We support programs that bolster community development and address the social determinants of health in American Indian communities.
Connections to the land, culture, traditional diets, and strong family and community ties have supported the resilience, well-being, and health of American Indian communities in Montana throughout history and now. Health disparities among American Indian people relate to unmet basic needs like housing, employment, and food security, as well as health care access and quality issues (which we address in the Strengthening American Indian Health Services Initiative).
Tribes, Native-led nonprofits, and urban Indian health centers are working to improve housing availability and quality, build food systems that address community needs, create employment and economic opportunities, and build and expand programs that address key drivers of social determinants of health.
This initiative builds partnerships in the food and housing sectors and identifies viable and replicable strategies. We focus on building long-term partnerships and providing technical assistance and flexible capital through contracts, grants, and low-interest loans.
We support projects that improve local food production, develop reservation housing, and grow local businesses.
Visit our Grant Library to learn more about these projects.
SPOTLIGHT
The Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Montana:
Food Distribution Program
In April 2024, the Little Shell Tribe opened a new food distribution program to provide more nutritious and Indigenous foods for its tribal members. Providing quality and, oftentimes, local food is the tribe’s latest effort to improve the health of its people through access to reliable nutrition.
The Little Shell Tribe’s Food Distribution Program based at the Moiijim Center (meaning “food” in Ojibwe) regularly serves 70 tribal members.
Our Support
We support planning for programs to address the basic needs for health, such as housing, food security, education, and employment. We provide grants or contracts with consultants to help tribes plan for and develop new programs and evaluation strategies.
We also offer low-interest loans to advance specific programmatic objectives. These loans help the receiving organization secure additional funds from various state and federal community development programs.
All funding under this initiative is by invitation only.
Contact
If you have a question about this initiative, please email our program team.