Our Decolonizing Data grant opportunity offers funding for cultural restoration, resurgence of stewardship, and community building specific to Indigenous data. We define Indigenous data broadly and it includes art, storytelling, connection to land and water, traditional foods, people and communities. Potential projects may include but are not limited to a health fair, MMIP awareness event, traditional foods gatherings, conducting community surveys, elders listening sessions, storytelling events, and more.
Urban Indian Health Institute is now accepting applications for a Decolonizing Data grant- an opportunity for your project or program to receive up to $5,000 in funding.
Apply by September 8, 2024, at 11:59 p.m.
Core Principles of Decolonizing Data
Funding will support the following core tenets of Decolonizing Data—as defined by UIHI—as they pertain to American Indians and Alaska Natives and other Indigenous peoples. These principles are not meant to be applied broadly across populations. Additionally, we recognize this list is not complete and welcome other Indigenous thought, practice, and knowledge as it grows:
- We have a legal right to data governance through treaty and trust responsibility.
- We restore cultural and spiritual practices that include the belief systems that are contrary to western religious practices and common belief systems.
- We are accountable to the next generations.
- We have a responsibility and accountability to sustain and build tribal strength and vitality through data.
- We create a collection of tribal affiliation and/or tribal enrollment as defined by each individual tribal nation.
Decolonizing Data Grants
We encourage you to apply if your work involves one or more of the following priority areas:
- Legal right to data governance through treaty and trust responsibility.
- Restoration of cultural and spiritual practices, including belief systems that are contrary to western religious practices and common belief systems. This includes but is not limited to spiritual connections to land and animals that inform data practices, beliefs in ancestors guiding data, and other cultural practices that vary by tribe and region.
- Accountability to the next generations—including but not limited to the passing down of ancestral knowledge—support of individuals building knowledge and stories of service to their communities, and the advancement of Indigenous scientific knowledge.
- Responsibility and accountability to sustain and build forward tribal strength and vitality through data.
- Collection of tribal affiliation and/or tribal enrollment as defined by each individual tribal nation.
- Acknowledgement of harmful data practices coupled with healing, restoration, and reparations.
- Strengths-based data collection, analysis, and dissemination.
- Protective community and cultural factors measured and weighted against disparities and gaps.
- Community governance every step of the way (collection, analysis, dissemination).
- Appropriate collection of race and ethnicity.
- Embedded accountability of entities for collection of race and ethnicity.
- Disaggregation of data by race, ethnicity, and multiracial identities.
- Undoing education disparities and narratives that are embedded in institutions that inhibit POC in data science fields.
- Small populations methodologies.
- Acknowledging community knowledge and investing in data capacity as informed by the community.
Funding Amount: Up to $5,000
Funding Period: September 13, 2024–December 1, 2024
Grant Requirements
While funding can be used for individually created Decolonizing Data projects, grantees are required as part of their programming to facilitate the showing of two short films (approximately 4 min each) and facilitate a conversation (approximately 40 min) in your respective community from our Decolonizing Data Film Series.
The first film, “Decolonizing Data“, brings together the voices of Indigenous and non-Indigenous community members and expresses what Decolonizing Data means to them.
The second film, “We Carry You With Us”, is a short film directed by Abigail Echo-Hawk (Pawnee) about the inextricable connection of Indigenous data and traditional ways of life. The film celebrates the resilience and cultural richness of Indigenous communities through the stories passed down to them by their ancestors. Data is an Indigenous value, and we want participants to feel that they can reclaim that value after watching this story.
The facilitation of these films can be virtual or in-person.
Organizations must be a 501 c3 certified non-profit, tribe or tribal organization. Organizations with fiscal sponsors are currently not eligible.
Evaluation/ Deliverable Requirements
Grantees will submit one photo narrative from their Decolonizing Data activities as stated in their proposal. Directions on how to complete the photo narrative will be sent to grantees once awarded. We estimate the time requirement for this evaluation deliverable will be 1 hour. Additionally, grantees will report on the number of attendees attending the viewing of the Decolonizing Data video series.
Funding Specifications
Grantees will receive 80% of their reward up front and the remaining 20% after the completion of their evaluation activity.
There are no funding restrictions that apply to this application.
Recipients may use funds for reasonable project purposes. This may include events, scholarships, food and supplies.
All work must be completed, including evaluation activities, by December 1, 2024.
How to apply
Apply by clicking the button below and filling out the Microsoft Form.
We recommend drafting your responses in a separate document before beginning to fill out the form.
Applications must be submitted in the form by Sunday, September 8, 2024, by 11:59 p.m. PT.