L.E.A.D. is Coming! Register Now!

Posted on May 18, 2016 by rblauvelt

First Nations Development Institute will hold its 21st Annual First Nations L.E.A.D. Institute Conference at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tulsa, OK on September 27 – 29, 2016.

For more than 30 years, First Nations has worked with Native nations and organizations to strengthen American Indian economies to support healthy Native communities. As an extension of this mission, the L.E.A.D. conference is designed to help emerging and existing leaders in Indian Country network, grow professionally, share ideas and learn new skills related to asset-building.

Training Tracks Offered

Track 1: Nourishing Native Foods & Health
Track 2: Investing in Native Youth
Track 3: Strengthening Tribal & Community Institutions

Attendees have the option of attending sessions in just one track, or they may customize their experience by selecting from any of the sessions that interest them.

Who Should Attend?

Native American nonprofit professionals
Native Americans interested in launching or expanding nonprofit and/or philanthropic organizations
Tribal leaders or those who work in tribal organizations
Anyone interested in Native American nonprofits and philanthropy
Anyone interested in Native American food sovereignty
Tribal economic development professionals

REGISTER NOW!

Shakopee Mdewakanton and National Partners Launch $5 million Native Nutrition Campaign

Posted on May 18, 2015 by rblauvelt

In late March 2015, the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community (SMSC) in Minnesota and three nationally significant partners — including First Nations Development Institute (First Nations) — announced “Seeds of Native Health,” a major philanthropic campaign to improve the nutrition of Native Americans across the country. The SMSC committed $5 million to launch the campaign and plans to recruit other funding and strategic partners.

“Nutrition is very poor among many of our fellow Native Americans, which leads to major health problems,” said SMSC Chairman Charlie Vig. “Our Community has a tradition of helping other tribes and Native American people. The SMSC is committed to making a major contribution and bringing others together to help develop permanent solutions to this serious problem.”

Generations of extreme poverty and the loss of traditional foods have resulted in poor and inadequate diets for many Native Americans, leading to increased obesity, diabetes and other profound health problems. “Many tribes, nonprofits, public health experts, researchers, and advocates have already been working on solutions,” said SMSC Vice Chairman Keith Anderson. “We hope this campaign will bring more attention to their work, build on it, bring more resources to the table, and ultimately put Indian Country on the path to develop a comprehensive strategy, which does not exist today.”

The Seeds of Native Health campaign includes efforts to improve awareness of Native nutrition problems, promote the wider application of proven best practices, and encourage additional work related to food access, education and research.

“Native health problems have many causes, but we know that many of these problems can be traced to poor nutrition,” said SMSC Secretary/Treasurer Lori Watso, who has spent much of her career in community public health. She provided the original idea for the SMSC’s nutrition campaign. “Traditional Native foods have a much higher nutritional value than what is most easily accessible today. By promoting best practices, evidence-based methods, and the reintroduction of healthy cultural practices, we believe that tribal governments, nonprofits, and grassroots practitioners can collectively make lasting strides towards a better future.”

Besides First Nations, partnering with the SMSC are the Notah Begay III Foundation, based in New Mexico; and the University of Minnesota. First Nations has longstanding expertise in efforts to eliminate food insecurity, build the health of communities, and support entrepreneurship and economic development. It received $1.4 million from the SMSC for regranting to projects relating to food access, food sovereignty and capacity building. The application period for those grants through First Nations just expired on May 21, 2015.

“First Nations has spent 35 years working to build healthy economies in Indian Country, and we are thrilled for the opportunity to be a strategic partner in an initiative that will coordinate so many of the crucial efforts happening today,” said First Nations President Michael Roberts.

The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community is a federally recognized, sovereign Indian tribe located southwest of Minneapolis/St. Paul. With a focus on being a good neighbor, good steward of the earth, and good employer, the SMSC is committed to charitable donations, community partnerships, a healthy environment, and a strong economy. The SMSC and the SMSC Gaming Enterprise (Mystic Lake Casino Hotel and Little Six Casino) are the largest employer in Scott County. Out of a Dakota tradition to help others, the SMSC has donated more than $325 million to organizations and causes since opening the Gaming Enterprise in the 1990s and has contributed millions more to regional governments and infrastructure such as roads, water and sewer systems, and emergency services.

