First Nations Development Institute Receives $50,000 Grant from Agua Fund, Inc.

LONGMONT, Colorado (Dec. 18, 2014) – First Nations Development Institute (*First Nations* [ http://www.firstnations.org ]), a national Native American nonprofit organization that works to improve Native economies and communities, has been awarded a $50,000 grant from *Agua Fund, Inc.* [ http://www.aguafund.org ] of Washington, D.C., for a project under First Nations' Native Agriculture and Food Systems Initiative (NAFSI).

The grant will allow First Nations to provide financial assistance and capacity-building training to two or three Native tribes or organization focused on ending hunger and improving nutrition and access to healthy foods in Native communities. Participants will be located in the Sioux communities of North Dakota and/or South Dakota. Priority will be given to projects aimed at increasing the availability of healthy, locally-produced foods in Native American communities; reducing food insecurity; entrepreneurship; and/or programs that create systemic change by increasing community control of local food systems. Priority also will be given to organizations that can assist in the development of emerging and promising practices in strengthening Native food systems.

First Nations will soon launch a request-for-proposals process to identify the grant recipients. Two types of grants, ranging from $10,000 to $15,000 each, will be available. One will support conducting a community food assessment using First Nations' Food Sovereignty Assessment Tool (FSAT) to examine the economic impact of agricultural assets and plan next steps. The other will be aimed at increasing local food-system control, including increasing access to fresh and healthy foods and increasing local food distribution and marketing to end-use institutions such as schools, local and tribal businesses, and larger markets.

Further, First Nations will provide capacity-building and networking activities that will build the grantees' organizational and program-management capacity and sustainability, and that will help them overcome their isolation and learn from others' models, situations and issues.

NAFSI is First Nations' recognition that accessing healthy food is a challenge for many Native American children and families. Without access to healthy food, a nutritious diet and good health are out of reach. To increase access to healthy food, First Nations supports tribes and Native communities as they build sustainable food systems that improve health, strengthen food security, boost economic development and increase the control over Native agriculture and food systems. First Nations provides this assistance in the form of financial and technical support, including training materials, to projects that address agriculture and food sectors in Native communities. First Nations also undertakes research projects that build the knowledge and understanding of Native agriculture and food systems, and inform Native communities about innovative ideas and best practices. The organization also participates in policy forums that help develop legislative and regulatory initiatives in this this sector.

*About First Nations Development Institute*

For 34 years, using a three-pronged strategy of educating grassroots practitioners, advocating for systemic change, and capitalizing Indian communities, 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. First Nations serves Native American communities throughout the United States. For more information, visit *www.firstnations.org* [ http://www.firstnations.org ].

*About the Agua Fund*

The Agua Fund is a family foundation based in Washington, D.C. Its mission is to improve the quality of life through support of work to protect the natural environment and to help the poor, disadvantaged and underserved. For more information, visit *www.aguafund.org* [ http://www.aguafund.org ].