COMMUNITY ACTION FUND

A grant for Indigenous frontline organizations, groups, and individuals for direct action initiatives.

The Community Action Fund (CAF) grants support direct actions and organizing efforts that are often urgent and time sensitive. CAF prioritizes frontline, grassroots and community-based efforts that defend Indigenous peoples rights, communities and nations, including responses to climate disasters.

ANNUAL AWARD

Up to $20,000

GRANT TERM

Maximum of six months

GRANT CYCLE

Opens:Ā January 29, 2025
Registration Closes: October 17, 2025 5pm Central Time US
Application: Accepted on a rolling basis until October 31, 2025 5pm Central Time US (or until funds are expended)

Community Action FUND INTENT

This grant supports Indigenous frontline, grassroots, community-based groups and organizations, Tribes, communities and villages, and individuals leading direct action or movement-building work in their effort to DEFEND Indigenous People’s rights, and protect their land, air, water, and natural resources.

Who is Eligible?

Indigenous-led frontline, grassroots, and community-based groups and organizations, including non-profit organizations, U.S. based Tribes, tribal non-profit entities or tribal programs, Alaska Native Villages or their non-profit entities, First Nations or Inuit and Metis communities, groups and organizations based in Canada, Indigenous communities, groups and organizations based in Mexico, and Individual Indigenous people leading direct action or movement building work.Ā 

Applicants must be based in the post-colonial borders of the US, Canada, Mexico, and the related Island Nations of Hawaiā€™i, BorikĆ©n/Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Building a world that allows Indigenous people to thrive requires a massive redistribution of wealth to people on the frontlines of the fight for justice and freedom.

Thomas Kenote, NDN Collective Program Officer

The Community Action Fund Supports:

  • Non-Violent Direct Action
  • Climate Disaster Prevention
  • Climate Disaster Response

Funds are available specifically for:

  • Supplies and Equipment
  • Contractual Services
  • Travel

CAF DOES NOT SUPPORT:

  • Ongoing planned projects/activities/service delivery programs
  • Annual operating costs
  • Bridge/gap funding
  • Scholarships
  • Capital projects or land purchase
  • Events
  • Sponsorships

Budget: Applicants will be required to submit a budget for the funds relating to the direct action such as funding for travel, climate response items, supplies, equipment, consultants, contractual services and staff that support various forms of NVDA (non-violent direct action), i.e., marches, camps, boycotts, prayer vigils as a form of resistance, organizing or protest to affect change.

Reporting: Awardees will be required to submit a grant report at the end of their grant term within 30 days of their grant closing.

The application is a two-step process. You must register before submitting your application. NDN cannot make any exceptions to the registration or grant application due dates. This includes incomplete applications or application mistakes due to user error. Be sure to complete the registration well in advance of the due dates to ensure a timely submission.

You will be able to select from the following languages if needed: English, French, and Spanish.

1. Fluxx Portal Registration

  • REGISTER FOR FLUXX: Register to receive login credentials needed to access the Fluxx portal and complete your grant application. Both new and existing users must register for this grant opportunity.
  • CHECK YOUR EMAIL: After registering, you will receive an email with your username, password, and login instructions. Please allow up to two business days for this email to arrive.
  • CHECK YOUR SPAM FOLDER: If you donā€™t see the emails in your inbox, be sure to check your spam or junk folder.

2. Complete your Application in Fluxx

  • LOGIN AND APPLY: Once you have your login credentials, follow the instructions in the email to access the Fluxx portal and complete your application.
  • GRANT APPLICATION REQUIRE COMPONENTS:
  • Organizational Information
  • Grant Request
  • Budget and Additional Funding Sources
  • Required Documents.
  • Proof of Tax Status
  • Fiscal Sponsorship Agreement/Tax Status (if applicable)
  • Optional Attachments

Need help with your application? [email protected]

Want to learn more about the grant program? [email protected]Ā 

Helpful Hints for Applying

  • NDN does not accept applications via email, fax, or postal service. All applications must be submitted using Fluxx.
  • Register early to avoid delays.
  • For the best Fluxx experience, use the Chrome browser.
  • Use a desktop or laptop, not a mobile device.
  • Make sure your information is correct:
  • contact information
  • email address
  • telephone number
  • Fluxx does not autosave. Press the "Save" button as you work to complete your application.
  • You cannot change or edit your application once it is submitted.
  • Aim to submit your application well in advance of the due date to avoid any unforeseen delays.
  • NDN cannot make any exceptions to the registration deadline or the application due date.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

