DEADLINE EXTENDED:  PROPOSALS DUE NOVEMBER 2, 2023 at 5 pm Pacific

BACKGROUND 

Indigenous peoples have lived in the right relationship with Mother Earth, as custodians and guardians of the land for generations. The climate crisis will remain just that if Indigenous communities are not centered, invested in, and leading solutions for both conservation and climate change. Indigenous leadership to support, protect, and conserve land can reverse and mitigate climate destruction.

Despite contributing the least to this crisis, and having ancient and traditional solutions, Indigenous-led organizations receive a small percentage of philanthropic climate funding. In addition, Indigenous and tribal leaders have been largely excluded from regional and national discussions on both climate change and conservation. Decolonizing Wealth Project is disrupting the flow of philanthropic capital to save our planet, recognizing that with Indigenous communities at the center, Mother Earth can heal.

Since 2021, our fund Liberated Capital has redistributed over $2 million to Indigenous-led organizations and tribes driving solutions on climate and conservation issues. Building on this work, we are excited to announce an additional $1 million funding opportunity for both current and Indigenous Earth Fund grantee partners and new organizations. We are most interested in supporting systemic and policy change efforts driving Indigenous climate change and conservation solutions in the United States.

THE OPPORTUNITY 

This year the Indigenous Earth Fund will invest an additional $1 million from our fund, Liberated Capital. We are inviting proposals from Indigenous-led organizations and tribes working to build political power, movements, and lead campaigns to drive Indigenous solutions around climate change and conservation issues in the United States. 

Examples of the work we seek to fund may include movement-building efforts and organizing campaigns that center Indigenous self-determination that promote sustainable food systems; land and forest management; protection and conservation of water sources and natural resources, or Indigenous-led data and research to advance advocacy efforts on climate and conservation solutions. We value and understand the importance of our sovereign tribal governments in this work and encourage projects led by, or partnered with, tribal nations. This list is not exhaustive. 

Grant awards will likely range from $50,000 – $75,000 for one year. We operate through a trust-based model, so grants will be untethered resources that enable Indigenous-led organizations to get the work done how and where they see fit. The solutions and ideas will vary, and that’s ok! We want to celebrate and invest in the diverse wisdom Indigenous communities have been cultivating for thousands of years. 

Grant decisions will be made by the IEF Advisory Committee, all of whom are Indigenous experts and leaders.

WHO’S ELIGIBLE? 

• Only Indigenous-led organizations/coalitions are eligible. We welcome proposals from tribes, Native Hawaiian, and Inuit-led organizations.

• Grant dollars must be paid to a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization or federal tribal entity; state-recognized tribes must apply through a 501(c)(3). We accept applications from fiscal sponsors. 
• Individuals are not eligible. 
• Applicants must be based in the United States. 
• Coalitions and organizations working on advocacy campaigns to center Indigenous solutions in climate and conservation efforts.
• Funding must be used for a charitable purpose (no direct lobbying).
• We will also prioritize current grantee partners deeply engaged in climate and conservation campaigns, policy and advocacy work. 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Click here for the IEF FAQ document, which is updated as additional questions are received. 

KEY DATES + INFORMATIONAL WEBINAR REGISTRATION

Proposals are due by November 2, 2023, at 5 p.m. PT. 

If you have any technical issues submitting your application, please contact the JustFund team at info@justfund.us. 

On October 6, 2023, we held an informational webinar and Q&A session for interested applicants. Watch the recording.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

Please note there are different instructions for current grantee partners of the Indigenous Earth Fund grant in 2022 and new applicants. To avoid delay in processing your application, please follow the instructions applicable to your situation. 

CURRENT GRANTEE PARTNERS 

(recipient of Indigenous Earth Fund grant in 2022)

Your organization will receive an emailed invitation to apply, and like last year, applications will be submitted via the JustFund platform. If you have not received an emailed invitation, please contact JustFund at info@justfund.us. 

As a reminder, JustFund utilizes a Common Application where you will detail your organization’s mission statement, team description, and financial need. For steps on how to update this information, click here. 

