The Cherokee Preservation Foundation announced on Tuesday, March 25 the 20 recipients of its Spring 2014 grant awards totaling $1,066,685. The funding continues the Foundation’s mission to improve the quality of life for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) and the surrounding region. The grants include:
Museum of the Cherokee Indian: The Museum will upgrade the permanent museum’s theater, lighting, and back-of-house equipment to provide a better exhibit, save resources and offer a state-of-the-art exhibit.
EBCI Strategic Energy Committee: These resources will continue to fund the EBCI Energy Program Manager who is currently working on several projects to move forward on projects that will benefit energy efficiency, environmental preservation, and the green economy.
The EBCI Economic & Community Development Office: The funding from this grant will provide resources to survey land on the Qualla Boundary for a suitable site for a mountain bike park and to develop a business plan to properly operate the park.
Land Trust for the Little Tennessee: This grant will continue a bird monitoring, research, and education program at Land Trust for the Little Tennessee’s (LTLT) Tessentee Bottomland Preserve, EBCI’s Cowee Mound, and the Welch Farm property in Andrews.
Land Trust for the Little Tennessee: The funding will help continue expanding river cane and other plant resources on part of the historic Welch Farm on the Valley River and maintain artisan resources at Tessentee Bottomland Preserve.
Sequoyah Birthplace Museum: These resources will improve visitation to the Museum with a focus on public relations, marketing, and educational programs to further raise awareness about Cherokee history and culture.
Museum of the Cherokee Indian: This grant will provide resources to create a new business plan to include components addressing how the cultural partners could work symbiotically as well as individually.
Cherokee High School: The funding will help continue teaching double weave river cane basket making, starting from the raw material and ending with a finished basket, at the Cherokee High School.
Watershed Association of the Tuckasegee River: These funds will provide educational materials about river cane, provide environmental education through interaction with a traditional fish weir and include information on the cultural and ecological significance of river cane.
Cherokee Historical Association: The resources will assist in developing a business plan to benefit all cultural partners and develop a larger business model while supporting an extended season for the Oconaluftee Indian Village.
North Carolina International Folk Festival, Inc: The funding will bring the EBCI into a cultural exchange festival to be held in Haywood County. EBCI dance groups will perform during the Folkmoot Festival and representatives from other cultures will perform in Cherokee.
Graham County Indian Education: Funding will offer a culture summer camp for up to 20 students, ages 10 through 16. Organizers will also engage Cherokee speakers to incorporate language components into the camp.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP): This grant will help develop curriculum focusing on outdoor and in-class programs to integrate Cherokee culture into existing GSMNP educational programs and expose regional students to land stewardship.
Jackson County Cooperative Extension Service 4-H Program: Funding will provide leadership training opportunities at the county, district, state, and national levels, developing strong regional leaders and allowing non-EBCI members to learn more about Cherokee culture.
EBCI Kituwah Preservation and Education Program: Funds will support Cherokee language preservation through continued archiving, creation of new words, books, and staff development, and provide new materials for immersion and second language learners.
EBCI Kituwah Preservation and Education Program: This grant supports Cherokee language preservation by introducing instructors with a new teaching method from the Indigenous Language Institute and creating a pilot program for second language learners.
Western Carolina University: Resources will enable The Right Path/Coulter leadership programs to continue providing opportunities for Cherokee and regional members to gain valuable leadership skills while supporting lifelong, culture-based learning.
Snowbird Language Camp and Adult Classes: This grant will support the Snowbird Summer Language Camp and adult evening classes and introduce a new language comprehension technique while continuing activities and instruction around Cherokee language and culture.
Western North Carolina Regional Education Foundation: Resources will implement Appalachian Waves science kits into school districts and produce students with prospects for high-tech jobs, and provide tools they can build on to help launch a career or business.
Wild South: Resources will enable archiving over 50,000 Cherokee historical sites, materials, and land records within the EBCI Tribal Historical Preservation Office (THPO), and include the information on the Google Earth Map ancient Cherokee trails virtual tour.
– Cherokee Preservation Foundation
