Grant Overview
The Oklahoma Native Assets Coalition (ONAC) is pleased to announce this 2014 request for proposals (RFP) to help fund Native asset building projects in Oklahoma. First Nations Development Institute (First Nations), a national Native nonprofit, is the fiscal sponsor for ONAC. Thus, ONAC, in collaboration with First Nations, will award a total of $10,500 in mini grants to Oklahoma grantees. Depending upon the projects (financial education curriculum supplies may cost less than seed money to open Children’s Savings Accounts), the mini grants will average $3,500 each. Some awards may be slightly higher or lower than this average. The grant period will begin March 3, 2014. The average grant period is six months to a year.
Grants may be used to fund existing or new Native asset building programs in Oklahoma. Examples of how mini grants may be used for such programs include funding for:
- Financial education curricula materials for your financial education programs
- A computer for your Voluntary Income Tax Assistance site (such sites help eligible tribal members prepare their tax returns for free and claim their tax credits)
- Match funds for your tribal Individual Development Account program
- Initial deposit money for your Children’s Savings Account program (to help youth build a nest egg of savings)
- Stipends/payments for youth employees working in your tribal employment program, so they so they have earned income to deposit into Individual Development Accounts
- Training for your staff to be able to provide foreclosure intervention services to clients/tribal citizens
- Loans made to customers through your Native nonprofit credit builder loan program
If you would like to talk through any of your asset building program ideas, please contact Christy Finsel, Coordinator of the Oklahoma Native Assets Coalition, at (405) 401-7873 or email her at cfinsel@oknativeassets.org.
Deadline
The grant applications are due by February 7, 2014. ONAC will review the grant applications and make the award determinations, awarding up to $10,500 total, among the 2014 grant recipients. First Nations, as ONAC’s fiscal sponsor, will send the award notifications by March 3, 2014. A list of awardees will be posted on the ONAC website. ONAC will work with First Nations as First Nations processes the grant agreements and sends the grant payments to the grant recipients.
Eligibility
Eligible applicants include:
- Tribal governments based in Oklahoma;
- Tribal programs based in Oklahoma; or
- Native organizations based in Oklahoma.
If applicants are not a tribal government, 501(c)(3), a 7871, or Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), they must have a fiscal sponsor. We do not require federal recognition for tribal governments; however, you must have, at a minimum, proof of state recognition.
Application
All applicants must fully complete the ONLINE Grant Application, made avaliable thorough First Nations (ONAC’s fiscal sponsor).
Please also complete Attachment A: An Estimated Budget for the Proposed Project (examples of line items include: books for financial education program, 15 books x $20.00 per book = $300.00; funds to open Children’s Savings Account programs for 25 youth x $100.00 per account= $2,5000, etc.).
Application Closed
Help
If you need technical assistance with the online grant application, please contact Catherine Bryan, Senior Program Officer, First Nations, at cbryan@firstnations.org or (303) 774-7836, ext. 12. If you have specific questions about the grant or your project, please contact Christy Finsel, Coordinator, Oklahoma Native Assets Coalition, at cfinsel@oknativeassets.org or (405) 401-7873.
The deadline for applications is February 7, 2014 at 5:00 p.m. Mountain Time.
Note: The online system automatically closes at 5:00 p.m. MST and applications not completely submitted by that time will be rejected by the system. Please allow plenty of time for submitting online. Proposals that are incomplete or are received after the deadline will not be considered. No exceptions will be permitted.