For more information about Seeds of Native Health, visit www.SeedsOfNativeHealth.org.

Native Food Sovereignty Summit is Oct. 26-29

Posted on March 18, 2015 by rblauvelt

First Nations Development Institute (First Nations) and the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin will co-host the Third Annual Food Sovereignty Summit to be held in Green Bay, Wisconsin, October 26-29, 2015, at the Radisson Green Bay Hotel and Conference Center. At the event, Native American communities come together to learn from one another in order to promote Native health, wellness and food sovereignty. (Also see “Food Sovereignty Assessment Tool” below.)

This conference sold out well ahead of time the previous two years, so be sure to guarantee your attendance by registering soon at www.firstnations.org/summit. Previously the conference was held in April, and this year it will be held in October to incorporate the Oneida Nation’s traditional white corn harvesting.

This year’s event will feature three tracks: Applied Agriculture, Community Outreach, and Products to Market. Native farmers, ranchers, gardeners, businesses, policymakers and other practitioners from around the U.S. will share information, program models and tools to meet growing and marketing challenges, as well as provide inspiration, mentoring and networking opportunities. Among special features of this year’s summit are Experiential Learning Field Sessions (farm practices, food preservation, food handling, organic certification, etc.), a Chefs’ Corner (culinary creations from various tribal regions), and a “Connect the Dots” session to connect mentors and mentees with the goal of building healthy Native communities.

As in the past, the Food Sovereignty Summit is generously supported by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

Food Sovereignty Assessment Tool Updated, Republished

Related to the food sovereignty movement in Indian Country, First Nations also recently released a revised, updated Food Sovereignty Assessment Tool that can be downloaded for free.

The Food Sovereignty Assessment Tool (FSAT) assists Native communities in reclaiming their local food systems. It helps demystify the process of data collection about local food systems and provides tools and a framework for Native communities to measure and assess food access, land use and food policy in their communities. Since its original development, First Nations has provided hundreds of trainings on the FSAT and it has been used around the world in other Indigenous communities.

Prior to colonization, Native peoples had self-sufficient and sustainable food systems. Over time, removal from traditional homelands, limited access to traditional food sources, and transitions to cash economies, among other things, weakened tribal food systems. Today, many Native communities and households are food insecure, dependent on outside food sources, and maintain a diet of Western foodstuffs that are often linked to negative and deteriorating health, community and economics. Recognizing that the loss of self-sufficient food systems is a contributing factor to the many issues Native communities face today, First Nations works with and supports Native communities in reclaiming local food systems.

According to the FSAT’s introduction, “Local food-system control is foundational to reversing years of colonization aimed at the disintegration of cultural and traditional belief systems and dismantling of Native social and economic systems. If Native communities can control local food systems, food can become a driver for cultural revitalization, improving community health, and economic development.”

To download this new, free publication, visit http://www.firstnations.org/knowledge-center/foods-health (Note: you may have to create a free account to download the reports if you don’t already have one.)

Free Native Ag/Food & Financial Capability Resources

Posted on March 18, 2015 by rblauvelt

First Nations Development Institute recently released new publications in two of its focus areas: 1) Native Foods and Health and 2) Native Financial Empowerment.

Native Foods and Health

Twelve new Fact Sheets were published recently that provide broad overviews and specific insights into numerous topics dealing with Native American agriculture and food systems. The fact sheets should prove valuable to Native farmers, ranchers, gardeners, food processors, marketers and tribal policymakers. The publications are free and available for download from First Nations’ Knowledge Center at this link: http://www.firstnations.org/knowledge-center/foods-health/resources/fact-sheets-2. (Note: you may have to create a free account to download the reports if you don’t already have one.)

