/EINPresswire.com/ -- LONGMONT, CO--(Marketwired - January 13, 2017) - First Nations Development Institute (First Nations) has launched two new grant opportunities under its Native Agriculture and Food Systems Initiative (NAFSI). In both cases, applications are due by February 17, 2017.

With the generous support of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and Agua Fund, First Nations will award up to 12 grants of up to $35,000 each to support projects that aim to strengthen local food-system control; increase access to local, healthy and traditional foods; and decrease food insecurity and food deserts, all with an emphasis on serving Native American children and families. For this grant opportunity, examples of allowable activities include, but are not limited to:

• Community Garden Development
• Food Sovereignty Initiatives
• Food System Planning
• Supply Chain Improvements
• Grower-Based Education Programs
• Intergenerational Programs with a Focus on Food

First Nations will also award up to 10 grants of up to $15,000 each to Native communities looking to conduct food sovereignty assessments in order to gain a better knowledge and understanding about the historical, current and future state of their local food systems. Under this grant opportunity, examples of allowable activities include, but are not limited to:

• Food Sovereignty Assessment Planning
• Conducting Food Sovereignty Assessments
• Data Analysis of Food Sovereignty Assessment Surveys
• Community Meetings Related to a Food Sovereignty Assessment

The Request for Proposals for program grants can be accessed at http://www.firstnations.org/grantmaking/2017NAFSI and the Request for Proposals for the food sovereignty assessment grants can be accessed at http://www.firstnations.org/grantmaking/2017FSA. Organizations are invited to apply for one or both of these opportunities.

Entities eligible to apply include U.S.-based, Native American-controlled, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations, tribes and tribal departments, tribal organizations, or Native American community-based groups with eligible fiscal sponsors committed to increasing healthy food access in rural and reservation-based Native communities and improving the health and well-being of Native American children and families.

Proposals for both grant programs will be accepted online and must be submitted by no later than 5 p.m. Mountain Standard Time on Friday, February 17, 2017.

About First Nations Development Institute

For 36 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.

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