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2019 Grantees

Twelve grantees in Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington received a total of $114,780 with funding provided by NoVo Foundation, Kalliopeia Foundation, City of Seattle: Human Services Department, OneFamily Foundation, private donations, and contributions from the 2018 Fundraising Gala.

Confederated Lower Chinook Tribes and Bands
Bay Center, WA – $10,000
The Chinook Indian Nation tribal canoe journey project reinforces the canoe culture of countless generations. Through the cultural immersion of the 2019 Paddle to Lummi, young Chinook participants will gain invaluable life and leadership experience.

Duwamish Tribal Services
Seattle, WA – $10,000
Paddle to Lummi 2019. In 2019, after an extensive restoration, our Raven Canoe -a traditional cedar dugout- will depart from Alki beach and travel north to the Lummi Reservation. 

First Nations at the University of Washington
Seattle, WA – $7,000
Establish First Nations as an undergraduate Intertribal Canoe Family.

International Traditional Games Society
Great Falls, MT – $9,975
“Spirit of Women” proposal seeks to create a cultural community for young urban women to establish relationships that are respectful, mutually beneficial, with high value, from deep traditional purposes that sustained tribal women for millennia.

Komemma Cultural Protection Association
Yoncalla, OR – $8,000
Continuing the Kalapuya Language Revival Project with a core group of youth in a ‘Language Camp’ learning advanced language techniques to bring to our annual youth culture camp later in the summer, and production of advanced language curriculum.

Lhat’temish Foundation
Bellingham, WA – $10,000
Paddle to Lummi will focus on awareness to youth participants on the effects of climate change and how to protect water, land and habitat. Offer restoration activities while listening to stories about Che Shesh Whe Wheleq – Survivors of the Flood.

Mother Nation
Seattle, WA – $10,000
The Cultural Summer Camp is a journey of self-acceptance. Youth will learn from Camp Facilitator traditional teachings, reconnect to Mother Earth, healthy relationships, and survival activities on the land to support in reclaiming cultural identity. 

Nez Perce Tribe: Social Services: I-Vision-Nez Perce Youth Project
Lapwai, ID – $10,000
The objective of the “Waq’íiswit tá’c – good life” Project will promote youth peer learning in a cultural setting and through interactive training and networking. Funding will help offset financial costs for youth lodging, food, and travel. 

Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe: Children & Family Services
Kingston, WA – $9,805
To provide opportunities to community youth and families to visit and learn about important historical areas to the Klallam people. There will be two weekend day trips offered to families and a three day, two night trip for 6th-12th grade youth. 

Red Eagle Soaring
Seattle, WA – $10,000
The 21st Annual SIYAP (Seattle Indian Youth Arts & Performance) is a two week AI/AN youth theatre workshop at Seattle’s Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center, pairing top teaching artists with RES youth for a final public performance in August 2019.

Salmon Defense
Olympia, WA – $10,000
Salmon Defense is preparing Native youth for leadership in protecting and restoring salmon runs in the Pacific Northwest. Youth are empowered by using STEAM teaching and through involvement in policy negotiation for future generations. 

Whiteswan Environmental
Ferndale, WA – $10,000
Inter-tribal youth will journey through the San Juan islands while learning about environmental science and traditional culture. This will be done without a ground crew; traveling as our ancestors did: lightly on the land with zero waste.

2018 Grantees

Twelve grantees in Montana, Oregon, and Washington received a total of $99,000 with funding provided by the NoVo Foundation, the Kalliopeia Foundation, the OneFamily Foundation, the Jeffris Wood Fund, the Eulalie Bloedel Schneider Foundation, private donations, and contributions from the 2017 Fundraising Gala.

Burns Paiute Tribe: Prevention Department
Burns, OR – $7,500
Promoting and developing future tribal leaders. Serving the tribal community by promoting physical and mental well-being, and preserving our cultural identity. Today’s youth of the Burns Paiute Tribe will be the leaders of tomorrow.

Duwamish Tribal Services
Seattle, WA – $6,000
Duwamish Canoe Family is an intergenerational group of tribal members and volunteers participating in the Paddle to Puyallup 2018. Sharing traditions and knowledge with the present and future generations. 

Friends Forever Mentoring
Polson, MT – $7,500
Friends Forever Mentoring is devoted to creating positive change in youth, families, and communities. Our summer program will provide weekly STEM, arts/crafts, leadership, and culturally responsive opportunities to youth across the reservation.