The new fact sheet topics are:

Community Kitchens
Farm-to-School Programs
Farmers’ Markets
Food and Household Income
Food Hubs
Food Policy
Food Safety
Food Seasonality
Food Sovereignty
Producers and Market Access
Seed Saving and Seed Sovereignty
Youth Engagement

First Nations also recently released a revised, updated Food Sovereignty Assessment Tool (FSAT). The FSAT assists Native communities in reclaiming their local food systems. It helps demystify the process of data collection about local food systems and provides tools and a framework for Native communities to measure and assess food access, land use and food policy in their communities. Since its original development, First Nations has provided hundreds of trainings on the FSAT and it has been used around the world in other Indigenous communities.

To download, visit http://www.firstnations.org/knowledge-center/foods-health (Note: you may have to create a free account to download the reports if you don’t already have one.)

Native Financial Empowerment

Tribes and Native American nonprofits are pioneering new and innovative financial capability programs that empower tribal citizens to take control of their financial futures. First Nations, working in partnership with the Northwest Area Foundation, recently released a report documenting these programs and identifying promising practices and areas for growth. Titled Building Assets and Building Lives: Financial Capability Programs in Native Communities, this report provides an overview of recent research on financial literacy and financial services in Native communities, and then presents data on financial capability programs serving a broad range of communities in the Northwest Area Foundation region.

Financial capability programs increase financial knowledge and also provide financial services that are affordable, easy to use, and safe. For example, the Northern Eagle Federal Credit Union, a financial institution recently launched by the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa Indians, offers affordable savings accounts and other financial services to tribal members. Staff members also conduct financial education workshops for tribal employees, high school students and other community members to help people build their financial knowledge and skills. In addition, they provide financial counseling services.

For a copy of the Building Assets and Building Lives: Financial Capability Programs in Native Communities paper, visit http://www.firstnations.org/knowledge-center/financial-education/research. (Note: you may have to create a free account to download the reports if you don’t already have one.)

Creating & Sharing Knowledge: The Muckleshoot Project

Posted on January 9, 2015 by rblauvelt

Over the past 34 years, First Nations Development Institute (First Nations) has funded a number of successful programs and projects geared toward strengthening Native American communities and their economies. Often, we are amazed and inspired by the lessons we learn from our grantees.

At First Nations, we are firmly committed to sharing these lessons and creating knowledge that will empower others to take action in Indian Country. To this end, we created and continually add to the First Nations Knowledge Center, an important online resource that provides tribes and Native organization with easy access to reports, fact sheets, manuals and other publications offering important, tribally-relevant information.

Valerie Segrest

For example, we recently released a new report by Valerie Segrest, a community nutritionist and Native foods expert, who helped develop the Muckleshoot Food Sovereignty Project’s Food-Purchasing Program. Through this program, Valerie helped organize a group of tribal cooks on the Muckleshoot Reservation who banded together to collectively leverage dollars and resources and get better access to prices, goods and services from vendors.

Valerie’s report details the steps she took to help establish this program, the challenges she faced along the way, and the practical advice she has for other tribes and Native organizations interested in developing a similar program in their communities.

Valerie’s full report, The Power of the Tribal Dollar: Highlighting the Muckleshoot Food Sovereignty Project’s Food-Purchasing Program, is free and available for download from First Nations’ Knowledge Center at this link: http://www.firstnations.org/knowledge-center/foods-health (Please note: you may have to create a free account in order to download the report if you don’t already have one.)

By Sarah Hernandez, First Nations Program Coordinator

Tribal College Students Get Into Food Sovereignty

Posted on November 20, 2013 by rblauvelt

The American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC) serves as the core network and national voice of the nation’s 37 tribal colleges and universities. It provides those tribally- and federally-chartered institutions with services in the areas of advocacy, public policy, research and program initiatives.

Now it’s helping First Nations Development Institute (First Nations) spread the word about Native food sovereignty to students and others at those tribal campuses and in the college communities.

