College of Menominee Nation Opens Year Four Mini‑Grants; Applications Due March 15

The College of Menominee Nation in Keshena announced Year Four of its Next-Gen Mini-Grant Program, offering a total of $60,000 for projects that promote food sovereignty and build capacity in Food, Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Human Sciences (FANH) for Tribal communities in Wisconsin. The program is run by CMN in partnership with Indigenous Advise, LLC and funded by USDA NexGen, the college said in its promotional materials.

Program materials and social posts describe individual awards of up to $5,000 and emphasize projects focused on natural resources, sustainable foods and nutrition; a CMN Instagram capture reads, “Our fourth year of CMN's NextGen Mini-Grants program is now LIVE. For the next week, we encourage you to apply for up to $5,000 towards your” and a LinkedIn post notes a “$5,000 grant opportunity aimed at supporting and empowering Wisconsin's Native American communities.” Jennifer Peters of Indigenous Advise, LLC framed the intent in the program press release: “The Next-Gen Mini-Grant Program continues to support innovative, community-led projects that contribute to sustainable practices and food security. We are eager to see what new ideas come forward for the 2025 cycle.”

Eligibility language captured in the announcement and press materials specifies the program is open to “tribal members and community groups operating on or serving the Menominee Reservation and surrounding areas” and describes the opportunity as for “Tribal communities in Wisconsin.” Geraldine Sanapaw, listed in the release as “Chief Academic Officers-College of Menominee Nation,” urged participation: “This grant provides a meaningful way for Tribal business and communities to strengthen their resources and enhance their ability to support our Tribal communities through sustainable projects. We encourage all eligible Tribal entities to apply.”

A date discrepancy appears across sources: the FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE dateline Keshena, WI, October 31, 2024 lists an applications deadline of January 3, 2025, while the headline and other materials for this story indicate applications are due March 15. The program announcement materials captured online also show social posts without a complete application link; the LinkedIn post was truncated and the Instagram copy ends mid-sentence. The press contacts provided in the release are Nicole Fish, nicolef@indigenousadvise.com, 715-851-3293, and Jennifer Peters, jenniferp@indigenousadvise.com, 715-701-0386 for applicants or organizations seeking the official deadline, the application URL, and full eligibility and submission instructions.

The college’s Web and social collateral state the Next-Gen Mini-Grant Program will “award a total of $60,000 in 2025” to strengthen Tribal resilience, but captured materials do not specify how many awards will be made from that pool or the full list of eligible applicant types. Prospective applicants on or serving the Menominee Reservation should use the Indigenous Advise contacts above to confirm the per-project cap of $5,000, the authoritative application closing date, and the application portal link before submitting proposals.