ORLANDO — For the first time in its four-year history, the Native Learning Center (NLC) will host the workshop Grant Researching and Proposal Writing in Indian Country from Dec. 3-5.

The free workshop, to be held in Orlando, gives Native Americans from around Indian Country an opportunity to seek out grants, as well as to successfully write grant proposals.

“We wanted something that covers everything from researching to actually writing grants – a boot camp sort of speak,” said NLC executive director Georgette Smith. “This is the focus area that we have the highest attendance and most feedback from (during conferences).”

The center offers free courses and training to Native Americans and Indigenous people with a focus on areas critical to the growth and improved quality of life for their communities, according to the NLC website. The focus areas include culture and language, financial wellness, housing strategies, Tribal government and grant education.

To satisfy the demand for more information on grants, the three-day workshop will contain 19 courses taught by 12 instructors from around Indian Country, including from the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and the Rosebud Sioux Tribe. NLC’s grants compliance manager Vincent Franco will also teach a course titled Searching for Information on Grants and Funders.

“This class is hopefully going to give people information on how to obtain a grant,” NLC marketing coordinator Christina Gonzalez said. “We hope that participants get a better understanding of the grant process and get inspired to go out and get a grant.”

The agenda also includes topics that touch on how to seek private and federal grants, the role that the mainstream philanthropy sector plays in sustainable Native communities, and the responsibilities of receiving and administering grant funds once awarded.

“There is nothing in Indian Country that teaches about grants for all Tribes and for all levels, beginners to advanced,” Smith said, encouraging all Tribal members to take advantage of the workshop. “We hope that people take the information back to their Tribes, and we hope that more Tribes have the ability to go after the funds that are available to them.”

The event, which takes place at the Sheraton Lake Buena Vista Resort, is now open for registration.

“We think this is going to be a huge success,” Gonzalez said. “We hope that participants come with a grant in mind or get ideas for grants (from the workshop).”

For more information, call 954-985-2300 or visit www.NativeLearningCenter.com.