal fishers and harvesters in the development of Tribal owned businesses to safely market-fresh fish and value-added seafood products directly to consumers through on-reservation roadside sales, by providing two business training and technical assistance and re-grants to eligible project participants. 

 

Pueblo of Pojoaque  

Santa Fe, NM – Tribe  

$127,123 

The Pueblo of Pojoaque Bison Agriculture program will implement a program improvement project to facilitate the expansion of the Bison Agriculture program and improve existing capabilities of the program.  

 

Quapaw Services Authority  

Quapaw, OK – Tribe, Ag Ext  

$156,849 

Quapaw Services Authority aims to provide agriculture education and technical support to Native farmers, ranchers, and community members by expanding its free food preservation equipment rental program and hosting a series of agricultural workshops that focus on a range of topics from gardening to seed saving and food preservation. 

 

Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians  

Red Lake, MN – Tribe, Traditional Food  

$197,500 

Red Lake Nation’s Anishinaabe culture and economic development is tied to its land and fisheries. With NAAF funding, Red Lake Nation will continue building the capacity of its local food system by expanding paid farmer training for Tribal members, investing in the Tribal bison ranch, and increasing the Nation’s produce distribution and storage capabilities. 

 

Rosebud Economic Development Corporation (REDCO)  

Mission, SD – Tribe  

$119,011 

Rosebud Economic Development Corporation (REDCO) provides services to Sicangu Lakota Oyate farmers and ranchers across their territory. NAAF funding will help support food sovereignty for the Rosebud Sioux Tribe by planning for the localization and regionalization of the existing food system.  

 

Seneca Nation of Indians, The  

Irving, NY – Tribe  

$127,500 

The Gakwi:yo:h Building Project will construct two processing/storage buildings at Gakwi:yo:h Farms on the Seneca Nation’s Cattaraugus Territory. The structures will allow Gakwi:yo:h Farms to expand the number of farm products offered for sale and increase farm revenues. 

 

Sicangu Community Development Corporation 

Mission, SD – Youth 

$34,083 

The From School to Farm program will prepare Sicangu Lakota youth for careers in food systems and agriculture and will empower ten high school and college aged youth on the Rosebud Reservation for future careers in agriculture and food systems work with a ten-week internship. 

 

Sitting Bull College  

Fort Yates, ND – Educational Organization   

$250,000 

Sitting Bull College is a Tribal college servicing the Standing Rock Indian Reservation in both North Dakota and South Dakota that offers a variety of agriculture programs. With NAAF funding, SBC will develop a Veterinary Technician training program to meet the expansive need of veterinarian medicine across the northern Great Plains. 

 

Southwest Indian Agricultural Association  

Casa Grande, AZ – 501(c)(3)  

$100,000 

The Southwest Indian Agriculture Association (SWIAA) promotes Indian agriculture and Tribal economic development to the 20 plus Tribes in the Southwest. SWIAA will provide education and technical assistance to enhance Tribal food systems, which will allow for more resilient Tribal communities in the Southwest. 

 

Spokane Tribal Network  

Wellpinit, WA – 501(c)(3)  

$100,000 

Spokane Tribal Network (STN) generates hope for the Spokane Tribal Community by fostering inter-generational wellness and resilience. With NAAF funding, they plan to partner with two universities and the Spokane Tribal TANF program to restore traditional gathering areas with Tribal foods and medicines and offer agricultural education and technical support to local producers. 

 

Spruce Root, Inc.  

Juneau, AK – 501(c)(3), Youth 

$125,410 

The Sustainable Southeast Food Security and Sovereignty Catalyst Fellowship will develop the local workforce of food producers, increase food security, and invest in the intergenerational transmission of traditional and customary food knowledge for Alaska Native individuals in the rural communities of Southeast Alaska. This will consist of a training program, project funding, business coaching, and networking opportunities for their Catalysts. Spruce Root’s youth project will support 18 youth leaders in contributing to their communities’ food security and indigenous food systems by increasing participation in traditional subsistence activities, building infrastructure that strengthens the local food system. 

 

Stockbridge-Munsee Community  

Bowler, WI – Traditional Food  

$70,000 

The Stockbridge-Munsee Community will grow its traditional food program by securing traditional seeds, providing educational resources and technical support for growing these crops to community farmers, and creating a seed bank of traditional seeds for the community. The projects will also produce a cookbook. 

