Grotto Foundation

3 Ring Scenic

What We Fund

Native Language Revitalization grantmaking resources will be used to support seeding and nurturing viable community programs and initiatives that:

Show promise in producing new Native language speakers and positive language environments

Show promise in long-lasting community impact

Demonstrate the capacity to sustain language revitalization efforts beyond initial Grotto Foundation support

To this end, four grantmaking priorities have been established:

Priority 1: Promising indigenous language revitalization models ? planning or implementation grants.

Planning Focus:
Planning grants, up to $20,000, are available for organizations and groups that are poised to implement or improve a promising model of a Native language revitalization program. Planning activities may include the examination of existing resources to implement or improve a language revitalization program. Planning grants should result in a documented, workable plan complete with timelines, benchmarks, achievable outcomes, and available resources. Community planning and capacitybuilding efforts that focus on sustainable language acquisition efforts within a Native community will be prioritized.

Implementation Focus:
Implementation grants, up to $60,000, are available for promising language teaching and acquisition models that develop language proficiency and comprehension in learners of all ages. Priority will be given to organizations that utilize the following promising models:

Master-apprentice programs ? mentored learning where adult learners team with a fluent speaker, spending at least twenty hours per week immersed in their heritage language while engaging in a variety of daily activities and cultural practices.

Immersion programs and schools ? typically kindergarten through twelfth-grade immersion schools, where students are fully immersed in their heritage language. Language serves an academic purpose and all subjects are taught in the heritage language. Community immersion camps and community language societies have also shown promise.

Language nests ? typically geared for pre-school children where fluent speakers participate in a day-care setting, speaking to young children in their heritage language throughout the day.

Teacher development programs ? programs that integrate Native language competency and teaching competencies for a new generation of language learners. This includes teacher development programs that result in the ability of a teacher to teach an academic subject fluently and proficiently in a tribal language.

Innovative new approaches that show promise in the development of new Native speakers or a hybrid of other promising approaches may be considered.

Priority 2: Language curriculum, instruction and technological resource development. Grants range up to $50,000.

Focus:
Programs that broaden the field of learning by developing relevant Native language tools, curriculum, and materials for all ages will be considered. Projects must demonstrate the ability to undertake costly endeavors, such as the translation, printing, and distribution of materials; in formulating a clearinghouse of relevant materials; and/or developing multi-media or marketing products. The use of technology to advance language learning and resource development will also be considered.

Priority 3: Community organizing and advocacy. Grants range up to $25,000.

Focus:
Community organizing and advocacy activities that advance Native language revitalization will be considered. This includes projects that seek to coordinate share, and promote community-wide resources ? or that initiate policylevel changes or system changes which foster language recovery and revitalization. Project work plans should include community partners, timelines, benchmarks, and achievable outcomes.

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