IFIP January Enewsletter

Connecting Communities • Sharing Knowledge • Building a Common Future

January 2014

Message from the Director
Dear IFIP Members and Friends, 2014 will be a historical year for us! We plan to host both a regional meeting and our annual conference in NYC and unveil a timely publication amongst other activities. If you are a donor, please join us for our first Regional Meeting in NYC on March 5^th (Luncheon from 12 – 1:30pm) and March 6^th (9am – 3pm) in 2014. These sessions will provide donors with greater awareness of funding strategies to address food resilience and climate change issues in Indigenous communities. For more information about the Regional Meeting, go to IFIP Events in the right column. From September 24 – 26, 2014, we are planning our biggest event in IFIP’s history, the World Summit on Indigenous Philanthropy in New York City and are thrilled that we have 20 donors and allies that have joined the planning committee to make sure this event will be a success. Following the UN World Conference on Indigenous Peoples, the Summit will bring together thought leaders, philanthropists, donor agencies, and Indigenous visionaries in a powerful and informative three-day event, resulting in concrete actions that will take Indigenous philanthropy to the next level. IFIP also has plans to present a new toolkit to support and strengthen the work of foundations and other donors in the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). We will continue our advocacy and educational programs through our webinars, social media, articles, our monthly enewsletter, The Sharing Network, and our annual newsletter, The Sharing Circle. We are, once again, starting our membership campaign. If you are interested in becoming a Member or you are not a donor but still want to be part of the network, see our Affiliate level. IFIP is on the cusp of changing the mindset of Indigenous philanthropy; we hope you can support our efforts. Whatever amount you give will ripple into the Indigenous and philanthropic worlds, and ultimately your own. You can quickly give a tax deductible donation by clicking here or click on the Donate button in the right column. Thank you for supporting this important network, we look forward to an exciting year! For our Mother Earth, Evelyn Arce Executive Director of IFIP Top

IFIP Member News
GAIA FOUNDATION Seeds for Life: Scaling up Agrobiodiversity, a new report released in October 2013 by The Gaia Foundation in collaboration with Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance (EAA) and the African Biodiversity Network (ABN), highlights the need for urgent action to ensure that farmers today and tomorrow can grow resilient nutritious food for us all, in the face of climate change and other challenges. SWIFT FOUNDATION Congratulations to the newest Swift Foundation Grant recipients! Learn more about the grant awardees and the work they are doing around the world. Top

Indigenous News
PM Tony Abbott to Start 'Conversation' on Indigenous Recognition in 2014 Prime Minister Tony Abbott says he will use 2014 to start a "conversation" about recognising Indigenous Australians in the constitution. The former Labor government shelved plans for a referendum on the issue because it argued there was not enough community support. Mr Abbott has used his New Year's Day message to flag that he will make garnering support a key priority for this year. Brazil's Indigenous Rights Activists Hail Illegal Settlers' Eviction Indigenous rights campaigners have hailed a rare victory in Brazil as government troops began evicting illegal settlers from an area that belongs to one of the world's most endangered tribal groups. The Awá population has been decimated along with the eastern Amazonian forests upon which the nomadic people depend. Disease, murder and the loss of habitat are thought to have reduced their numbers to 450. UN Expert Urges Kenya to Protect Rights of Indigenous People Facing Eviction An independent United Nations human rights expert today urged the Kenyan Government to protect the rights of the Sengwer indigenous people who have lived in the Embobut Forest for centuries and are now facing eviction. "Indigenous peoples shall not be forcibly relocated from their lands or territories," said the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, James Anaya. Hawaii to Host Symposium on Indigenous Language Revitalization Three decades ago, less than 50 children spoke Hawaiian, experts say. Today, Hilo alone is home to the highest concentration of young Native-American language speakers in the country. To honor those successes and encourage similar ones in other indigenous communities around the world, the Big Island town will be hosting a symposium over the next few days entitled “Hilo: the Stabilizing Indigenous Languages Symposium.” Indonesian Indigenous Groups Fight Climate Change with GPS Mapping Indigenous communities in Indonesia are using GPS technology to demarcate the boundaries of their ancestral lands, a move many believe could also help mitigate the negative effects of climate change. "Community mapmaking has been a successful tool to show the government that we are here, and that we want to protect our lands," says Rukka Sombolinggi, a spokeswoman for the Indigenous Peoples' Alliance of the Archipelago (Aman), a Jakarta-based secretariat representing more than 2,000 communities. Top

Opportunities
Opportunity Collaboration Cordes Fellowship Deadline: January 31, 2014 Cordes Fellowships provide exceptional social entrepreneurs and nonprofit leaders engaged in poverty alleviation and economic justice enterprises the opportunity to participate as Delegates in the Opportunity Collaboration in Ixtapa, Mexico. 2013- 2014 Grassroots Communities Mining Mini-Grant Program Deadline: February 1, 2014 The goal of the Indigenous Environmental Network (IEN) and Western Mining Action Network (WMAN) 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. Calling all food-system change makers and grassroots organizations! Deadline: February 3, 2014 Have you ever wanted a powerful short film about the work you're doing? Something you can show community members, allies, and funders, but haven't had the resources to make it happen? Consider partnering with a local filmmaker to submit a film for the new Real Food Media Contest. We're seeking short movies about food, farming, and sustainability--and would love to hear your story. If you'd like help identifying production companies or film students in your community to partner with, contact us through our website. Prizes include a $5,000 first prize and debut at the Food and Farm Film Fest in San Francisco. Top

Employment
The Christensen Fund: Assistant Controller – San Francisco, CA The Assistant Controller will be responsible for implementing sound and prudent financial policies and practices consistent with relevant regulatory authorities and the policies of The Christensen Fund. EcoLogic Development Fund: Communications Officer – Cambridge, MA This position will lead the development and implementation of the organizational communications strategy, with the goal of cultivating and expanding EcoLogic’s base of support. International Women’s Health Coalition: Program Officer – New York, NY The Program Officer will work with the Director of International Partnerships and as part of the overall IWHC Program team to identify, support and strengthen local non-governmental organizations (NGO) and leaders in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. Rights and Resources Group: Associate, Country and Regional Program (Asia) – Washington, DC The Associate is responsible for providing support to RRI’s Asia Country and Regional Program (CRP). Top

In This Issue

Director's Message

IFIP News

Indigenous News

Opportunities

Employment

IFIP Events

IFIP Regional Meeting
March 5-6, 2014
New York, NY

IFIP World Summit on Indigenous Philanthropy
September 24-26, 2014
New York, NY

Events

International Indigenous Energy Summit
January 27-28, 2014
Hyatt Regency Vancouver

IHRFG's 2014 San Francisco Conference
January 28-29, 2014
San Francisco Marriott Union Square Hotel

2014 Institute for Emerging Sustainability Leaders, "The Role of Women in Sustainability"
June 1-13, 2014
Peru

Join IFIP!
IFIP welcomes individual donors or institutions concerned about the livelihood, culture, and well-being of Indigenous Peoples and their communities. Become a member or affiliate today.