Chipotle Cultivate Foundation Award Funds IAIA’s Indigenous Agricultural Program
The Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) has received a grant from the Chipotle Cultivate Foundation to enhance its Indigenous Agricultural Program on IAIA’s 140-acre campus. The award will bolster IAIA’s Land-Grant program, 1,200-square-foot greenhouse, and on-campus apiary—key assets in delivering hands-on instruction, community workshops, and demonstrations.
IAIA’s Land-Grant program uses Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) to promote sustainable agricultural practices for both degree students and Indigenous communities nationwide. Grant funds will support:
- Demonstration Gardens: Showcasing Southwest adapted vegetables, fruits, and pollinator plants for K‑12 tours and campus classes.
- Greenhouse and Apiary: Providing year-round access to edible and medicinal plants, plus beekeeping projects that enrich IAIA’s entomology and environmental curricula.
- Workshops and Webinars: In‑person trainings (beekeeping, permaculture, land restoration) and free webinars on topics such as seed preservation and Pueblo food systems.
- Indigenous Youth Agriculture (IYA): A free, Junior Master Gardener curriculum empowering youth and community educators to bring gardening skills home.
“We’re deeply grateful to the Chipotle Cultivate Foundation for supporting IAIA’s Indigenous Agricultural Program. Their generous grant will expand our Land-Grant initiatives—from demonstration gardens and our greenhouse to the on-campus apiary—providing vital hands‑on education rooted in Traditional Ecological Knowledge. This investment empowers our students and Indigenous communities nationwide to cultivate wellness, self-sufficiency, and cultural resilience through sustainable agricultural practices,” says IAIA President Dr. Robert Martin (Cherokee Nation).
Serving the urban Indigenous populations of Santa Fe, Albuquerque, and Española, as well as the nineteen Pueblos, Mescalero and Jicarilla Apache reservations, and the Navajo Nation, IAIA’s agricultural initiatives help participants apply research backed techniques in their own communities—fostering health, self-sufficiency, and cultural resilience.