 

Tolani Lake Enterprises  

Winslow, AZ – 501(c)(3)  

$195,877 

This project is a part of the Dine’ Small Farm and Ranch Initiative, a collaboration led by Tolani Lake Enterprises with regional partners to revitalize Navajo and Hopi farms in the Little Colorado River Valley. This work will support regional farmers and food entrepreneurs with training, technical support, business assistance, mini-grants, micro-loans, and advocacy as they increase their capacity to grow, share, and sell nutritious food in the southwest corner of Navajo Nation. 

 

Trees, Water & People  

Fort Collins, CO – 501(c)(3)  

$52,313 

Trees, Water, and People (TWP) helps improve lives by encouraging communities to protect, conserve and manage their natural resources. TWP will host range management workshops, provide technical trainings, and support Tribal natural resource departments through implementation of rangeland projects. 

 

Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians 

Belcourt, ND – Youth 

$48,600 

Based in Belcourt, North Dakota the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians plan to use NAAF funding to support the Turtle Mountain Youth Ag Leadership Initiative with strategic planning that will lay the foundation for youth exposure to current Tribal agricultural initiatives and careers, leading up to the development of a Youth Ag Summit.  

 

United Houma Nation  

Golden Meadow, LA – Traditional Food  

$65,000 

The United Houma Nation’s mission is the preservation and promotion of traditional Houma customs, values, and knowledge, as well as the improvement of its community and people. With NAAF funding, the United Houma Nation will promote traditional shrimping, fishing, and cooking practices by creating a centralized marketplace and storage center for Tribal fishers. 

 

University of Alaska, Fairbanks  

Fairbanks, AK – Ag Ext  

$93,151 

University of Alaska, Fairbanks (UAF) is Alaska’s state land grant institution that includes an extension service. With NAAF funding, UAF will amplify the voices and concerns of Alaska Native farmers, ranchers, and non-profit food producers and procurers to make sure they are heard by policy makers, educators, researchers, and service providers who can help them reach their goals. 

 

University of Arizona  

Tucson, AZ – Educational Organization   

$199,580 

The University of Arizona (UA) is Arizona’s state land grant institution that includes a College of Agriculture and Life Sciences with an extension service. With NAAF funding, the UA will develop a program that will share research-based information and healthy practices in a culturally competent way by using existing FRTEP agents, cooperative extension personnel, and other experts to address practical issues facing Tribal livestock producers.  

 

Utah Diné Bikéyah  

Salt Lake City, UT – Ag Ext, Youth  

$45,000 

Utah Dine Bikeyah is dedicated to safeguarding cultural resources and protecting the ecological integrity of Ancestral lands in southeastern Utah. With NAAF funding, Utah Dine Bikeyah will continue its ongoing efforts to reinvigorate the Four Corners Potato. This project will work with indigenous farmers and youth to expand production of this traditional food. 

 

Walker River Paiute Tribe  

Schurz, NV – Tribe  

$45,000 

Pinenuts are a staple food of the Walker River Paiutes and have been picked and harvested since time immemorial. Working with Tribal members, this project will support our cultural foodways by supporting our Pinenut harvesters and contributing to our annual Pinenut Festival.  

 

White Mountain Apache Tribe  

Whiteriver, AZ – Tribe  

$112,500 

Ndee Bikiyaa, The People’s Farm will develop and implement a project that will expand opportunities agribusiness education, training through workshops and the Master Gardener program for among 10-12 local farmers and producers. The project will leverage resources to promote business development, healthy food access, producer network development and value-added production among White Mountain Apache communities. 

 

Wind River Development Fund  

Ft. Washakie, WY – CDFI  

$387,167 

Wind River Development Fund is a nonprofit community development corporation and federally certified Community Development Financial Institution that seeks to stimulate economic development on and around the Wind River Indian Reservation. With NAAF funds, the project aims to increase access to capital and other resources for Native farmers and ranchers on the Wind River Reservation by providing agriculture lending, start-up funds through re-grants, agricultural education, and credit coaching. 

Woodland Financial Partners Inc.  

Keshena, WI – CDFI  

$46,681 

Wooland Financial Partners provides alternative financing and development services for entrepreneurs and small businesses on the Menominee, Mole Lake and Lac du Flambeau Reservations. Their project is devoted to reducing the food sovereignty barriers in the communities we serve and provide a financial platform for Native farmers and food producers to thrive for seven generations. 

 

Zuni Youth Enrichment Project  

Zuni, NM – 501(c)(3)  

$100,000 

The Zuni Youth Enrichment Project (ZYEP) is a Tribally based youth and family agriculture project. ZYEP will continue to offer 75 Zuni families resources needed to collect rainwater, grow and harvest crops, and foster positive relationships between Zuni family farmers and the greater Zuni community.