Cherokee Preservation Foundation has awarded 24 new grants totaling $1.8 million that support cultural preservation, economic development, job creation and environmental preservation.  

They include:

• A grant to the Museum of the Cherokee Indian to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Emissaries of Peace, host the Southeast Tribes Festival and continue the Snowbird Cherokee language camp.

• A grant to help the EBCI Tribal Government achieve greater energy, fuel and water efficiency and lead efforts to create a more sustainable environment.  This includes the purchase of a pilot group of five highly fuel efficient vehicles for tribal departments; the retrofit of 10 buildings and completion of the solar thermal installation on the Ginger Lynn Welch facility; and the purchase of two rainwater cisterns.

• A grant that will enable the new Cherokee Children’s Home to include a number of green components that will pay for themselves over time, including geothermal heating and cooling.

• A grant that will enable Swain County Schools to develop a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) curriculum plan that is entrepreneurial-based.

• Grants to continue to support the Cherokee Youth Council as it promotes leadership development opportunities and to establish new youth councils in Clay and Cherokee counties that are modeled after the Cherokee Youth Council.

• A grant that will enable the Oconaluftee Institute of Cultural Arts (OICA) to offer a summer art program for high schools students.