SFSEIIC UMD · ENRTF Project 2026-544
Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund
M.L. 2026 Approved Work Plan

Sustainable Food Security, Ecosystem Restoration, and Indigenous Empowerment

A community-driven Minnesota initiative combining Indigenous food sovereignty, local food-system coordination, ecosystem restoration, sustainable agriculture, supply-chain improvement, education, and long-term stewardship.

Explore the approved activities
Project ID 2026-544
ENRTF Budget $437,000
Approved June 17, 2026
Completion June 30, 2028
Project Manager Wenqing Zhang · UMD
Reporting schedule: April 1 and October 1 each year. Final report due: August 14, 2028.
01 · Project overview

Food sovereignty, ecological health, and resilient local systems

The approved work plan centers on a comprehensive, culturally informed approach: community-driven agriculture, ecosystem restoration, improved local supply chains, outreach, education, and capacity building.

Approved project summary

SFSEIIC combats Indigenous food insecurity through community-driven agriculture, ecosystem restoration, and improved local supply chains, while supporting culturally tailored foods, capacity building, and a comprehensive directory of traditional food resources.

The approved work plan notes that nearly 25% of Native American households struggle to access reliable, nutritious, and culturally appropriate food, and identifies geographic isolation, economic barriers, infrastructure gaps, long-distance supply chains, and historical loss of agricultural knowledge and food sovereignty as contributing factors.

02 · Approved activities

Five coordinated work streams

The approved plan distributes the full $437,000 ENRTF appropriation across five activities that connect digital coordination, food production, restoration, supply-chain design, evaluation, and community capacity.

1

Community-Based Food Security Coordination System & Food Sovereignty Training

Develop a secure Indigenous community members-only digital platform for food insecurity reporting, food distribution coordination, and connection to Indigenous foods, producers, and seed libraries. Co-create culturally grounded workshops, webinars, videos, manuals, toolkits, and curricula with Indigenous elders and community partners.

  • Pilot digital food-security reporting and coordination platform launched
  • Indigenous Foods & Seed Directory integrated into the platform
  • Culturally relevant training curricula and materials completed
  • First workshops/webinars held with 30+ participants
2

Community Gardens as Local Food Supply Hubs & Ecosystem Restoration

Expand AICHO and Fond du Lac garden sites using traditional ecological knowledge, permaculture, irrigation improvements, soil enrichment, native pollinator habitat, culturally relevant crop systems, and hands-on community stewardship.

  • Template landowner agreement finalized and submitted to LCCMR
  • Garden expansion and infrastructure upgrades completed
  • Hands-on garden training engages 60+ participants
3

Strategic Food Distribution & Supply Chain Models

Analyze food distribution barriers, transportation constraints, economic challenges, and opportunities for short-chain networks linking local Indigenous producers, community gardens, and households while reducing food miles and waste.

  • Supply-chain analysis completed and key barriers identified
  • Short-chain distribution network operational
  • Community feedback incorporated and replication guide drafted
4

Community-Based Monitoring, Evaluation & Documentation

Establish a community-led monitoring and evaluation system for food security, garden productivity, ecological health, and community well-being, combining quantitative metrics with interviews and community forums.

  • M&E framework finalized and in use
  • Data collection and analysis completed
  • Final evaluation report published and shared through community forums
5

Community Engagement, Outreach & Long-Term Capacity Building

Support volunteer opportunities, youth programming, elders’ teachings, intergenerational knowledge sharing, restoration stewardship, and cultural events connected to soil health, native plants, pollinator habitat, erosion reduction, water quality, and climate resilience.

  • Youth leadership and elder mentorship program launched with 30+ participants
  • Annual cultural and educational events reach 200 total attendees
  • Sustainability plan and partnership agreements finalized
03 · Restoration & natural resources

1.5 acres of approved restoration sites

The approved work plan identifies two garden systems as restoration sites and connects food sovereignty with biodiversity, soil health, pollinator habitat, water stewardship, and long-term ecological management.