NDN Foundation provides grants to Indigenous-led organizations, Tribes, groups, projects and individuals whose work, goals and intentions align with the NDN mission, values, core principles and strategies.Ā  NDN grantmaking is intended to honor and advance the self-determination of Indigenous Peoples.Ā 

Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā See: Our Mission

Geographic focus:Ā  Applicants must be based in the post-colonial borders of the US, Canada, Mexico, and the related Island Nations of Hawaiā€™i, BorikĆ©n/Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Ā Organizations/Individuals:Ā 

Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Grantmaking may be provided to the following recipients:

  • Indigenous-led non-profit organizations. Indigenous-led is defined as 100% board of directors and decision-makers, and at least 70% staff are Indigenous.Ā 
  • U.S.-based Tribal Nations, tribal non-profit entities, Alaska Native Villages, or their non-profit entities, Indigenous-led Native Hawaiian organizations.
  • First Nations or Aboriginal communities, groups, and organizations based in Canada.
  • Indigenous communities, groups, and organizations based in Mexico.
  • Indigenous owned businesses in the US and related Island Nations, Canada or Mexico
  • Individual Indigenous people who are connected to the direct action and are willing to assume the tax liability for the grant.Ā 

NDN Collective defines Indigenous peoples as ethnic communities whose ancestry descends from the earliest, original inhabitants of a given region, in contrast to groups that have settled, occupied, and/or colonized the region more recently. The land on which we live and the natural resources on which we depend are inextricably linked to our identities, cultures, livelihoods, as well as our physical and spiritual well-being. The total estimated population of Indigenous peoples is approximately 370 million people worldwide (5% of the global population). We use Indigenous peoples with an ā€œsā€ to recognize the diversity of individuals and groups that identify with the term, which has been distilled to a singular noun throughout history in an attempt to group our people together rather than recognize our differences and diversity. This is consistent with the UN Declaration on The Rights of Indigenous peoples.

Groups or organizations that do not currently meet the criteria for ā€œIndigenous-ledā€ can apply as long as they also submit a plan outlining how they intend to become ā€œIndigenous-ledā€ in the future. Indigenous-led is defined as 100% board of directors and decision-makers, and at least 70% Indigenous staff.

Yes, if you are a recipient of another grant from NDN Collective you can still apply and receive a grant from the Community Action Fund. To apply for any grant opportunity, you must complete the eligibility quiz and register, even if you already have a Fluxx account or have previously applied for other grants with NDN Collective.

The CAF grant is a once per year grant for awardees. However, if an action has multiple phases a followup grant can be considered.

The Community Action Fund is an urgent response grant. If your grant proposal is approved, we try our best to get the funds to grantees within 3 weeks of the application submission.

No. Funds can not be used to back pay and reimburse an action or event that has already taken place. Funds need to be used from the grant start date.

The Community Action Fund does not support:Ā 

  • Long-term, ongoing planned projects/activities/service delivery programs
  • Annual operating costsĀ 
  • Bridge/gap funding
  • Scholarships
  • Capital projects or land purchase
  • Events
  • Sponsorships

CAF is meant to support frontline direct action and climate change response efforts that are already happening with or without NDN Collectiveā€™s support. CAF grant does not fund long-term ongoing projects nor operational costs for organizations and companies.

While CAF does support Landback efforts, this grant cannot be used to purchase land.

Yes. In order to receive an NDN Foundation grant, you or your group/organization must have a Tax Identification Number. You can apply as a non-profit organization, as an individual, a Tribe/First Nation, or as a business. The tax identification of theĀ  organization or individual becomes responsible for accountability of the grant and/or taxable income if applicable, and must be submitted with the application.

Yes, you can establish a fiscal sponsorship with a nonprofit organization. This may be a local non-profit organization with which you have an established relationship or with a regional/national organization that is willing to serve as your fiscal sponsor. Your organization/group can then apply for an NDN grant utilizing the tax status of the fiscal sponsor.Ā 

Along with proof of the fiscal status of the sponsoring organization, a memorandum of understanding (MOU), letter of agreement, or some form of documentation must also be submitted with your application verifying the fiscal sponsorship (signed by both parties) at the time of submitting your application for it to be considered complete.

Although we value our grantee partnersā€™ ability to leverage our resources with others, we do not require a match.

For Application Questions reach out to: [email protected]

For Spanish speaking applicants reach out to: [email protected]

For Fluxx Portal Technical Support reach out to: [email protected]

APPLY