The Sierra Fund

New Program: Land and Water Guardianship The Sierra Fund continued the work between TSF and the California Heritage: Indigenous Research Project (CHIRP, the nonprofit of the Nevada City Rancheria Nisenan Tribe) continuing improvements on CHIRPs 32-acre property along Deer Creek. Through the Sierra Institute funding, TSF also coordinated with the Colfax-Todds Valley Consolidated Tribe and Todds Valley Miwok Maidu Cultural Foundation to improve the forest health of BLM property in Foresthill and works towards co-management of this important property associated with Tribal history and tradition. This work is ongoing. At the Tribal Summit, TSF created a Land and Water Guardianship Working Group. TSF staff also supported a Cooperator Agreement with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that supported ecological restoration work by the Maidu Summit Consortium and other consultants.

New Program: Emergency Preparedness and Climate Adaptation At the fall Tribal Summit, TFS created the Emergency Preparedness and Climate Adaptation working group. This program supports the leadership of Tribal Nations in advancing emergency preparedness and climate resilience across the Sierra Nevada, focusing on the reintroduction of cultural burning (good fire) and the safety and wellbeing of Tribal communities. TSF worked to identify funding sources to ensure that regional Tribes have the tools, platforms, and partnerships needed to implement Indigenous wisdom at scale. TSF particularly supports GIS-based planning, culturally grounded hazard mitigation strategies, and the development of emergency operations infrastructure.

New Program: Cultural Ecologies Through the Cultural Ecologies Program TSF staff work closely with Tribes to identify existing and new funding to protect, restore, and share Indigenous ways of knowing and being. Our goals are to: Promote the value and wisdom of Traditional Knowledge in conservation, climate adaptation, and cultural healing. Advance Tribal Self-Determination through community-led programming, capacity building, and policy advocacy Revitalize Native Language Diversity by supporting immersion, curriculum development, and language-in-place initiatives. Advance Food Sovereignty through partnerships that protect native plants, traditional food systems, and ceremonial harvests. Support an Intergenerational Movement by centering Elders, youth, and cultural mentors as the stewards of this work.