0.5 acre · St. Louis County

AICHO Gardens

An urban conservation and ecological-restoration site that also functions as a community-led demonstration of sovereignty and resilience, supporting biodiversity, fresh-food access, cultural education, gathering, and intergenerational learning.

1 acre · St. Louis & Carlton Counties

Fond du Lac Gitigaan Program Gardens

A tribally owned and managed food-sovereignty hub integrating culturally important crops, orchards, seed saving, workshops, harvest gatherings, biodiversity, and traditional foodways.

Ecological practices Soil health, native plants, pollinator strips, perennial plantings, integrated pest management, and biodiversity enhancement.
Guidelines & stewardship Restoration will follow the Board of Soil and Water Resources Native Vegetation Establishment and Enhancement Guidelines.
Evaluation Restoration parcels will be evaluated after implementation and again three years later to assess outcomes and improve future work.
04 · Project partners

Community and technical collaboration

Project members are grouped below by organization to make the partnership structure easier to see. Together, the partners support implementation, outreach, ecological work, training, research, monitoring, evaluation, and dissemination.

American Indian Community Housing Organization (AICHO)
LeAnn Littlewolf Jordon Johnson

Supports community garden operations, sustainable agricultural initiatives, local outreach, community engagement, and garden committee formation and support.

Agricultural Division, Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa
Maria K DeFoe Jamie L Adams Campbell N Fischer

Supports growing-space expansion, seed keeping, Gitigaan Program outreach, ecosystem restoration, and traditional Indigenous agricultural practices.

Independent Indigenous Consultant
Pamela Standing

Facilitates community-led sustainable development planning, technical assistance, training, food sovereignty, environmental stewardship, and implementation of sustainable practices.

Minneapolis College of Art and Design
Olaf Kuhlke

Provides research and technical guidance, supports climate resilience and sustainability strategies, coordinates monitoring and evaluation, and assists with data analysis and dissemination.

05 · Approved schedule

From launch to final reporting

This high-level timeline highlights the approved work-plan sequence. Dates below are planned milestones from the approved document, not statements of completion.

July 1, 2026
Project launch

Implementation begins with stakeholder engagement, community coordination, and early project setup.

October–November 2026
Restoration agreements & pilot platform

Template landowner agreement is due October 31; pilot digital coordination platform is due November 30.

January–March 2027
Directory, curriculum & first training

Food and seed directory integration, training-material completion, and first workshops/webinars are scheduled.

October–December 2027
Garden upgrades, supply-chain analysis & M&E framework

Major garden infrastructure, supply-chain analysis, monitoring framework, and youth/elder programming reach key milestones.

March–June 2028
Implementation, evaluation & sustainability

Short-chain distribution, data analysis, public/community reporting, restoration training, replication guidance, and sustainability planning are completed.

August 14, 2028
Final report due

Final ENRTF project report is due after the June 30, 2028 project completion date.

06 · Monitoring, dissemination & sustainability

Community-first learning and public accountability

The approved work plan emphasizes community review, protected Indigenous-only resources, public plain-language reporting, replication, and long-term stewardship.

Monitoring & dissemination

  • Results are shared first with participating Indigenous communities through forums, workshops, and culturally relevant gatherings.
  • The password-protected Indigenous Food Sovereignty Digital Platform hosts community-only data summaries, training materials, videos, and toolkits.
  • Public-facing reports use plain-language summaries, infographics, digital storytelling, short videos, and an open-access website section.
  • A replication guide documents methods, lessons learned, and adaptable models for other Minnesota communities.

Long-term implementation

  • Garden committees and community experts support ongoing management and ecological restoration.
  • Training, directories, curricula, and restoration guides are archived for long-term use.
  • Future support may include leveraged grants, state programs, philanthropic partnerships, local economic initiatives, and public-private partnerships.
  • AICHO and Fond du Lac food-sovereignty programs provide established structures for continued stewardship.
$437,000 ENRTF appropriation
$76,305 Secured UMN in-kind unrecovered indirect costs
$513,305 Total project cost stated in the approved work plan
ENRTF acknowledgment: The approved work plan requires the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund logo and attribution language to be prominently displayed on digital and print materials, reports, presentations, signage, educational resources, and related communications.