Current grantee partners must include the following additional information: 

• A project plan. Please attach a document detailing your goals for the campaign for the new year of funding. It should include how your organization is building Indigenous power to address climate change or conservation efforts,  the specific short and long-term goals of your work, and how you will enact this.

• A budget. What is the budget for the campaign? What is your organization’s budget size? What funding is secured or pending?

NEW APPLICANTS

Applications will be submitted via the JustFund platform and you must be registered with JustFund to submit an application. 

Step 1: Sign in or Sign up for a JustFund account. 

• If you have an existing JustFund account, click ‘Sign In’ and log in to access the RFP. If you are having trouble accessing your account, reset your password or contact info@justfund.us.
• If you do not have an existing account, click ‘Sign Up’ and complete the form.

NOTE: It takes approximately 48 hours for an account to become active- this means you may need to wait up to two days to submit your proposal after you create your account. Please take this timeline into consideration when deciding when to submit. 

Step 2: Submit your application.  When logging into the JustFund platform, you will be first prompted to fill out your organizational profile, which is your JustFund Common Application. 

After completion, visit the “Funding Opportunities” tab on the top left corner, where you will find the Indigenous Earth Fund Application information. You’ll be able to apply after just a few short steps.

In addition to the JustFund Common Application, we also ask for the following information as part of the Indigenous Earth Fund Application:  

• How is your organization building Indigenous power to address climate change or conservation efforts? (recommended less than 1000 characters)

• Tell us the specific (short or long-term goals of your campaign) and how your work can achieve this? Are you working in coalition with others (who?) and who are the targets of your campaign? (recommended less than 1000 characters)

• Do you see value in coming together with regional and national climate and conservation policy/decision makers and funders to form a broader coalition? Are you willing to participate in a broader coalition:? If yes, under what conditions? (recommended less than 1000 characters)

REQUIRED APPLICATION ATTACHMENTS

All competitive applications will include these documents. Without this information, your application will be considered incomplete. 

• Campaign Plans. Please attach any document that clearly outlines your specific campaign goals (if not included in the text above). 

• Budget. What is the budget for the campaign? What is your organization’s budget size? What funding is secured or pending?

• Leadership. Please share a list with information on the race/ethnicity and gender of your leadership (e.g., board/staff/community advisors).

QUESTIONS?

For questions about RFP and the requirements for submission, reach out to us at info@decolonizingwealth.com.

Additional resources

• FAQs 
• Informational Webinar: View it here.

For questions about how to apply or use the JustFund platform, please reach out to the JustFund team at info@justfund.us.

PREVIOUS GRANTEE PARTNERS 

On January 20, 2022, we announced the redistribution of $1M+ to the following organizations:  

• Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians – Portland, OR
• Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition – Sacramento, CA
• Children of the Setting Sun Productions – Bellingham, WA
• Indian Country Grassroots Support – Farmington, NM
• Indigenous Environmental Network– Bemidji, MN
• Indian Land Tenure Foundation – Little Canada, MN
• Native Movement – Fairbanks, AK
• Native Organizers Alliance – New York, NY
• Northern Alaska Environmental Center – Fairbanks, AK
• Protect the Sacred (Harness) – Marina del Rey, CA
• SAGE Development Authority – Fort Yates, ND
• Save California Salmon – Orleans, CA
• Seventh Generation Fund for Indigenous Peoples, In – Arcata, CA
• Sicangu CDC– Mission, SD
• Sogorea Te’ Land Trust – Oakland, CA
• Water Protector Legal Collective – Albuquerque, NM

READ THE PRESS RELEASE ANNOUNCING THE FIRST COHORT! 

FIRST COHORT DATA

*some proposals covered multiple regions of the United States, focus areas were identified by grantee partners during application process.

WHAT’S NEXT?

We keep raising money and awareness to support this multi-year campaign.

And the work doesn’t stop with our grants. We’re committed to identifying the best ways to elevate the work of Indigenous-led conservation and climate efforts across the country.

Interested in supporting this work? Reach out to us at info@decolonizingwealth.com to set up a call with our team.

Press inquiries: decolonizingwealth@sunshinesachs.com