First Peoples Worldwide

First Peoples Worldwide is a nonprofit organization that provides funding local development projects within indigenous communities throughout the world, as well as helping indigenous communities engage with governments, businesses and potential investors in a more effective way. It also concentrates on using traditional indigenous knowledge to find solutions for modern day problems, such as poverty and climate change. It was founded by Rebecca Adamson, a Cherokee advocate and businessperson, in 1997, and her daughter Neva.

Mission and values

The Primary mission of First Peoples Worldwide is to use indigenous values to help create a sustainable future for the whole planet. This is done by assisting indigenous communities achieve self-determination, as well as engaging with various bodies, such as governments, NGOs and social bodies. One of the organization’s central goals is to combine modern knowledge with indigenous views and practices.

Grants

The grant making initiative of First Peoples Worldwide is known as the Keepers of the Earth Fund. By providing grants directly to indigenous groups, First Peoples Worldwide allows these groups to develop their own initiatives to keep control of their land, as well as to preserve their culture and beliefs. To date, grants total over $1,200,000 and these grants have been given to communities in 50 different countries. In addition, community projects have leveraged $15,000,000 from other funding sources with the help of First Peoples Worldwide.

Organisations and groups that have received funding from First Peoples Worldwide include:

• Samburu Advocacy and Human Security Project
• Territorio e Identidad
• Nirmanee Development Foundation

Notable projects

Corporate engagement

First Peoples Worldwide believes that indigenous communities are under serious threat from rapid globalization. To counter this, one of their largest projects is the provision of training relating to dispute resolution and their legal rights. Much of this training is geared toward educating indigenous communities about their right to reserve Free, Prior and Informed Consent to any activities taking place in their land.

First Peoples Worldwide also advises and collaborates with organizations and businesses looking to be more socially responsible, providing information on the best ways to negotiate and interact with indigenous communities. Much of this information is based on the Indigenous Peoples' Investment Criteria, created by Rebecca Adamson in 1994.

Fieldwork

First Peoples Worldwide sometimes provides assistance to indigenous communities in immediate danger of suffering human rights abuses. The first of these efforts was to help the San people of Botswana, who were to be evicted from their land by the government - a project that proved successful and led to the San people staying in their traditional homeland.

Outreach

Through its newsletter, direct email and social media campaigns, First Peoples Worldwide provides information to individuals on how they can help protect indigenous peoples and foster the development of indigenous communities.

Partnerships

First Peoples Worldwide actively encourages partnerships between different indigenous communities that will allow them to share philosophies, information and resources. First Peoples Worldwide also partners with a number of other nonprofit organizations, often linking its grant making initiatives with the specific causes and initiatives of its partners.