IEN-WMAN Mini-Grant Program

The IEN-WMAN Mini-Grant Program provides crucial financial support to Indigenous communities and grassroots organizations impacted by mining in the U.S. and Canada. With over $200,000 distributed annually in $4,000 grants, the program aims to address mining-related environmental and health issues. Priority is given to proposals that demonstrate a direct impact on affected communities, particularly Indigenous-led initiatives, ensuring that financial assistance is directed where it is most needed.

The IEN-WMAN Mining Mini-Grant Program offers financial grant assistance to communities threatened or adversely affected by mining in the U.S. and Canada.
The IEN -WMAN Grassroots Communities Mining Mini-Grant Program distributes over $200,000 per year in $4,000 USD grants to Indigenous communities and non-profit grassroots organizations across the U.S. and Canada. Our goal is to give at least 50% of the Mini-Grants to Indigenous communities.
We recognize that mining activity often has detrimental impacts to all aspects of community and cultural well-being and we encourage projects that strive to protect the environment, ecosystems, cultural resources, and community health from mining impacts. This program is of tremendous value to community-based organizations, many of whom have very few opportunities to access financial support outside of their own pockets.
Criteria
The Program funds work that directly addresses hard rock/mineral/metals mining issues, such as gold, silver, iron, copper, zinc, nickel, tin and lead, uranium, placer, and coal mining. Legacy, closed and abandoned mine issues are included and do fit this Program. Your proposal should discuss which type of mining issue is affecting the environment or your community and how you will use these Program funds to address it.
Requests must be Project-Specific for needs such as scientific/technical/legal assistance, organizing, education and outreach, development of materials, media development, reports, travel, mailings, interns and consultants, etc. to be fulfilled within the next twelve months on a specific mining campaign.

Eligibility

We will fund proposals from regional or national non-profit organizations in the U.S. and Canada working on mining-specific issues.Although funds are not intended to support an organization’s general operating expenses, a small proportion (up to 10%) of the funding can be applied as work compensation or staff salaries for the organization submitting a grant application. However, there is no such limitation for external contractors hired to complete a project-specific task or objective.If you do not have a tax ID number or a bank account under your organization name, then you must secure fiscal sponsorship by another organization that has a tax ID number or a bank account under their organization name.

Ineligibility

We do not fund the following:For-profit organizations.IndividualsProposals related to oil, gas, pipelines, fracking, or tar sands issues.Work or organizations outside of the U.S. and Canada.General operating expenses including: rent, utilities, etc.Staff salaries above 10% of the total grant amount.