Page 10 - NAAF 2019 Annual Report

LEADERS IN NATIVE AGRICULTURE: 2019 GRANTEES
1 Akiptan – Eagle Butte, SD • ($500,000)
A national Native-led CDFI, Akiptan seeks to “innovate and change the paradigm of
investments in Indian Country agriculture and food systems” by working with Native
farmers and ranchers. With NAAF funding, Akiptan will provide loans, capital, and
comprehensive technical assistance and financial training for 10 producers.
2 Alaska Village Initiatives – Anchorage, AK • ($64,888)
Host of the agricultural outreach platform agalaska.net, Alaska Village Initiatives
(AVI) has been providing services to Alaska Native producers and small businesses for
more than 50 years. With NAAF funding, AVI will explore the potential for industrial
hemp production in geographically isolated locations in rural Alaska.
3 American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association – Albuquerque, NM •
($72,545)
American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association (AIANTA) is the only national
organization representing, supporting and expanding tribal tourism in the U.S. With
NAAF funding, AIANTA will develop resources for individual Native producers and
tribes interested in agritourism and provide training at the annual American Indian
Tourism Conference.
4 American Indian College Fund – Denver, CO • ($273,370)
American Indian College Fund (AICF) invests in Native students and tribal college
education to transform lives and communities. With NAAF funding, AICF will build
on their existing scholarship and mentoring support for Native students in farming and
ranching by providing stipends for place-based, agriculture-focused career experiences.
5 American Indian Graduate Center – Albuquerque, NM • ($150,000)
The American Indian Graduate Center (AIGC) provides financial support for
American Indians and Alaska Natives seeking higher education. With NAAF funding,
AIGC will provide scholarships through the Wilson Hooper Veterinary Medicine
Assistance Program and host two “Know Before U Go” workshops for Native high
school students interested in agricultural degrees.
6 American Indian Higher Education Consortium – Alexandria, VA •
($125,000)
The American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC) is the collective spirit
and unifying voice of the nation’s Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs). Thirty-
five of the 37 TCUs are land-grant institutions. With NAAF funding, AIHEC is
sponsoring TCUs in delivering technical assistance to Native agricultural producers
through trained AmeriCorps VISTA volunteers.
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7 Arapaho Ranch Field Station – wind River Reservation, WY • ($150,000)
The Arapaho Ranch Field Station promotes ranching sustainability on the Wind River
Reservation through place-based education and environmental mitigation projects.
With NAAF funding, the Field Station will make capital improvements to structures
on the land to support their value-added agritourism plans and bring more youth into
the ranching tradition.
8 Blackfeet Tribe Agriculture Resource Management Plan – Browning, MT
• ($200,000)
The Blackfeet Tribe’s Agriculture Resource Management Plan (ARMP) team
guides the implementation of long-term planning efforts for agricultural and natural
resources within the Blackfeet Nation. With NAAF funding, Blackfeet ARMP will
finalize planning efforts for a local multi-species processing plant, customize food and
agriculture codes, and engage youth in agriculture.
9 Board of Regents, University of Nevada, Reno – Hawthorne, NV •
($483,470)
The University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) provides practical agricultural education
for citizens through cooperative extension programs. With NAAF funding, UNR
will coordinate advanced agricultural business training for Native producers, sponsor
scholarships and mentoring for students pursuing degrees in agriculture, and support
youth participation in agricultural camps.
10 California Indian Museum and Cultural Center – Santa Rosa, CA •
($100,000)
California Indian Museum and Cultural Center (CIMCC) and its Tribal Youth
Ambassadors revitalize traditional food systems in Northern California through the
social enterprise, Acorn Bites. With NAAF funding, CIMCC will train gatherers to
steward, collect and process acorns, in addition to sponsoring youth to attend food
conferences to strengthen their business development knowledge.
11 Cankdeska Cikana Community College – Fort Totten, ND • ($74,838)
Cankdeska Cikana Community College (CCCC), located in the Spirit Lake Nation,
supports Tribal agricultural production through tilling agricultural land, distributing
seeds, operating a farmer’s market and community garden and has started a 4-H
program for youth. With NAAF funding, CCCC will irrigate their community garden,
cultivate an additional field for traditional corn and increase engagement with Head
Start students.
Center for Rural Affairs – Lyons, Ne • ($24,532)
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Center for Rural Affairs (CFRA) supports beginning farmers and small business
owners from diverse rural populations, providing specialized outreach for the Omaha
and Santee Reservations. With NAAF funding, CFRA will encourage Native youth
to consider agricultural careers through school gardening, exchange programs and
classroom training.
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