Deadline Passed 4/13/2018. Deadline Unknown for 2019. The Arctic is warming twice as fast as the rest of the world -- an astounding 5℃ in the past 100 years. Since the 1970s, 14% of Arctic sea ice has been lost, and at current rates, Arctic summer sea ice is likely to have completely disappeared by 2080. This extreme warming pattern has dangerous consequences for the millions of people who live in the Arctic, including risky travel across melting ice and tundra, and severe coastal erosion that is forcing whole communities to relocate. Indigenous populations are especially vulnerable, due to the fact that their culture, identity, language, traditional foods, and ways of life all rely heavily on Arctic land and waters. As warming proceeds, indigenous communities also must contend with growing in-migration and the expansion of the cash economy that comes from increased industrial and commercial activity. CJRF seeks to help indigenous communities in Alaska, Canada, and Greenland strengthen their resilience by building leadership and decision-making capacity; maintaining, updating and augmenting traditional knowledge; and establishing political advocacy processes. Intended outcomes include maintenance of indigenous peoples’ access to and co-management of traditional foods; and effective indigenous engagement in decision-making around relocation and industrialization. Letters of inquiry are due April 13, 2018 in order to be eligible for June consideration.
