In acknowledgement of  growing literature and projects on mining waste, and the extreme longevity and toxicity of their legacies, here is a grant opportunity for people working in those areas:

Indigenous Environmental Network (IEN)
and
Western Mining Action Network (WMAN) 
2013- 2014 Grassroots Communities Mining Mini-Grant Program

Click here to Download the Application (WORD)

The goal of the Mining Mini-grants Program is to support and enhance the capacity building efforts of mining-impacted communities in the U.S. and Canada to assure that mining projects do not adversely affect human, cultural, and the ecological health of communities.

Applications accepted are accepted three times a year: June 1, October 1, and February 1. Applicants will be notified of the funding decision within one month of the application deadline.

There will be an “emergency” fund for extremely time-sensitive projects that fall between grant cycles (i.e., needs that could not have been anticipated at the time of the last cycle and cannot wait to be addressed until the next cycle). These grants will be very limited and awarded on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of the Mini-Grant Review Committee. 

WMAN/IEN Grassroots Communities Mining Mini-grants program criteria:

1. Grassroots community-based organizations, and Tribes or Tribal programs in the U.S. and Canada with any budget level may apply. However, if there are more applicants than funds available, priority will be given to organizations with an organizational or mining-specific project budget under $75,000 U.S.. Priority will also be given to community-based grassrootsgroups affected by mining.
2. We prefer to make grants to organizations with a nonprofit 501(c)3 tax designation, or those working with a fiscal sponsor that has a 501(c)3, however this is not a requirement. We do not, however, write grant checks to individuals. For all US-based groups to whom we write a check we need an EIN number.
3. Requests must be project-specific for an immediate need such as legal assistance, organizing and outreach, development of campaign materials, media development, reports, travel, mailings, interns and consultants, etc. to be fulfilled within the next six months on a specific mining campaign. Funds cannot be used for an organization’s usual general operating funds, staff salaries, rent or telephone bills.
4. Priority will be given to projects that build bridges and community across socio-economic and cultural lines.
5. Applicants may receive one grant per twelve month cycle. However, this limit does not apply to emergency grants.
6. Each grant issued will not exceed $3,000 U.S.
7. Within six months after receiving the grant, recipients must submit a 1-2 page report to Western Organization of Resource Councils (WORC) Education Project, emailing it to: kerri@worc.org,aboulanger@whidbey.com and simone@ienearth.org (note by sending to all three of us we assure that your report isn’t missed). In that report, please answer the following two questions: 1) Please describe how the grant funds were used and outcomes of this investment (how did these funds benefit your issue or programs?), and 2) how specific dollar amounts were used (for example: $1000 printing, $800 plane ticket, $150 hotel, $1050 public meeting expenses = total $3000). If your organization needs an extension for using the funds and/or sending the report, that is fine, but please contact Aimee and Simone to let us know. Please be aware that a group will not be considered for future grants until such a report is submitted.

Click here to Download the Application (WORD)

Any questions? We are happy to help. Please contact either Aimee Boulanger, WMAN Network Coordinator at (360) 969-2028 ~ aboulanger@whidbey.com or Simone Senogles, Indigenous Environmental Network, (218) 751-4967 ~simone@ienearth.org.

The grant application below can be emailed to either Aimee Boulanger or to Simone Senogles, or it can be sent by regular mail, postmarked by June 1, 2013, October 1, 2013 or February 1, 2014 respectively, to: IEN attn: Mining Mini-grants, PO Box 485, Bemidji, MN 56619. If you are mailing the application, please call Simone or Aimee to let us know to expect it. Thank you