At the AIHEC Annual Student Congress in March 2014 in Billings, Montana, the students will hold a food-assessment competition. Formally assessing a community’s food assets, systems and processes is a key first step in developing a strong food sovereignty outcome in that community.

The building block of the student food-assessment competition is First Nations’ own Food Sovereignty Assessment Tool, or FSAT, which First Nations developed in 2004. The student congress representatives took First Nation’s assessment tool and made some modifications to fit their needs for the competition. The congress is now distributing the document to each tribal college or university so they, in turn, can interest their students in competing in the event.

Students must turn in their completed assessment by February 1. As many as two students can collaborate on each entry. The most thoroughly completed assessment – with the best attempt to inform and make the most difference in their community in regards to food sovereignty – wins the competition. The winner or winners, who will be decided ahead of the conference, will receive a stipend to attend the conference, where they will present the findings of their assessment.

According to AIHEC, the competition is intended to promote food sovereignty awareness and encourage tribal college and university students to begin conversations with their fellow peers and the college administration to become more food sovereign as a tribal college campus, a tribal community, and a tribal nation. Further, the Annual Student Conference says it “hopes to stimulate sustained involvement in sustainability and health and well-being through food sovereignty across Indian Country.”

You can find First Nations’ Food Sovereignty Assessment Tool at this link – http://www.firstnations.org/KnowledgeCenter/NativeAmericanFoodsAndHealth/Resources — along with many other resources dealing with Native food and agriculture.

By Randy Blauvelt, First Nations Senior Communications Officer

First Nations Supports Muckleshoot Food Sovereignty

Posted on July 18, 2013 by rblauvelt

This issue of the Indian Giver e-newsletter spotlights one of First Nations’ Native Agriculture and Food Systems Initiative (NAFSI) grantees that is doing tremendous work on the Muckleshoot reservation in Bellingham, Washington – Northwest Indian College and its Muckleshoot Food Sovereignty Project (MFSP).

With a population of 3,884 American Indians living on or near the reservation, college created the MFSP with the aim to “build local and systemic infrastructure in the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe to improve food systems, address food insecurity, and eliminate food deserts.” In its early stages, the project was able to create and implement many community activities, including cook’s camps, for-credit college courses on basic nutrition and traditional foods, seasonal food celebrations, community gardens, and educational trainings on traditional foods and medicines.

Now in the middle of its first year of being funded by First Nations, the MFSP is reaching for more goals in order to expand the program. With the success of the community gardens, the project is now trying to incorporate more of its locally grown foods into the seven tribal kitchens, attain better quality products from vendors, develop a “menu development toolkit,” and create more educational events for the community.

Right now the program is working on its latest initiatives through surveys, consultation and planning. It has been challenging for the seven community kitchens, largely because each of them faces “unique barriers to making meals on a daily basis.” Additionally, with their location, it is often difficult getting deliveries of fresh products.

Establishing and growing the program has been no easy feat, and the coordinators have often had to face the reality that, sometimes, plans are not always easily translated into reality. However, they have seen progress, such as the elders of the communities benefiting from improved diets because of the gardening projects, watching community participation in the effort increase significantly, and a general relearning of cultural knowledge. Though they have run into some challenges, they are persistent and keep the project moving forward.

It has been well worth their efforts. According to Miguel Hernandez of Northwest Indian College, “After speaking with some elders and explaining to them about the project, they had mentioned to me, ‘this work is a response to the ancestors’ prayers.’ After hearing this from an elder, it makes me realize how important people from the community think this work is and how the project affects them. We try to keep these things in mind when things get difficult or energy is low.”

By Katy Gorman, First Nations/Ogallala Commons Intern

Website a Resource for Native Food & Agriculture Efforts

Posted on May 17, 2013 by rblauvelt

A new website was launched on April 15 that aims to become a valuable online resource for Native American tribes, organizations and individuals who are involved in food systems and agricultural efforts, and/or who are aiming for better health and nutrition for their families and communities.

