There are still spots left in the Seed Keepers School from May 11-16 at Shakopee, but they are filling fast, so please register soon if you are planning to attend. Lodging is available free in tipis and at a reduced rate in the Mystic Lake Hotel. This training event is a tremendous opportunity to learning and network-building opportunity.
Seed School
USDA’s Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Development Program (BFRDP) is accepting requesting grant applications until June 12th, 2014. Approximately $19 million in funding is available for efforts aimed at education, training, outreach, and mentoring of new and beginning farmers.
2:00pm central time, Wednesday, April 9th will be our monthly update conference call. Call in number is 866-614-2162 and the code is 987 114 7244. These call will take place the second Wednesday of each month at 2:00pm using the same phone number and access code. Please feel free to spread the word. We’re planning to give everyone who is interested up to 2 minutes to give your own update.
April 9th Agenda
The Wisconsin Conservation Advisory Council (WTCAC) is hiring a Program Manager who is responsible for organization’s the day-to-day operations. WTCAC includes membership from each of Wisconsin 11 federally-recognized Tribes, serving as an innovative connecting organization not only among the state’s Tribes, but also with various USDA, other federal, and state agencies. Priorities moving forward include building expanded partnerships and heading new initiatives in food sovereignty. The position description is listed below.
Here is a compilation of current funding programs:
The 11th annual Indigenous Farming Conference will be held at the Shooting Star Casino in Mahnomen, MN on the White Earth Reservation. Organized by the White Earth Land Recovery Project (WELRP), the event features an agenda full of interesting speakers on innovative projects. Registration is required and is available on a daily or full event basis.
NIFA (National Institute of Food and Agriculture) has $6 million of funding available for efforts addressing critical agricultural water issues like drought, excess soil moisture, flooding, quality and others. Tribal governments, non-profits, educational institutions, and individuals are among the eligible entities. Application deadline for the letter of intent is April 17, 2014 and the final proposal is due August 13, 2014.
USDA’s NIFA (National Institute of Food and Agriculture) is accepting applications for 1) Community Food Projects and 2) Planning Projects to assess food security needs and correlating long-term solutions. Technical Assistance support grants may also be awarded. The maximum awards are $300,000 for CFP and $25,000 for Planning Projects. Applications are due March 31, 2014.
The Wallace Center is accepting applications promoting food hubs. They expect to fund between 15 to 30 applications ranging from $10,000 to $75,000. Deadline to apply is March 30, 2014.
The Administration for Native Americans (ANA), which is part of the US Department of Health and Human Services is currently accepting applications in five different areas. Food and agriculture projects probably best fit under the economic development related areas. Applications, which are due April 15th, may be up to $500,000 and can last multiple years. Here is a list of past grant awards.
Great Lakes Region IAC Website 