The Community Innovation grant program is a flexible program that invests in great ideas and the people who power them across the Foundation’s region (Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota). CI grants fund the most promising ideas, across issue areas that have the potential to make the Foundation’s region better for everyone. Through this program, they aim to:

Develop, test and spread great ideas: CI grants invest in efforts to develop and test ideas to solve problems and create opportunities, and then spread the best ideas across communities.

Inspire, equip and connect leaders: Great ideas spread through people. CI grants invest in efforts to inspire, equip and connect leaders to more effectively lead change.

Tourism Tip: This grant can help fund a wide variety of community projects for nonprofits, government entities and Tribal Nations located in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota or the 23 Native nations that share the same geography.

More Information: They recommend you schedule a call with their staff to discuss your idea. For more information, visit bushfoundation.org

Tourism Tip: This grant can help fund new tourism businesses in rural communities.

More Information: For more information, visit usda.gov.

The Stock Artist Development Fund supports and promotes outstanding artists identifying with underrepresented communities and provides a platform to showcase and celebrate their independent, empowered, and creative forms of visual expression. The fund offers empowerment of artists’ voices and financial support for talented artists with the eventual impact of promoting imagery that has been historically underrepresented in commercial media and aims to ensure that artists are compensated for their work.

Tourism Tip: This fund can be used to highlight underrepresented Indigenous communities.

More Information: For more information, visit adobe.com.

Small community organizations can receive $3,000 to support featuring folk arts in festivals, cultural events, and gatherings that bring folk artists and communities together. Project dates must be between July 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023.

Tourism Tip: This grant can help support small community events located in Nevada.

More Information: For more information, visit nvartscouncil.org

The WORC Initiative is designed to facilitate the alignment of workforce development efforts with existing economic development strategies in rural communities hard hit by economic transition and recovering slowly. The WORC Initiative provides grant funds to enable impacted communities to develop local and regional workforce development solutions aligned with existing economic development strategies and community partnerships to promote new, sustainable job opportunities and long-term economic vitality. These grants support workforce development activities that prepare dislocated workers, new entrants to the workforce and incumbent workers for good jobs in high-demand occupations aligned with a regional or community economic development strategy.

Tourism Tip: This initiative can be used to promote new, sustainable job opportunities and long-term economic vitality.

More Information: For more information, visit dol.gov

U.S. Department of Agriculture: The Urban Indoor and Emerging Agriculture (UIE) Program

The Urban, Indoor, and Emerging Agriculture (UIE) program supports research, education, and extension work by awarding grants to solve key problems of local, regional, and national importance that facilitate development of urban, indoor, and emerging agricultural systems. The program includes food value chain stages: production, harvesting, transportation, aggregation, packaging, distribution, and markets.

Tourism Tip: This program can fund the development of urban, indoor, and emerging agricultural systems.

More Information: nifa.usda.gov

The Tribal Solar Accelerator Fund (TSAF), a tribal-led program at GRID Alternatives, has announced its plans to issue requests for proposals and solicit applications for the 2022–2023 grant program for tribal renewable energy projects on June 1, 2022.

As one of the only grantmaking programs specifically designated for tribal solar projects and cultivating the next generation of tribal energy leaders, TSAF works in partnership with tribes to bring technical, financial and cultural resources to support their projects and address their unique challenges and opportunities. The TSAF, GRID and the National Tribal Program work in alignment to identify, develop, finance and implement solar power projects that meet community needs, including education, hands-on training and energy cost reductions for tribal members.

Tourism Tip: This grant can support renewable energy infrastructure and capacity building in tribal communities.

More Information: tribalsolar.org

Native Voices Rising (NVR) is a project of the Common Counsel Foundation and Native

Americans in Philanthropy. Native Voices Rising provides general operating support

grants that are intended to strengthen Native-led groups that have a membership base in the community, work to develop leadership and take collective action to win

progressive social change. Eligible organizations are rooted in a Native community, led by Native people, improve Native communities through organizing and advocacy, engage large numbers of community members to take action together and seek to improve the policies and rules that impact the community.

Tourism Tip: This grant can support Native-led groups that work to develop leadership in their communities.

