This fall, the Cherokee Preservation Foundation awarded 15 grants to partners within Western North Carolina and beyond. Grants totaled more than $1.7 million and were awarded to projects advancing the Foundation’s mission of improving the quality of life for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) and neighboring communities.

Awarded CPF 2020 Fall Grants:

Revitalization of Traditional Cherokee Artisan Resources to protect traditional Cherokee artisan resources for future generations. Grant: $90,990

Nikwasi Initiative to preserve and highlight the Cherokee Nikwasi Mound area. Grant: $16,000

The Ray Kinsland Leadership Institute’s Cherokee Youth Council to support the council in an effort to create selfless leaders grounded with Cherokee core values. Grant: $116,380

Duyugov’i Right Path Adult Leadership Program to implement the inaugural year of the Right Path alumni program and evaluate the Right Path program and curriculum. Grant: $114,950

Appalachian Women’s Museum, Inc. to increase the public awareness of the Cherokee culture in the region. Grant: $7,175

Western Carolina University Cherokee Studies to support Western Carolina University’s Cherokee language program. Grant: $50,487

Western Region Education Service Alliance (WRESA) to improve the digital mastery and literacy of the local future workforce. Grant: $199,320

EBCI Division of Commerce to support the marketing efforts of the Greater Cherokee Tourism Council. Grant: $850,000

Cherokee Cooperative Extension to support the development of the local food economy through education, hands-on-training, infrastructure development, and business incubation. Grant: $36,575

Haywood Waterways Association, Inc. to support the planting of river cane and other culturally important species on the Pigeon River. Grant: $3,430

Snowbird Cherokee Traditions to support Cherokee second-language learners in the Cherokee Snowbird community located in Graham County. Grant: $37,865

American Indian Science Engineering Society (AISES) to enhance the future workforce by introducing a culturally contextualized STEM college and career readiness guidebook to educators and students. Grant: $61,204

Community Foundation of Western North Carolina to enhance the impact of nonprofit organization’s programs in the far west and Qualla Boundary. Grant: $114,510

Western Carolina University to support the WCU geosciences program on identifying and investigating river cane locations in the upper Little Tennessee River watershed. Grant: $19,994

Chattooga Conservancy to expand river cane restoration in addition to maintaining and monitoring existing river cane. Grant: $7,500