Funding will connect Native producers, local food production and community food access on the Wind River Reservation.
The Wind River Development Fund (WRDF) announced today that it has been awarded a $658,000 grant from the Native American Agriculture Fund (NAAF), the largest NAAF grant received by WRDF to date. The one-year award brings together WRDF, the Wind River Food Sovereignty Project, and the newly established Sweetgrass Food Lodge in a collaborative effort to strengthen the local food system on the Wind River Reservation.
The grant is designed to support multiple parts of the local food ecosystem. WRDF will receive lending capital to provide financing to Native farmers, ranchers, producers and agriculture-related businesses. The Wind River Food Sovereignty Project will provide grants and technical support to encourage increased local production of beef, produce and other healthy foods. Sweetgrass Food Lodge will receive resources to purchase the locally produced food for its newly opened community food lodge.
Together, the three organizations are creating a cycle in which local resources support local producers, increased production creates a greater supply of healthy food, and local organizations create a market for that food while improving access for families across the Wind River Reservation.
The NAAF award builds upon a much larger investment in food sovereignty already underway on the Wind River Reservation. Through the federal Recompete Pilot Program, Wind River Development Fund, Wind River Sage Fund and its partners are investing approximately $4.2 million in a Food Sovereignty initiative designed to strengthen the infrastructure, organizations and local capacity necessary to create a more resilient and self-sustaining food system.
“We are incredibly grateful to the Native American Agriculture Fund for recognizing and investing in our collective vision for a strong, locally driven food ecosystem on the Wind River Reservation,” said Paul F. Huberty, Executive Director of the Wind River Development Fund. “This is another example of organizations across Wind River coming together through shared leadership to attract significant outside investment.”
The Wind River Food Sovereignty Project (WRFSP), also located in Fort Washakie, works to increase the availability of locally produced, healthy and affordable food on the Wind River Reservation. Its work includes supporting local producers and developing a demonstration farm designed to increase food production, build agricultural knowledge and demonstrate sustainable growing practices.
Elisabeth “Livy” Lewis, Executive Director of the Center for Popular Research Education and Policy, which manages the Wind River Food Sovereignty Project, commented, “This support from NAAF allows the Wind River Food Sovereignty Project to offer individually tailored support to new and established producers on the Wind River Reservation. Producers identify their individual needs and receive technical assistance, mentorship, and direct financial support for start-up costs and improved infrastructure.” She continued, “NAAF funding is unique in that it prioritizes connecting resources directly to Native food producers, allowing community-led groups like ours, the Wind River Development Fund and Sweetgrass Food Lodge to work with producers to build a more resilient food system on the Reservation.”
The Sweetgrass Food Lodge, established in 2025, is committed to restoring access to traditional and healthy foods, supporting local producers, and serving community members with dignity. Its newly opened food lodge provides another critical piece of the local food system by creating a place where locally produced beef, produce and other foods can directly benefit Wind River families. The Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative is also supporting this effort by donating locally harvested buffalo to the Sweetgrass Food Lodge, providing a culturally significant and nutritious source of food for the lodge and the families it serves.
“It’s exciting to finally see the development of an actual food system on the Wind River Reservation,” said Odessa Oldham, Sweetgrass Food Lodge Executive Director. “The Sweetgrass Food Lodge is so thankful for the NAAF grant to elevate our community in addressing food insecurity. I have no doubt it will assist us in growing our collaborative partnerships to create better food access, build our traditional foods through culture learning classes, and set a foundation for a more healthy lifestyle for our community.”
The Native American Agriculture Fund was created from the settlement of the landmark Keepseagle v. Vilsack class-action lawsuit. NAAF is the largest philanthropic organization devoted solely to serving Native American farming and ranching communities and works to promote the continued growth and development of Native agriculture.
Toni Stanger-McLaughlin, CEO of NAAF, said, “At NAAF, we know that access to capital is one of the most important tools a producer can have. This investment puts capital directly in the hands of producers on the Wind River Reservation and opens new avenues to financing that haven’t always been within reach. Wind River Development Fund, Wind River Food Sovereignty Project, and Sweetgrass Food Lodge are building a food system with community, culture, and wellness at its center, and shows what is possible when producers have the capital to grow and strengthen rural and Tribal communities.”
WRDF was one of only 28 organizations nationwide and one of six Community Development Financial Institutions selected for funding through NAAF’s 2026 funding cycle.