Rapid City-based NDN Collective has announced the opening of its Community Action Fund (CAF), a grant program specifically designed to bolster Indigenous frontline defenders.
This initiative provides vital financial support for non-violent direct actions and urgent movement-building efforts across North America.
The fund targets grassroots efforts aimed at defending Indigenous rights and protecting natural resources, including land, air, and water.
According to NDN Collective Director of Grantmaking Serene Lawrence, the fund exists to support Indigenous leadership “in moments when action matters most”.
Funding and benefits
Selected applicants can receive an annual award of up to $15,000 for a grant term lasting a maximum of six months.
These funds are strictly designated for tangible needs such as supplies, equipment, travel, and contractual services that support various forms of non-violent resistance, including marches, boycotts, and prayer vigils.
Recognizing the time-sensitive nature of frontline organizing, the CAF operates as an urgent response mechanism.
Once a grant proposal is approved, the organization strives to deliver the funds to the awardees within approximately three weeks of the application submission.
Application requirements and eligibility
Eligibility extends to Indigenous-led frontline groups, individual activists, Tribal Nations, and First Nations based within the post-colonial borders of the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
This geographic scope also includes related Island Nations such as Hawai’i, Borikén/Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
To meet the “Indigenous-led” criteria, an organization must typically have a board of directors that is 100% Indigenous and a staff that is at least 70% Indigenous.
However, groups that do not yet meet these thresholds may still apply if they provide a formal plan outlining how they intend to become Indigenous-led in the future.
The application process is a mandatory two-step digital procedure conducted through the Fluxx portal, as the organization does not accept submissions via email or mail.
Applicants are reminded that the fund does not support ongoing service programs, annual operating costs, scholarships, or capital projects like land purchases.
Deadline
The current grant cycle is active, but prospective applicants must observe two critical cut-off dates.
Registration for the Fluxx portal must be completed by October 16, 2026, followed by a final application submission deadline of October 30, 2026, at 5 p.m. Central Time.
To apply, visit Rapid City-based NDN call page. Visit our global opportunity page for more.
Havent detected content to summarize.
