Community Grants Program

Our Community Grants Program supports culturally rigorous chronic disease prevention programs to enhance public health infrastructure among urban Indian populations.

The Sage and Sweetgrass funding opportunities are part of an initiative to strengthen public health programming in urban American Indian and Alaska Native organizations through the use of Indigenous methodologies, frameworks, and evaluation approaches. Our goal is to provide urban Indian organizations with the ability to build and sustain programs to combat chronic disease through education, prevention, and management.

“It is important for Indigenous programs to have funding that allows them to run culturally attuned programs and gather the information needed for a more equitable public health infrastructure.”

—Abigail Echo-Hawk (Pawnee), Director

Every year, we award a series of subgrants to the Urban Indian Health Network (UIHN), comprised of urban Native health and human service organizations across the country and urban Indian organizations which are funded by IHS. Funding will support the establishment of sustainable chronic disease prevention initiatives that are using culturally adapted Indigenous methods, frameworks, and evaluation approaches. These approaches are regionally tailored by environment, culture, sociodemographic composition, as well as specific healthcare and infrastructure gaps of applicant sites.

Our grant awardees operate programs which address chronic disease and promote wellness and healthy lifestyles. As everything else that is affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, we have also stipulated that these organizations may run their programs virtually as needed. During the 2022–2023 grant cycle, we gave out $574,425 to six urban Native organizations for chronic disease prevention. This cycle, we have $615,310 available in funds (see below for more information).

Our Community Grants Program is made possible by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.

Community Grants Program StoryMap

Check out the interactive StoryMap below—or click here to open in a full screen view—to learn more about the great work done by past grantees!

Sweetgrass Grants

In 2024, we’re offering our Sweetgrass grants for the sixth year in a row. This cycle, we’re awarding up to four grants of $10,000 to urban Native health and human service organizations, and urban Indian organizations with programming focused on Indigenous approaches to chronic disease.

Learn more about Sweetgrass grants

Important Dates

RFA and Application Materials released	Monday, April 1, 2024
Pre-application webinar	Thursday, May 16, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. PT
Funding application deadline	Friday, June 28, 2024, by 11:59 p.m. PT
Award notification	Friday, August 30, 2024
Grantee orientation	Thursday, September 19, 2024
Funding period	September 30, 2024–September 29, 2025

Sage Grants

In the 2024- 2025 cycle, we are awarding at least 10 grants up to $61,670 to urban Native health and human service organizations, and urban Indian organizations with programming focused on Indigenous approaches to chronic disease.

Learn more about Sage grants

Important Dates

RFA and Application Materials released	Thursday, December 12, 2024
Pre-application webinar	Friday, December 20, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. PT
Funding application deadline	Friday, January 31, 2025, by 11:59 p.m. PT
Award notification	Monday, February 17, 2025
Grantee orientation	Monday, March 3, 2025
Funding period	September 30, 2024–September 29, 2025

Pre-application Webinar

An overview of the funding opportunity, timelines for application submission and processing, and a question and answer session.

Selection Process

UIHI takes a three (3)-phase holistic approach to reviewing Community Grants applications. As an Indigenous organization our foundation is grounded in Indigenous values. The UIHI Community Grants Committee, made of at least three UIHI staff of varying expertise, is looking for a clear statement of need, cultural innovation, and community responsiveness to chronic disease prevention.

The first phase is pre-screening where we review each applicant’s information to ensure the applying UIO and AI/AN urban serving non-profit organizations meet base eligibility requirements (see below).

In the second phase, the committee conducts an in-depth review of applicant project narratives and annual budgets and workplans. Finally, UIHI conducts a thorough technical review of all eligible applications and budgets to ask clarifying questions, request additional information or small changes, and/or offer recommendations. We review applications based on the fundamental assumption that applicants are the experts and are therefore most familiar with their community needs and solutions.

Some factors UIHI considers are:

• Geographic diversity: We want to have a broad reach across the United States.
• Program innovation: We like to see your program’s creativity and uniqueness. Dream big. Think about what is possible.
• Age/Generational: Does your program or organization serve a wide range of age groups?
• Collaboration: Is your organization committed to collaboration, partnerships, and/or networking to advance urban Indian health and well-being?
• Budget and work plan: How well is budget in alignment with scope of work and work plan?

In our third and final phase, the committee and UIHI leadership meet to conduct Consensus-Based Decision-Making. All committee members and leadership members must agree on the organizations to be funded. No decisions are made lightly and without the approval of UIHI leadership. After selection, all applicants receive technical reviews for their applications.