Grantmaking Archives - Page 2 of 3

Nimiipuu Nurtures Emerging Environmental Leaders

April 19, 2021October 14, 2021 jill-neumeister

Nimiipuu Nurtures Emerging Environmental Leaders Lapwai, IdahoA Potlatch Fund Grantee Partner When the Nimiipuu launched the canoe they’d built on the Snake River in 2017, it was the first tribal canoe on their ancestral waters in 113 years. More widely known as the Nez Perce Tribe of Lapwai, Idaho, the Nimiipuu have long been active stewards of their traditional homelands, working to protect the health of the environment by sponsoring educational summits and workshops, partnering with other environmental organizations, and advocating for the removal of the four lower Snake River dams. Building and launching a tribal canoe was a natural continuation of this mission, entwined with the vision of a free-flowing river and access to traditional lands for fishing, hunting

Grant Partner Spotlight: Marlene R. Simla

March 31, 2021April 13, 2021 potlatch-fund

Checking in with Yakama Tribal elder, MARLENE R. SIMLA At Potlatch Fund, the hard realities of the pandemic remind us of how important it is to support our culture keepers, many of whom are elders, not only with funding but also with care and attention. We decided to check in with a few of our elder grant partners, to see how they’re doing during the pandemic. While we are well aware of the ongoing challenges of COVID-19, we also pause to acknowledge with deep respect the resiliency of our Native relatives. We are pleased to introduce respected storyteller and elder Marlene R. Simla (Yakama) of Toppenish, Washington. Marlene is an enrolled member of the Yakama Nation, born and raised on

2021 Grants – Upcoming grant opportunities are soon to be announced.

February 12, 2021March 11, 2021 jill-neumeister

2021 Grants – Upcoming grant opportunities are soon to be announced. With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic Potlatch Fund is continuing to find new ways to safeguard our community’s culture keepers. Many of our regular grant programs are closed in lieu of emergency Covid-19 grants. To hear about our upcoming, soon to be announced grants focused on helping Native communities during the COVID-19 pandemic follow our social feeds and emails below. Social accounts: Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/PotlatchFund Twitter: https://twitter.com/PotlatchFund Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/potlatchfund/ Email/newsletter signup form: Facebook: https://www.potlatchfund.org/contact/ (Scroll to the bottom of the page)

Helping Native Communities Thrive During COVID-19: 2020 Critical Response Grants (Round 1)

February 8, 2021March 11, 2021 jill-neumeister

Helping Native Communities Thrive During COVID-19: Critical Response Grants From the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, Potlatch Fund looked for the best way to support Native individuals and communities with emergency funding. By talking to current grant partners—the ones on the ground in their communities—we discovered the need for flexible, unrestricted funding in mostly rural and less populated communities within our service area. While we focused first on Native communities in Idaho, Oregon, and Montana, we were able to make additional grants to individuals and organizations in Washington as additional funding became available. We are pleased to announce the next round of Critical Response Grants to the following individuals and organizations: Individuals: Alyssa London of Bothell, WA Marlene Spencer Simla

Grant Partner Check In

November 17, 2020February 12, 2021 jill-neumeister

We are reaching out to invite grant recipient partners to support our efforts to ensure that Potlatch Fund is staying connected and informed about the needs in our Northwest Native Communities. The next few months will be critical as we approach colder seasons and we anticipate the COVID-19 pandemic to continue well into 2021. Check your email for the meeting link. Please Join Us! Date: Friday, November 20th, 2020 12:00 PM (PST) Add to Calendar 6:00 PM (PST) Add to Calendar Over this past year we have been responding to COVID-19 by stepping up our grantmaking support of Tribal departments, Native nonprofit organizations, and Native Artists – all of which are crucial to maintaining our way of life. We are

Meet James Jaime – Potlatch Fund Grant Recipient.

October 29, 2020March 11, 2021 potlatch-fund

Quileute Language Preservation Project James Jaime has a passion for preserving the Quileute language. He grew up in La Push, Washington, and watched over the years as the number of fluent Quileute language speakers decreased from 2,000 to just one, while at the same time the tribe’s population more than doubled. With help, James began cataloging and indexing materials and resources. And although the Quileute language is now considered “extinct” by some, James isn’t going to let it die. With help from Potlatch Fund, he participated in a Language Cohort with 14 other members, an experience he says gave him the energy and hope to persevere in his quest. Today, James and his team have produced four out of six

Meet Celeste Whitewolf – Potlatch Fund Grant Recipient

October 23, 2020March 11, 2021 potlatch-fund

Núun ken’ witnéewit – Our Way of Weaving. Using natural materials gathered from the land. Celeste Whitewolf practiced law for 20 years until a diagnosis of breast cancer changed the direction of her life. Since then, she’s founded an organization to help other Native people and their caregivers thrive through cancer, and seven years ago she decided to become a weaver. Celeste’s journey embodies the spirit of generosity and reciprocity we celebrate here at Potlatch Fund. Join us for our 18th Annual Gala on November 7 to support Native Artists like Celeste in her journey to preserve and renew the traditional Native art of weaving through her project “Núun ken’ witnéewit – Our Way of Weaving.” REGISTER FOR THE 2020

Book Launch Event and Special Celebration of Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

October 5, 2020September 20, 2021 jill-neumeister

A Conversation About Indigenous Identity & Solidarity Today A Book Launch Event and Special Celebration of Indigenous Peoples’ Day Presented by: Potlatch Fund and Culture Story Moderated by: Brian Tanner, Potlatch Fund – Director of Philanthropic Partnerships Date: Monday October 12, 2020 Time: 3pm PST – 4pm PST The event is free to the community, no pre-registration required. You can let us know you’re attending and join the event at: Event Link: https://www.facebook.com/events/edit/657941051774385 The community is invited to a book launch event and a special celebration of Indigenous Peoples’ Day on Monday, October 12, when author Alyssa London will be joined by illustrator Monica Ricker-Bolter, Northwest formline artist Preston Singletary, and Debra Yepa-Pappan, Community Engagement Coordinator at Field Museum to

Potlatch Fund Announces 2020 Critical Response Grants Recipients (Round 3)

July 29, 2020March 11, 2021 potlatch-fund

Dear Friends, Recently the Potlatch Fund Board of Directors met to award 42 Critical Response Grants to individuals and organizations serving Native communities across the Pacific Northwest during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. From the beginning of the pandemic, Potlatch Fund has been strategizing the best ways to meet the most urgent needs of our communities. The decision was made early on to pause our regular grantmaking programs and to free up funds from both those programs and our general operating funds in order to get support to our Native communities as fast as possible. We were careful to honor the original intention of our grantmaking programs by supporting Native artists, Native language preservationists, and Native youth-led programs. At the same

Potlatch Fund Announces 2020 Community Building Grant Recipients

June 18, 2020February 12, 2021 potlatch-fund

Potlatch Fund Announces 2020 Community Building Grant Recipients Dear Friends, Now more than ever, our Community Building Grants are vital to supporting individuals and organizations as they seek to nurture a sense of community among Native people. We have all had to adjust to new ways of doing things because of COVID-19, and these new realities have left some of our Native relatives feeling isolated and cut off from normal opportunities for fellowship, sharing, laughter, and healing. We have appreciated the opportunities technology has provided for us to stay connected, realizing at the same time that a computer screen is no long-term substitute for being together. As our states begin opening back up to more normal activities, we at Potlatch