The Return to the Heart Foundation (R2HF) is offering the 2024-2025 “Our Sisters Are Sacred Fund” to support Native Women-led organizations addressing the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two Spirit Peoples (MMIW/G2S). This national grant opportunity aims to provide financial resources to grassroots programs focused on raising awareness and providing healing to tribal communities both on and off tribal lands across the United States. R2HF’s mission is to empower Indigenous women and girls by supporting initiatives that prioritize their health, safety, and well-being, while also fostering environments where Indigenous culture and values thrive.

The grants will be awarded through a participatory process in which the review team is composed of Native women with a wide range of grassroots, national, and lived experiences. This approach ensures that the evaluation is informed by those who have firsthand knowledge of the challenges faced by the MMIW/G2S community. Organizations selected for funding will also be required to designate a Native woman to help raise awareness of this crisis, honoring individuals impacted by MMIW/G2S. Each grant award will be between $20,000 and $30,000, with funds distributed in January 2025 after the awards are announced in late December 2024.

To be eligible, projects must be led by Native women who are members of federally recognized tribes, and the organization must be a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit or have a fiscal sponsor. Applicants must be 18 years or older and based in the U.S. The projects should focus on tribal communities, whether on or off tribal lands, and must demonstrate a commitment to supporting the well-being of Native women and girls.

Applications will be evaluated on five key criteria: the project’s dedication to enhancing the health, safety, and well-being of Native women and girls; the anticipated impact on the community; the urgency of addressing the crisis in areas with high rates of MMIW/G2S; the reflection of Native culture and values; and the feasibility of achieving the project’s goals within the one-year funding period.

Applications opened on October 14, 2024, and will close on December 1, 2024, at 9 p.m. PST. Applicants are encouraged to review the application questions before completing the online submission and can reach out to R2HF via email at grants@return2heart.org for any inquiries. The final selection of grantees will be announced by late December 2024, with funding processed the following January.