Maada’ookiing
Grants

How Maada’ookiing Came to Be

In seeking to partner more closely with Native nations and Native American communities, Northland Foundation applied the guiding principle that holds true in all our work: communities know best. To learn more and deepen our understanding, we entered into many conversations with Tribal elected officials and additional Native American leaders in philanthropy, nonprofit, and other sectors. We conducted a study of Northland’s own history, the history of philanthropy in relation to Native nations and Native American-led nonprofits, and the long-standing inequities in grantmaking.

A Native American design team was formed, bringing together leaders and community members to dialogue about past and emerging issues, community strengths, and best approaches to partnership. Through a group design process, this team helped create the structure, strategies, and guidance for a program they named Maada’ookiing, which launched with its first round of grants in May 2021. Find data and information about the grantmaking that happened during the first two years in this impact publication.

Maada’ookiing also has a focus on continued relationship-building and bringing people together around issues important to Native American people. We are moving forward with efforts to engage, partner, and generate ideas and resources on the community-identified issues of Native American Education and Native American Economic Development.

As this program grows, we will continue to learn from our relationships with Native American communities and increase our understanding of what it means to be in true collaboration with Native nations. Miigwech!

Who We Fund

Small groups or individuals may apply. To be eligible:

• Applicants must be Tribal citizens, descendants, or those who have kinship ties or affiliation to Native American communities for work within the foundation’s geographic service area. In recognition of Native American identity and community identity, eligibility is defined to be inclusive of the broad relationships of belonging. 
• Project work must take place within the Native nation lands of Bois Forte Band of Chippewa, Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe (District I), and Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe (District II), and/or the Minnesota counties of Aitkin, Carlton, Cook, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake, and St. Louis.

Tribal governments and organizations are not eligible for a Maada’ookiing grant. Go to our Quarterly Grants page for more information about grants to these entities.

What We Fund

Maada’ookiing grants are a way to support creative, impactful, and Native-led community building. Some past examples include: a community-organized talking circle, youth running group, teaching traditional art forms across generations, sobriety support activities, language tables, food sovereignty activities, and many other activities that Native American community members bring to life. You can find descriptions of past grants that have been awarded on the Recent Grants page.  

MAADA’OOKIING GRANT FOCUS AREAS:

• Supporting Native American Youth 
• Strengthening Use of Native American Language 
• Creating Access to Native American Language (digital apps, dictionaries, video, and other creative projects) 
• Sharing Native American Culture/Spiritual Practices and Activities 
• Sustaining Tribal Civic Engagement, Sovereignty, and Self-Determination (including non-partisan Get Out the Vote or civic education) 
• Shifting the Narrative and Increasing Visibility of Contemporary Native American Community 
• Promoting Native American Leadership and Experiences (projects that provide training, networking, and education opportunities) 
• Engaging in Native American Grassroots Organizing (projects that strengthen community well-being and/or respond to Native American community issues) 

TYPE OF COSTS A GRANT WILL HELP COVER:

• Materials and supplies, including technology, needed to carry out grant activities 
• Food for program participants 
• Space rental 
• Honorarium for Native American knowledge-holders who assist the project (elders, spiritual leaders, etc.) 
• Compensation for program organizers 

COSTS A GRANT WILL NOT COVER:

• Capital projects (such as buying or renovating buildings or projects that are mainly to buy large equipment) or hard costs related to starting a business 
• Financial assistance to support basic needs of individuals 
• Political campaigns or other partisan political activities 
• Sectarian religious activities 
• Personal compensation that is not related to project activities
• Please note: Maada’ookiing grants do not provide support for costs associated with starting, operating, or expanding business enterprises. Click here for more information about Business Services. 

When We Fund

The deadlines to submit applications are February 15, May 15, and September 15. 

Three rounds of grant funding are awarded each year. Applications can be submitted at any time and will be reviewed after the next deadline date.

Applicants will be notified about funding decisions about six weeks after the deadline. When planning your grant activities, please expect to receive funds approximately two (2) months after the submission deadline.

If your project is awarded a grant, you will receive an award email with a grant agreement, an ACH form, and W-9 form. These will need to be completed and signed electronically before payment can be made. 

Application & Helpful Information

New Grants Portal Information

As of May 20, 2025, there is an all-new grants portal. From one dashboard, you can start a new application, continue working on an application, submit a report, or track grant history.

Important details to know:

• Past applicants or grantees will need to reset their password. Grant-seekers new to the Northland Foundation will need to create an account. Both options are available from the login page.
  
• The application narrative questions have also changed. You can review the questions in advance and prepare your responses ahead of time. See the Application Questions linked under Helpful Resources.
  
• Automated emails from the portal will come from grants@northlandfdn.org including notifications for creating an account or resetting your password, when you submit applications, and when forms and reports are due or submitted. 
  
  Please add this email address to your safe senders list so these important messages do not get flagged as spam or phishing. In Outlook: “Add Recipients to Safe Senders List”. In Gmail: Scroll to “Prevent Valid Emails From Going to Spam”.

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Below are resources to help you prepare an application and budget, and the online portal link to apply. Questions? Please reach out to us using the contact information on this page.

Application deadlines are February 15, May 15, and September 15.

Helpful Resources:

Preparing to Apply

• Grant Information and Checklist Sheet (pdf) helps you prepare your grant application. 
  
• Application Questions (Word doc) or (pdf) are available to help you prepare your responses ahead of time before filling them out on the portal.
  
• Step-by-step Video – We are developing a new video illustrating the application process. In the meantime, please contact Cayla Bellanger DeGroat, Program Officer, with questions about your project or application or Carol Chipman, Grants Manager, with any questions you have about the portal or application process.
  
• Google Chrome is the recommended web browser for best results using the portal. If you wish, you can Download Chrome here.

Preparing a Budget

• A short budget is required with each application. Feel free to download and use this optional Budget Worksheet (Word doc) or Budget Worksheet (pdf). 
• For examples of budgets, click here.

Financial Information

• Please read this important grant payment information. 
• The Northland Foundation cannot provide tax advice to grant recipients. This overview is intended to help provide a general description of some of the tax issues associated with receiving grant funds.

Apply or Submit a Report:

FAQs & Tax Information

If you have questions that are not answered here, please reach out to us using the contact information on this page.

Who decides which grant applications are funded?

Maada’ookiing is led and guided by an Advisory Board made up of regional Native nation representatives and other Native American community members. The Maada’ookiing Advisory Board meets after each grant round deadline to make decisions on applications.

What happens next if my Maada’ookiing grant is approved?

If your project is awarded funding, you will receive an award email with a grant agreement, ACH form and W-9 form. These will need to be completed and signed electronically before payment can be made. You can expect to receive the grant funds electronically via ACH about 2 months after the submission deadline.

Is a Maada’ookiing grant taxable?

Yes, all or a portion of the grant may be taxable income to the recipient, depending on how the grant funds are used. The Northland Foundation cannot provide tax advice to grant recipients. This overview is intended to help provide a general description of some of the tax issues associated with receiving grant funds.

How does Maada’ookiing respect and affirm tribal sovereignty? 

Maada’ookiing grant projects are not intended to interfere with or abrogate the rights and work of Tribal Nations. If your project could impact Tribal Nation communities, please make sure that you have consulted with the appropriate Tribal Nations as a matter of respect and recognition of sovereignty.