2026 Jennifer Easton Community Spirit Award Nomination

2026 JENNIFER EASTON COMMUNITY SPIRIT AWARDS

Named after First Peoples Fund's founder, the annual Community Spirit Awards program offers grants of $50,000 to Native artists who have worked selflessly throughout their lives to share their cultural knowledge and ancestral gifts with their communities. The award is designed to support these essential bearers of cultural practice to carry forward their wisdom and help Native communities heal and thrive.

The Jennifer Easton Community Spirit Award recognizes artists and culture bearers who:

• Are deeply rooted within and maintain direct ties to their Native community.
• Show a commitment to building the strength of Indigenous communities by sharing their skills and talents with others.
• Demonstrate an artistic and/or cultural practice that passes on the traditions and the life ways of their Indigenous culture.
   

ELIGIBILITY

Nominees for the Community Spirit Award must meet the following criteria:

• An enrolled member of, or provide proof of lineal descendancy from, a U.S. federally or U.S. state recognized tribe, or be able to provide proof of ancestry as an Alaska Native or Native Hawaiian.
• A U.S. resident.
• Work with art mediums that are rooted in the traditions of their Native culture(s).
• Active within a Native community and/or lives within a tribal community.
• Actively involved in sharing their artistic and/or cultural knowledge with community members. 
• Nominees must be practicing Native artists or culture bearers who have demonstrated maturity in their field, and have been engaged in their medium for at least 10 years.
• Self-nominations are not accepted.
   

2026 Award Details

• Four to Six Community Spirit Awards will be given in 2026.
• Honorees will receive a $50,000 unrestricted grant award.
• If their nominee is selected, nominators should anticipate potentially being involved with planning a local community or national celebration to honor the artist / culture bearer.
   

SELECTION PROCESS

Part I: Nominations

Nominating an Artist / Culture Bearer:

• The nominator must contact the nominee in advance to fully discuss the eligibility and guidelines of the Jennifer Easton Community Spirit Award before submitting on behalf of another individual
• Nominations must be made using our online form in Submittable.  
• Nominations will be reviewed by First Peoples Fund program staff to confirm  eligibility. 
• The final number of nominated Artists / Culture Bearers who are invited to submit applications will depend on the quantity and quality of nominations received. 
• Only complete nomination forms received by the due date and time will be reviewed.
• If multiple nominations for the same individual are received, program staff will determine which of the nominations best aligns with award guidelines 

Nomination Reminders & Advice:

• Please be aware that this award is highly competitive!
• The nomination must be submitted by someone other than the nominated Artist / Culture Bearer.
• Answers to questions in the nomination are an important part of the review process. If your nominated Artist / Culture Bearer is invited to submit an application, your nomination will be included in the materials being reviewed and scored by the selection committee. 
• Reading the award guidelines and nomination form questions ahead of time will help to ensure you understand the requirements and can provide appropriate responses to the questions asked. 
• Successful nominations will clearly share how the nominee aligns with the type of Artist / Culture Bearer that this award seeks to recognize.
• While each nomination is submitted by one person, multiple people may collaborate on a nomination that will be submitted by an individual.

Part II: Application Submission, if invited

Applying as an Artist / Culture Bearer Nominee:

• Applications must be submitted online using our form in Submittable.
• Nominators are encouraged to work collaboratively with their nominated Artist / Culture Bearer to complete and submit all application materials. 
• Artist / Culture Bearer may also work with another trusted individual to complete and submit the application.
• Only complete applications received by the due date and time will be reviewed.

Review & Selection:

• Program staff will review all applications to confirm they meet eligibility requirements.
• A national selection committee will review and score applications to select a group of up to ten finalists. 

Part III: Finalist Interviews

Interviews for Award Finalists:

• Finalists will be invited to participate in a remote interview with FPF staff where they will all have the opportunity to discuss areas of their application.
• Interviews will be conducted via Zoom or by phone, and will be recorded.
• Final awardees will be determined after interviews are conducted.

TIMELINE

Part I: Nomination

• Nominator Application Opens: Monday, May 19th, 8am Mountain Time
• Nominator Application Closes: Wednesday, June 18th, 6pm Mountain Time

INVITATION TO APPLY: Nominators/Nominees will be notified whether the nominated Artist / Culture Bearer is being invited to submit an application by Monday, July 21, 2025. 

Part II: Application

• Artist / Culture Bearer Application Opens: Monday, July 21st, 8am Mountain Time
• Artist / Culture Bearer Application Closes: Wednesday, August 27th, 6pm Mountain Time

FINALIST NOTIFICATIONS: All applicants will be notified whether they have been selected for finalist interviews no later than Friday, November 7, 2025. 

Part III: Finalist Interviews

• Anticipated window of time when Finalist Interviews will be conducted is between November 3 - November 21, 2025. 

AWARDEE NOTIFICATIONS: Finalists will be notified of award decisions no later than Friday, December 19, 2025.
 

QUESTIONS

Contact Fox Spears via email at: fox@firstpeoplesfund.org