More Information: nativevoicesrising.org

The League will award 10 grants of up to $1,500 to organizations seeking to improve their communities through biking. To be eligible to apply, organizations must be based in the United States and be a non-profit (501c3, 501c4 and 501c6) and/or a public or government agency/organization. Other types of organizations will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Tourism Tip: Use this grant to empower your community through bike-related projects that create more Bicycle Friendly Communities.

More Information: bikeleague.org

The 2022-2023 National Days of Service Lead Agency program supports local governmental agencies, non-profit organizations, faith-based organizations and K-16 schools and institutions that lead partner coalitions or organize projects to engage youth volunteers on National Days of Service. Grants of $3,000 or $6,000 will be awarded based on the number of youth volunteers engaged. Applicants may work locally, regionally, statewide, or in multiple states and must be based in the United States.

Tourism Tip: This program can provide ongoing support to effectively engage young people in meaningful service and service-learning activities.

More Information: ysa.org

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) will award $85 million in nationwide funding through the America the Beautiful Challenge (ATBC) to advance the America the Beautiful Initiative and its goals to connect and restore the lands, waters and wildlife upon which we all depend. In the first year, ATBC will seek to fund projects across the following themes: Conserving and restoring rivers, coasts, wetlands and watersheds; Conserving and restoring forests, grasslands and other important ecosystems that serve as carbon sinks; Connecting and reconnecting wildlife corridors, large landscapes, watersheds and seascapes; Improving ecosystem and community resilience to flooding, drought and other climate-related threats; Expanding access to the outdoors, particularly in underserved communities.

Tourism Tip: This grant can fund projects that help preserve tribal lands used for recreation.

More Information: For more information, visit nfwf.org

The grant supports programs and projects that benefit the community as a whole, rather than individuals or small groups, in the areas of education and training, health and wellness, cultural preservation, economic development, and/or environmental protection/management. Applications must demonstrate program and project sustainability beyond the grant period, and supplemental matching funds are highly encouraged.

Tourism Tip: This grant can support tourism efforts for the Hualapai Tribe, San Carlos Apache Tribe, Tohono O’odham Nation, White Mountain Apache Tribe and nonprofit organizations working with these tribes.

More Information: freeportinmycommunity.com

The purpose of RMAP is to support the development and ongoing success of rural Microentrepreneurs and Microenterprises, each as defined in 7 CFR 4280.302. The regulation can be accessed online at https://www.ecfr.gov. To accomplish this purpose, RMAP provides direct loans and grants to Microenterprise Development Organizations (MDO).

Tourism Tip: This program can be used to provide technical assistance and entrepreneurship training to rural individuals and businesses.

More Information: For more information, visit rd.usda.gov

These grants of up to $100,000 per year, with commitments up to two years, are available to Indigenous-led organizations working in one or more of the following focus areas:

Defend: Efforts include protecting and defending land, air, water, and natural resources.

Develop: Efforts include community and economic development initiatives based on sustainable, regenerative principles and a connection to land, culture, and identity.

Decolonize: Efforts include the revitalization and intergenerational transmission and continuity of Indigenous ceremonies, cultures, languages, and ways of life.

Tourism Tip: This grant can help Indigenous-led organizations with general operating support, capacity building, capital, and holistic support.

More Information: grants.ndncollective.org

Tourism Tip: This grant can help preserve or enhance climbing environments.

More Information: For more information, visit accessfund.org.

It is strongly recommended that you contact the Foundation’s office to discuss proposed programs before you start the application process. The Kettering Family Foundation (KFF) will consider activities in the following categories: categories: Arts, Culture and Humanities, Public/Society Benefit, Education, Environment, Health/Medical and Human Services.  

Tourism Tip: Use this grant to fund arts and culture family-friendly tourism organizations.

More Information: For more information, visit cfketteringfamilies.com or email info@ketteringfamilyphilanthropies.org.

The purpose of the NAL@ED program is to support schools that use Native American and Alaska Native languages as the primary language of instruction; maintain, protect and promote the rights and freedom of Native Americans and Alaska Natives to use, practice, maintain and revitalize their languages, as envisioned in the Native American Languages Act of 1990 (25 U.S.C. 2901 et seq.); and support the Nation’s First Peoples’ efforts to maintain and revitalize their languages and cultures and to improve educational opportunities and student outcomes within Native American and Alaska Native communities.

Tourism Tip: This program funds the development and maintenance of new Native American language programs or the expansion and improvement of existing Native American language programs.

