NEFOC Network Mycelial Fortification Stipend

 
 

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Rolling application for Funding NEFOC Networks Collaborations

The core of NEFOC is our Network. This network of over 500 farmers, land stewards, and earthworkers of color is an informal alliance of Indigenous, Black, Latinx, and Asian farmers living our lives on land in the Northeast. Together since the beginning of 2018 we have:

  • Planted the Seeds of Sovereignty by connecting in rural areas and building community and safe spaces to develop self-determination and systems of collective healing. 

  • Knitted solidarity exchanges and systems that support and grow network stewards/leaders, reflecting a range of interests and diversity in ancestral knowledge.

  • Catalyzed and coordinated reparations for BIPOC farmers and land stewards in the Northeast impacting our collective and individual wellbeing in a positive way. 

During the last 18 months, our network has doubled in size! If you are wondering, “Who is in the network near me? How can we get together? How can I share with the network in person or virtually,?” please consider applying to the Mycelia Fortification Stipend. 

NEFOC Network Skillshare Gathering @ Soul Fire Farm 2019

The Northeast Farmers of Color Land Trust will provide small stipends to enable you to work with fellow NEFOC network members to create activities, workshops, and other learning experiences that strengthen the connections, relationships, knowledge transfer, and celebration of network members. The goals of the NEFOC Network Mycelia fortification stipend are to:

  • (Re)ignite the connection of current and emerging leaders in our bioregions and foster collaboration across communities. 

  • Catalyze member-to-member collaborations and opportunities for co-learning, celebration, and self-care that align with the Northeast Farmers of Color Land Trust values: Kinship: Land as Kin, Ancestors Across the Generations, Right Relationship, Decolonial Vision & Decolonizing Action, Language Justice, Disability Justice, and Intersectional Identity; Mutual Support and Accountability in Land Stewardship & the Network; Climate Justice and Regenerative Land Care. Spread the word about network members who are contributing to and leading network activities.

Guidelines for Applying

The NEFOC Network Mycelia fortification stipend is available to any NEFOC network member living in the Northeast (New England, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, Middle Atlantic, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania) and must be used to support NEFOC Network members working together to create something that will benefit our communities like skill-sharing, and public memory work, archiving, resource mapping, etc.

NEFOC Network members do not have to be part of the same region, state, or community – in fact, it’s encouraged to collaborate with someone you do not typically/regularly talk to! Proposals should be in service to the network and help the network through one or more of these goals:

  1. Foster relationships between members

  2. Strengthen regional leadership hubs and their capacity, and/or Celebration across communities.

Grant size: 

A limited amount of funds are available in the NEFOC Network Mycelia fortification stipend, totaling $18,000. Grant sizes will be proportional to the scale of the project, the reflection of NEFOC Network values, and whether applicants have access to other resources to produce the activity. Because of this limitation, we anticipate funding projects between $1,000-and $3,500 but will consider larger and smaller budgets. NEFOC staff will review the applications on a rolling basis.  Applicants are asked to use this template to upload their budget when applying.         

Potential activities:

The NEFOC Network Mycelia fortification stipend is a great opportunity to think outside of the box and get creative in how you might bring your ideas to life. We encourage projects that can be delivered in a virtual capacity to increase accessibility for network members. Examples of potential projects include:

  • Activities for members to meet and connect with each other and become more familiar with the diversity of knowledge within the network

  • Short workshop training via webinar or in-person

  • Public memory work

  • Archiving

  • Resource mapping

  • Panel-style conversation Topical call (coffee chat, open-space, etc.)

  • Podcast

  • Arts and culture activity

  • Self-care opportunity

  • Written article or thought piece

  • Research project

  • Creation of a tool, template, or framework

  • Networking opportunity

  • Affinity groups

Infrastructure and support available: 

The Northeast Farmers of Color Land Trust staff is committed to supporting each proposal by giving technical assistance as needed. We offer support such as:

  • event registration in Eventbrite

  • use of NEFOC LT’s Zoom account

  • connection to language justice practitioners

  • promotion

  • finding insurance for an event

  • upholding responsibility and accountability guidelines for safer spaces, and/or community agreements.

Questions? Email connect@nefoclandtrust.org with ‘NEFOC Network Mycelia Fortification’ in the subject line.