Leschi Heritage Foundation
Dupont, WA – $7,500
Strengthening Nisqually traditional culture identity and leadership to provide a better life for our youth and community. The youth will build a resilience that their culture is no longer compressed.

Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe: Tribal Council
Port Angeles, WA – $7,500
We will travel the traditional highways of our people; engaging the youth in living a clean healthy way of life. The implementation of “Preparing For a Healthy Journey.” will prepare the youth to have a strong mind, body and spirit.

Makah Indian Tribe: STIHC
Neah Bay, WA – $10,000
Hi•dasubac Summer Camp is a 2-day day camp designed to work with youth entering 6th and 7th grade. Through Makah core values, we will be providing our youth with leadership skills that promote healthy choices and lifestyles.

Peacekeeper Society
Harrah, WA – $10,000
The Traditional Mentoring Project provides consistent mentoring opportunities for youth and adults to learn healthy life skills together as a family. 

Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe: Career and Education
Kingston, WA – $7,500
Youth under mentorship of S’Klallam Elder Artists and teachers to create 10 cedar plank signs. Signs will include S’Klallam language, art and materials. Each sign will include a “power word,” design and installed along tribal campus walkways.

Red Eagle Soaring
Seattle, WA – $10,000
The 20th Annual SIYAP (Seattle Indian Youth Arts & Performance) is a two week AI/AN youth theatre workshop at Seattle’s Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center, pairing top teaching artists with RES youth for a final public performance in August 2018. 

Salmon Defense
Olympia, WA – $10,000
On 8/31/18 through 9/1/18 Salmon Defense will hold a youth camp and festival at the Steh-Chass. Youth will learn leadership skills through emphasis on native culture, salmon and water quality and traditional plants and medicine, art and dance.

Squaxin Island Museum Library and Research Center
Shelton, WA – $8,000
Leadership training of Squaxin Youth in the areas of culture keeping, community involvement and tribal traditions. These funds will be expended during the 2018 Paddle to Puyallup. 

Suquamish Tribe: Sports and Recreation
Suquamish, WA – $7,500
The youth services program will train Suquamish youth to use Photovoice as a tool to help youth capture and express their unique view of the strengths and areas of concern within the Suquamish community and use their voices for social change.

2017 Grantees

Thirteen grantees in Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington received a total of $98,750 with funding provided by the Indigenous People’s Fund of Tides Foundation, the OneFamily Foundation, the Jeffris Wood Fund, the Eulalie Bloedel Schneider Foundation, an anonymous foundation, private donations, and contributions from the 2016 Fundraising Gala.

Blackfeet Manpower WIO Program
Browning, MT – $7,500
The Pikuni Cultural Camp will provide the youth with positive influences and valuable knowledge about the Blackfeet Culture, building youth empowerment through cultural teachings.

Carvers Camp
Seattle, WA – $2,516.62
Carvers Camp Tribal Canoe Journey 2017.

Chief Leschi School
Puyallup, WA – $10,000
Chief Leschi School (CLS) Learning Vessel “The Spirit of the Wolf Protects” has been launched with the support of 2017 Potlatch Funding. The Journey begins for CLS Canoe Family and all support staff.

Colville Confederated Tribes: Youth Department
Nespelem, WA – $10,000
Our project, “Rooted Reflection,” will encourage the interaction between generations in the educating, learning, and discussion of the traditional properties reservation-wide through ancestral site visits, while documenting the entire journey.

Komemma Cultural Protection Association
Yoncalla, OR – $10,000
Support for traditional Kalapuya Native language learning camp using nature and the environment to connect words with surroundings. Project will include Native songs as well as curriculum developed to address state educational standards.

LNSO: Lummi Youth Canoe Family 
Bellingham, WA – $7,500
The Lummi Youth Canoe Family, a native youth-driven program that encourages young people to learn the teachings in protecting, promoting, and preserving our Schelangen (Way of life) to empower those around them.

N’chi Wanapum Canoe Family
Warm Springs, OR – $7,500
We will participate in the 2017 Tribal Canoe Journey from our home waters on The Columbia River (Celilo Village) to Quadra Island/Campbell River on Vancouver Island, BC. A journey rich in culture and traditional teachings for our youth.