More Information: oese.ed.gov

Through project-based funding, the program supports activities that integrate arts, culture and design into local efforts that strengthen communities. Our Town projects advance local economic, physical or social outcomes in communities, ultimately laying the groundwork for systems change and centering equity. These projects require a partnership between a nonprofit organization and a local government entity, with one of the partners being a cultural organization. Grants range from $25,000 to $150,000, with a minimum cost share/match equal to the grant amount.

Tourism Tip: This grant can fund activities that integrate arts, culture and design into local efforts that strengthen communities.

More Information: arts.gov

The Joint Chiefs’ Landscape Restoration Partnership enables NRCS and Forest Service to collaborate with partners such as agricultural producers and forest landowners to invest in conservation and restoration at a big enough scale to make a difference.

Proposals are developed through a collaborative process between NRCS, Forest Service and local partners. Past partners have included county, state, non-governmental, Tribal, utilities or private individual stakeholders.

Project proposals are due by Aug. 5, 2022, for the 2023 fiscal year. Contact your local service center.

Tourism Tip: The funding will target communities and Tribes hardest hit by wildfires to mitigate impacts, address hazards, and support plans for recovery.

More Information: nrcs.usda.gov

National Park Service’s Underrepresented Communities Grant Program (URC) works towards diversifying the nominations submitted to the National Register of Historic Places. URC grants are funded by the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) and are administered by the NPS. Projects include surveys and inventories of historic properties associated with communities underrepresented in the National Register, as well as the development of nominations to the National Register for specific sites. Congress has appropriated $1.25 million for the URC Grant Program.

Tourism Tip: This grant will fund projects focused on preserving historic landmarks and places.

More Information: www.nps.gov

Funded through the Historic Preservation Fund, the History of Equal Rights grant program preserves sites related to the struggle for any or all people to achieve equal rights in America. The History of Equal Rights grants are not limited to any specific group and are intended to include the broadest possible interpretation of sites associated with efforts to achieve equal rights. This program funds physical preservation work and pre-preservation planning activities for sites that are listed in or determined eligible for the National Register of Historic Places or as a National Historic Landmark.

Tourism Tip: This program can fund physical preservation of a historic site to include historic districts, buildings, sites, structures and objects.

More Information: For more information, visit nps.gov

Through the Indigenous Communities program, EDA is allocating $100 million in American Rescue Plan funding specifically for Indigenous communities, which were disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.

Tourism Tip: This grant can help recover Indigenous tourism businesses negatively impacted by COVID-19.

More Information: For more information, visit www.eda.gov or email your questions to indigenous@eda.gov.

The Decolonizing Wealth Project (DWP) launched a new fund, the California Truth and Healing Fund, to provide California Native American families, communities, tribes, and organizations with resources to engage in opportunities associated with the goals of the landmark California Truth & Healing Council. Seeded with an initial $500,000 investment from DWP’s Liberated Capital fund, The California Endowment, and Christensen Fund, and with the goal of raising more than $5 million, the fund is guided by an advisory board of Native Californians, including Pechanga Band of Indians Tribal Chairman Mark Macarro and Truth & Healing Council-member Kouslaa Kessler-Mata, Yak Tityu Tityu Chumash.

Tourism Tip: This fund can be used for projects related to preserving Tribal history, research, and narrative work, such as the digitization of tribal history, research, narratives, documentation of land loss, cultural items, archival material, etc.

More Information: decolonizingwealth.com

Strategic economic development revitalizes communities. Approached holistically, it attracts investments, builds wealth, and promotes sustainability. As a foundational first step, planning is crucial to successful economic development. It encourages us to leverage resources, build partnerships, advance the principles of equity, and strengthen systems to address global threats like climate change. By sequencing – or “stacking” – funding opportunities, you can effectively meet your community’s economic development goals. There is a wide range of federal resources available to help you identify complementary programs, but it can be daunting to know where to begin. Together, the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development (USDA RD) are pleased to offer this joint planning resource guide, designed to help you eliminate barriers and encourage collaboration among your stakeholders.

See the guide here

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AIANTA collects funding opportunities that may be of interest to Indigenous or Native American tourism & hospitality enterprises looking to grow their tourism, culture, heritage, arts, agritourism or other culture and heritage programming.

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