The Cultural Resource Fund (CRF) supports Tribal and State cultural and historic preservation projects for eligible grantees. The CRF was created by seven freight railroads involved in the construction of Positive Train Control (PTC) poles. The MICA Group was selected to manage and administer the CRF. Since the CRF was initially funded in 2015, MICA has awarded and distributed 475 grants totaling $9.4 million to 203 Tribes and 41 SHPOs.
PHASE 1 GRANT CLOSEOUT
Phase 1 closeout forms were sent to our email contact list in May 2017, and were due July 31, 2017. If your Tribe or SHPO has experienced personnel changes since the Phase 1 grants were awarded in 2015, please let Erin know at culture@micagroup.org. Judging from the final reports we received, the impact of your projects is remarkable! The high quality and success of your projects proves that Tribes know best what their communities need and how to go about it.
Check out the CRF Stories to share the joy, impact, surprises, and leveraging that you have achieved with your CRF Phase 1 grants. As one THPO stated, “It’s amazing what small grants can do.”
PHASE 2 GRANT CLOSEOUT
Phase 2 closeout forms were sent to our email contact list in November 2017, and were due December 31, 2017. If your Tribe or SHPO has experienced personnel changes since the Phase 2 grants were awarded in May 2016, or if you need an extension, please let Erin know as soon as possible at culture@micagroup.org.
PHASE 3 GRANT CLOSEOUT
Phase 3 Protecting Our Places site protection grants were awarded in May 2018. Closeout forms were emailed to our contact list in March 2019 and were due August 31, 2019. Please make sure Erin (culture@micagroup.org) has your updated email address.
Phase 3 Pathways on a Language Landscape language revitalization grants were awarded in August 2018. Closeout forms were emailed to our contact list in July 2019, and are due November 30, 2019. Please let Erin know immediately at culture@micagroup.org if you need an extension.
CRF News
NATIONAL TRUST FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION ANNUAL CONFERENCE, PAST FORWARD
MICA/CRF was honored to bring together a panel of inspirational and visionary Native women activists to discuss the importance of protecting cultural places at the 2019 conference in Denver, Colorado. Moderated by MICA/CRF Executive Director Peggy Mainor; panel members Mona Polacca (Havasupai and Hopi/Tewa), MICA consultant and Executive Director of the International Council of 13 indigenous Grandmothers; Bonney Hartley (Mohican), Tribal Historic Preservation Officer of the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohicans; and Ada Deer (Menominee), former Assistant Secretary of Interior and the first Native woman to head the Bureau of Indian Affairs, presented to a standing-room-only audience of ardent preservationists.
Take Action Protect Our Land
This powerful 10-minute film generated tremendous buzz and a rush to the stage after the presentation. https://illuminatives.org/keystonexl/,
Making a Difference: My Fight for Native Rights and Social Justice
Panelist Ada Deer gave a keynoted address at Trust/Live with moving and inspirational stories from her new book. https://birchbarkbooks.com/all-online-titles/making-a-difference.
Lone Star EMMY awarded to documentary
KOO_HOOT Kiwat: The Caddo Grass House
We are pleased to announce that the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, Lone Star Chapter, awarded the Texas Heritage Program/Special/Feature/Segment EMMY to Curtis Craven’s PBS documentary on the Caddo Grass House building, constructed with the Texas Historical Commission CRF Phase 1 grant by Caddo Nation elder Phil Cross and Caddo community volunteers.
View KOO_HOOT Kiwat: The Caddo Grass House
LANGUAGE REVITALIZATION
View the CRF report PROTECTING LANGUAGES, CULTURES, AND PLACES 2015-2018 document here!
Wells Fargo Awards MICA/CRF $200,000 Grant to Support Language Revitalization
We are pleased to announce that, on October 29, 2019, Wells Fargo awarded MICA/CRF a $200,000 grant to support our Pathways on a Language Landscape: Next Steps in Language Revitalization program. Next Steps offers tribes personalized on-site consultations with language visionaries, a written language action plan, and $10,000 grants to begin implementing their action plans.
Wells Fargo has released a policy on responsible finance and respecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples. For more information, see https://www.wellsfargo.com/about/corporate-responsibility/indigenous-peoples-statement/
RESPECTING PLACE
Gathering
View VIDEOS below!
December 12-15, 2017
Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort
Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico
Providing opportunities for communities to establish support systems that will protect their precious sacred and cultural places long into the future
The gathering proved to be extremely valuable and inspirational in supporting a wide range of efforts among tribal communities all over the country.
“The conference set up relationships with technical experts and other tribes that will continue to benefit our cultural preservation long after the conference.” -Conference Participant
Couldn’t make it to the gathering? View the gathering agenda and watch the presentation videos here:
NEXT STEPS PROGRAM
Next Steps in Language Revitalization program fulfills promise to tribes
Created in response to Tribal requests at the CRF’s 2016 Pathways to Fluency Conference, Next Steps is a fast-developing national program that provides tribes with individualized consultations with leading national language experts. Tribes requested the assistance of the language visionaries to provide guidance in rapidly and sustainably moving their language programs to the next level. Jacob Manatowa-Bailey and Leslie Harper coordinate the program. Participating tribes meet, free of charge, with national language experts for an on-site strategic planning consultation. The tribes receive a written language revitalization plan and one year of follow-up support. Tribes completing the strategic planning process receive incentive grants of up to $10,000. For more information contact Peggy at peggy@micagroup.org, Jacob at jacobmanatowabailey@gmail.com or Leslie at leslieharperojibwe@gmail.com.
MICA/CRF Launches Site Mentorship Program
MICA Group’s Protecting Our Places program, in partnership with the National Tribal Geographic Information Support Center (Tribal GIS), matches tribes interested in protecting sacred and cultural places through geo-mapping with tribes that have significant geo-mapping expertise. This new project has already matched eight tribes with experienced tribal mentors. For more information, email Peggy Mainor at peggy@micagroup.org, or Garet Couch at gcouch@tribalgis.com.