Nez Perce Tribe: Community Centers
Lapwai, ID – $2,851.88
Native Youth & Native College Interns experienced; cultural, educational, leadership, and recreational activities. The campers receive hands on experience of cultural teachings, traditional awareness, while incorporating a healthy lifestyle.

Nooksack Indian Tribe: Education Department
Deming, WA – $10,000
s’í:wesá:ylhem tset program’s main intent and design is to prevent suicide, substance abuse and juvenile delinquency by providing activities using our culture traditional sport of war canoe racing and a tribal wide support system for tribal youth.

Peacekeeper Society
Harrah, WA – $7,500
The Foster Care Youth Mentoring Project was created to help the meet cultural needs of Indian children placed in foster homes. It provides life changing one on one mentoring with caring Native mentors and access to traditional cultural activities.

Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe: Children & Family Services
Kingston, WA – $7,327.50
Places of Importance is a cultural rich summer experience for youth in 3rd-12th grade with travel by land and water. Places of Importance gives youth the opportunity to visit and learn about their U&A that is significant to their heritage.

Queets Canoe Club
Amanda Park, WA – $6,054
The Queets Canoe Club;Lee-Choe-Eese Canoe Teaching Project (LCECTP) is focused on providing positive outreach activities with our youth early in attending or newly joining canoe journey.

Urban Native Education Alliance
Seattle, WA – $10,000
To support the Urban Native Education Alliance’s (UNEA) Clear Sky Native Youth Leadership Council summer athletic and leadership development programs including a Ropes Course, Life Skills Classes/CPR First Aid Classes and Self Defense classes. 

2016 Grantees

Twenty two grantees in Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington received a total of $75,000 with funding provided by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the OneFamily Foundation, the Jeffris Wood Fund, the Eulalie Bloedel Schneider Foundation, an anonymous foundation, private donations, and contributions from the 2015 Fundraising Gala.

Blue Heron Canoe
Kent, WA – $2,500
To empower the youth, who are off-reservation and in rural/suburban areas to become the leaders of tomorrow, to bring to life the language and culture to the canoe by participating in Tribal Journeys. To become aware that they are a part of a larger community with many relatives and to be exposed to strong and good role models.

Chief Seattle Club
Seattle, WA – $432
Funding to support the 2016 Winterdrive, which provides warm clothing, sleeping bags, coats and toys for children. Holiday giving bags will be distributed to families, single adults, and youth on Sunday, December 25.

Chinook Indian Nation
Bay Center, WA – $5,000
This project is focused on promoting youth education, leadership, and resiliency, as well as the spiritual, cultural, physical and community health of the Chinook Indian Nation by continuing our participation in the 2016 Inter-tribal Canoe Journey, Paddle to Nisqually.

Cowlitz Indian Tribe: Administration Department
Longview, WA – $3,750
Eight Elders will attend the Cowlitz Youth Summer Camp this August at Cispus Learning Center outside Randle, Washington, making this a meaningful inter-generational experience. The experience will develop leadership skills and keep our youth involved in tribal affairs.

Friends Forever Mentoring
Polson, MT – $3,750
To provide quality weekly summer program opportunities to youth across the reservation. 

Grand Ronde Canoe Family
Grand Ronde, OR – $3,750
The Grand Ronde Canoe Family will train, purchase supplies, and hold monthly meetings, in preparation of the Paddle to Nisqually.

Haida Heritage Foundation
Seattle, WA – $1,000
Funding to support the Foundation’s 2016 Holiday Dinner. A family event that celebrates tradition and culture.

International Traditional Games Society
East Glacier Park, MT – $4,386
Youth and Blackfeet speakers will gather on the local Stampede Grounds to celebrate traditional horse culture with Blackfeet horse language, horse societies and ceremonies, relationships of the horse to the people, care of horses, and pre-contact horse competitions. The youth will spend time in six stations of half day each for 3 days.

Long House Association
Port Angeles, WA – $3,750
Our goal is to empower our Youth by equipping them with knowledge in health education, culture, strength and resilience. The Pink Paddle Project needs to empower everyone to wear pink to display our unity and resilience. Knowledge is power. The Pink Paddle Project provides a support system for survivors and their communities.

Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe: Tribal Council
Port Angeles, WA – $5,000
The Lower Elwha Community and Canoe family have traveled the traditional highways of our ancestors for long time, our goal is to continue to teach the youth the ways of our people, carrying on the cultural traditions through creating healthy pathways. The Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe will provide an opportunity to allow the youth to be active and healthy through the annual canoe journey, encouraging a healthy way of life through embracing the ways of our people through pulling on the canoe, drumming, singing, dancing and sharing/living the cultural ways of our people.

Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe: Planning Department
Port Angeles, WA – $1,000
Support for the 2016 Holiday Gathering: during this event the youth, elders, and tribal community as well as the tribal veterans are brought together to share a table, sing tribal song, and holiday songs.

Lummi Youth Canoe Family, Lummi Nation Service Organization
Bellingham, WA – $5,000
Preparation leading up and during the Lummi Youth Canoe Family’s participation in the Paddle to Nisqually.

Missoula Urban Indian Health Center
Missoula, MT – $3,750
Over the past eight years we have collaborated with all of Montana Tribes to host annual Gathering of Native Americans (GONA) and would now like to build upon that. Provide more youth with the opportunity to participate and learn culturally relevant programming increasing resiliency which lays a foundation for success in all aspects of our young people’s lives.

Native Generational Change
Missoula, MT – $3,432
Support to continue our mentorship program in Montana and expansion into other western states. Our proven methods in creating resilient young native leaders through the use of culture has been effective in systemic change in Montana communities.

Oliver Canoe Club
Kingston, WA – $5,000
This year the Willapa Spirit will be participating in Paddle to Nisqually. Our Canoe Family is an intertribal family. We are spread throughout the United States. This event gives an excellent platform to bring our youth together with our elders to learn life long lessons.

Peacekeeper Society
Harrah, WA – $2,500
Summer “Traditional Mentoring” camps that are hosted on the Yakama Nation reservation in White Swan at the Pavilion Center. We project holding between two to four camps that are approximately 3 to 4 days long.

Piegan Institute
Browning, MT – $3,750
Blackfoot Language Immersion Summer Camp. The summer camp will be hosted by Cuts Wood Academy staff and will introduce the Blackfoot language to youth ages 6-12. We plan to invite youth who may not have had exposure to the Blackfoot language within their school or in their home.

Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe
Kingston, WA – $2,500
This grant will support Tribal community youth and their families on a fourteen day canoe journey to Nisqually. The Journey will help with increasing health, culture, indigenous knowledge, and youth empowerment. Youth will learn how to pull in a canoe, water safety, setting up camp, preparing meals, songs, dances, stories, protocols associated with Tribal ceremony, family connections, elder interactions, and learn about the richness of their Tribal history and culture. 

Samish Canoe Family
Anacortes, WA – $3,750
Hosting and travelling during Canoe Journey 2016, Paddle to Nisqually. Focus on recruitment and retainment of developing young leaders in our Canoe Family who have emerged in the last 3 years.

Squaxin Island Museum Library and Research Center
Shelton, WA – $5,000
The facilitation of a dedicated canoe journey aimed at developing leadership skills and cultural ownership of tribal youth. This includes canoe skipper trainings, cultural protocol education, safety, marine skills, budgeting, and planning. Adult canoe journey leaders will serve as mentors for youth to transition into positions of leadership within the canoe family, and will help develop a youth committee in partnership with the tribal youth council for ongoing planning of youth journey participation.

Suquamish Tribe: Human Services
Suquamish, WA – $1,000
Funding to support the 2016 Holiday Gathering, which will bring together approximately 250 Tribal and community members, families, students, and youth to celebrate a healthy, culturally appropriate gathering that is alcohol free and focuses on positive inter-generational interactions and family values.

Suquamish Tribe: Sports and Recreation Department
Suquamish, WA – $5,000
Implementation of a Summer Leadership Camp for Suquamish youth. It will include our Tribal youth’s Spirit Hawk Canoe Club with its focus on cultural heritage, youth leadership, health and team-building; while, at the same time, providing a 12-week, teen life-skills curriculum called “Holding Up Our Youth” that is an evidence-based practices model based on the esteemed “Healing of the Canoe” curriculum developed by the University of Washington and the Suquamish Tribe. The Spirit Hawk Canoe Club is our on-going Suquamish Tribal youth program led by our Sports and Recreation Department and the new Summer Leadership Camp would be an expanded element.