The site is www.NativeFoodSystems.org. It was created by First Nations, with funding provided by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. For more than 32 years, First Nations has been working to restore Native American control and culturally-compatible stewardship of the assets they own – be they land, human potential, cultural heritage or natural resources – and to establish new assets for ensuring the long-term vitality of Native American communities. Part of this effort centers on food, through First Nations’ Native Agriculture and Food System Initiative, or NAFSI.

Under NAFSI, First Nations also provides grants to numerous food and agricultural efforts by tribes and nonprofit organizations, and recently announced the awarding of 10 such grants totaling $375,000. First Nations, in partnership with the Taos County Economic Development Corporation in Taos, New Mexico, is also working to create the Native American Food Sovereignty Alliance, which is intended to become a sustainable and organized movement that is Native American driven and controlled, nationally active and dedicated to addressing food security, hunger and nutrition in Native American communities at the national, tribal and local levels.

“We believe that our work in the food sector has many benefits, all of which are critically important,” noted Michael E. Roberts, president of First Nations. “These include improved Native health and nutrition, of course, but also a reconnection with traditional foods and a reinforcement of our cultural practices and customs. Further, regaining control of food systems can provide a huge and much-needed boost to the development of Native economies.”

The new www.NativeFoodSystems.org website features a diverse variety of resources and information, ranging from tribal gardens, farms and markets, to youth programs and farm-to-school efforts, to seed saving, to traditional plants and medicine, to food marketing and handling, to home gardening, canning and healthy family eating. The site was designed and built by First Nations Project Officer Ruben Hernandez, and research and content was provided by Andrea Cournoyer of Plain Depth Consulting.

By Raymond Foxworth, First Nations Senior Program Officer

Native Food Sovereignty Summit is a Hit

Posted on May 17, 2013 by rblauvelt

More than 250 people from all over the U.S. – representing tribes, Native organizations and businesses, food producers and others – packed the Food Sovereignty Summit held in mid-April in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Registration for the conference had to be discontinued well ahead of the event because attendee capacity had been reached.

The summit was sponsored by First Nations, the Oneida Nation, the Intertribal Agriculture Council and Northeast Wisconsin Technical College. It was held April 15-18, 2013, at the Radisson Hotel & Conference Center.

Winona LaDuke, executive director of Honor the Earth and White Earth Land Recovery Project

“We were extremely happy with the turnout – which was actually beyond capacity limits – because it showed very strongly that Native food sovereignty is a significant and rapidly growing issue in Indian Country,” said Raymond Foxworth, First Nations senior program officer and the leader of First Nations’ Native Agriculture and Food Systems Initiative. “It was an impressive coming together of some of the top minds, visionaries and operators in Native food systems work.”

The professional tracks at the conference included Sustainable Agricultural Practices, Community Outreach and Development, and Business Management, Finance and Marketing. Attendees had the option of attending sessions in just one track, or customizing their experience by selecting from any of the sessions. Attendees and presenters shared experiences about food security, food policy, best practices, resources, farm-to-school programs, organic farming, permaculture, entrepreneurship, biofuels, equipment, animal diseases and other issues. Besides the general and breakout sessions, the event featured networking events, educational films, and tours of the Oneida Nation integrated

Michael E. Roberts, president First Nations Development Institute

food system’s cannery, orchard, bison herd, farm, warehouse and retail store.

Food sovereignty is an important issue because Native communities are struggling to fight food-related disease and regain health and good nutrition through traditional diets, regain or retain cultural and agricultural traditions and practices, and stimulate economic development by developing and controlling food systems in their tribes and communities.

“We are pleased to have been involved in the monumental event with our co-organizers,” Raymond added. “The summit allowed attendees to hear and learn from some of the top food-system programs in Indian Country. In the coming months, First Nations will be hosting a number of technical assistance webinars on various topics of interest identified by summit attendees. We hope the webinars, combined with the information provided at the summit, will allow the attendees to use all this information in their communities and continue to develop strong programs to reclaim control of local Native food systems.”

Article and photos by Jackie Francke, First Nations Senior Program Officer