The College of Menominee Nation (CMN), in collaboration with Indigenous Advise LLC, announces the recipients of the 2024 Next-Gen Mini-Grant Program.
This initiative, funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, aims to empower tribal communities in Wisconsin by supporting projects focused on natural resources, sustainable foods and nutrition.
The Next-Gen Mini-Grant Program, with a total of $60,000 allocated for 2024, seeks to enhance food sovereignty, promote sustainable practices and build capacity in Food, Agriculture, Natural Resources and Human Sciences within the 12 Native American tribes of Wisconsin.
This year, the program awarded 12 mini-grants to several projects from six of Wisconsin’s 11 federally-recognized tribal communities. For a detailed list of the 2024 winners and summaries of their projects, visit https://www.menominee.edu/nextgen-grants.
Among the recipients are:
– Ancient Roots Homestead in Bowler is dedicated to researching and preserving traditional Indigenous gardening practices, seed saving and food preservation techniques. Through workshops, community partnerships and hands-on experiences, they aim to reconnect community members with ancestral knowledge, emphasizing sustainable living and cultural preservation. By fostering intergenerational learning and promoting traditional trade routes, Ancient Roots Homestead seeks to inspire others to embrace self-sufficiency and honor their heritage for future generations.
– Sterling Schreiber Jr. operates a sustainable agriculture business on the Stockbridge-Munsee Indian Reservation, focusing on local produce and honey sales, including to the Tribal Elder Food Box Program. The mission emphasizes small-scale agricultural practices to enhance food sovereignty and security within tribal communities. Through the Northern Climate Honeybee Improvement Initiative, he aims to breed local honeybee queens adapted to northern climates without medications or chemicals, promoting resilience and supporting backyard beekeeping among community members.
“The response to the Next-Gen Mini-Grant Program has been incredibly positive,” said Geraldine Sanapaw, College of Menominee Nation chief academic officer and Next-Gen principal investigator. “The diversity and creativity of the projects submitted highlight the commitment of our tribal communities to food sovereignty and sustainability.”
The selected projects were evaluated based on their relevance to program goals, clarity and feasibility of the project plan, potential community impact, sustainability, budget justification and level of community involvement and support.
The grant recipients will begin their projects immediately and will provide progress reports as well as a final report upon project completion.
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