“Get up, move, do something”, this is the meaning of Daaga’ and the spirit of the Doyon Daaga’ award. Through the Daaga’ Fund, Native leaders unite to promote healthy, drug-and-alcohol-free communities with grants of up to $3,000 per annual funding cycle. Since 1990, Doyon has awarded more than $220,000 to interior Native individuals and organizations.
The Daaga’ Award reflects our belief that communities are healthier when Native values are alive and traditional skills are prized-such as beadwork, artwork, hunting, and trapping. Programs that integrate the spiritual, social, and economic needs of our people make us all stronger. The proposed projects should support the values of the Daaga’ Awards, which include contributing to the healing that lies within the local people, utilizing the strength of traditional values, and encouraging programs that integrate spiritual, social and economic needs of the communities.
Proposals may be granted up to $3,000 per funding period. The awarded amount is dependent on the number of proposals received and the need of the program as described in the application and supporting materials. Applicants may not always receive the full $3,000. For this reason, Daaga’ should be considered supplemental funding and not be the only support sought when funding a program.
The deadline for the 2018 Daaga’ Awards was Friday, January 12, 2018. View/download the application here.
In February 2018, the shareholder relations committee approved grants for 18 Interior organizations. The following are the recipients of the 2018 Daaga’ Awards:
- Carry the Cure – To assist in the cost of visiting communities along the Iditarod Dog Sled Trail to build awareness of suicide, domestic violence, substance abuse and prevention.
- Dancing with the Spirit – Updating their website with traditional music and dance curriculum to teach to communities.
- Fairbanks Native Association – To assist in the cost of holding a community Spring Fling event featuring Athabascan values and healthy family activities.
- Galena City School – To teach youth swimming lessons and boating safety.
- Hughes Village Council – To host a three-day Spirit Camp for community youth.
- Huslia Tribal Council – Assist in sending Huslia’s cultural dance group, Ts’aateyhdenaade kk’onh Denh, to Fairbanks to perform at the Festival of Native Arts.
- Kaltag Dancers – To support Kaltag Dancers’ community gatherings and weekly classes teaching cultural storytelling, dancing and language.
- Kaltag Tribal Council – To support teaching traditional values, organizing drug/alcohol-free cultural activities, parenting workshops, and promoting healthy lifestyles.
- Karrie’s Music Class – To teach beginning guitar lessons to Galena’s elementary-age youth.
- Nenana Native Association – To support the costs of the two-week Nenana Summer Youth Fish Camp.
- Nikolai Edzeno Village – To assist in the costs of the community’s spring carnival promoting traditional values and activities.
- Northway Village Council – Spring cultural events teaching muskrat trapping and sewing/beading for youth ages 10 to 18 years old.
- Nulato Tribal Council – To assist in teaching sewing to make the local dance group, Noolaaghdoh Dancers’ performance regalia and traditional singing and dance.
- Rampart Village Council – To assist in sending the Dlul Hutanneets Hut’aannee Ch’ets’edelee traditional dance group to Nuchalawoya to participate in the educational experience of the three-day, bi-annual event in Tanana.
- Saakkaay Association – Promotion of resources and activities to community members for living drug- and alcohol-free lifestyles.
- White Eye Traditional Knowledge Education Program – The continuance of the Gwich’in Elders’ Traditional Stories Project held as a traditional knowledge education camp at White Eye over a four-week period.
- Yukon Jamboree Inc. – Supporting the Yukon Jamboree group promoting the revitalization of cultural music and events within the community of Galena.
- Young Native Fiddlers – To support the ongoing costs for the Young Native Fiddlers group in Fairbanks, teaching grades 1 through 12 how to play traditional songs on guitar and fiddle and performing for the community.
To Learn more about the Daaga’ Fund or for questions regarding the application, please contact:
Doyon, Limited
Shareholder Outreach Department
Tel: (907) 459-2085 (Fairbanks)
Tel: (888) 478-4755 (toll-free)
Email: outreach@doyon.com