The First People World Wide Keepers of the Earth grants supports projects that empower Indigenous communities. It supports grassroots/local organization or group representing an Indigenous-led project.
The fund provides grant award of up to US$20,000.
The purpose of the fund is to empower Indigenous communities to use their traditional knowledge and governance structures, decision-making processes, and alliances with other communities, to develop strategic approaches to working with corporations encroaching on their lands and ways of life.
Past Grant Recipients
- 2013 Grants of US$32,600 (four grants of US$7,500, US$17,200, US$2,900 and US$5,000) to A World Institute for a Sustainable Humanity (AWISH)-Sierra Leone
- 2013 Grants of $4,281 to Bundu Tuhan Native Residential Committee for the project ‘Community Day and pilgrimage to Mt. Kinabalu, a sacred place to the Dusun people’ in Malaysia
- Grants of $32,925 (three grants of $9,925, $16,000 and $7,000) to Ogiek Peoples Development Program for the project ‘preventing eviction of the Ogiek people from their lands, conservation of the Mau Forest in the Great Rift Valley, organizing Ogiek communities’ in Kenya.
Open Application
The Keepers of the Earth Fund is accepting applications from grassroots/local organizations or group representing an Indigeneus-led project.
Grant Information
The largest possible grant award is US$20,000. The first time grant seekers will be granted amount from $500 to $5,000 while the applicants who has already been awarded this grant earlier are more likely to be approved for a larger grant for their next project.
Eligibility Criteria
- Keepers of the Earth grants are open to Indigenous-led grassroots organizations, groups, societies, associations, consortiums, Tribes, or First Nations.
- Applicant must have an organizational bank account or access to a fiscal sponsor.
- Applicant’s budget proposal must fall within the budget as proposed by the foundation.
Application Procedure
- The foundation accepts applications for Keepers of the Earth grants between January 1st and October 31st only.
- Applicants can apply online or can submit a video application.
- Applicants are required to mention the name of the organization with proposed budget and its not-for-profit certification (IRS letter, registration certificate).
- It can take up to eight weeks for First Peoples to complete a review of the applications submitted.
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