Project

Indigenous Partnerships Program

Partnering with Indigenous communities to build climate resilience and wellbeing.

We aim to support local communities in defining and pursuing community wellbeing in the face of climate change, leveraging our unique expertise in community science, education, and climate action. We are privileged to learn through working closely with Indigenous communities and are now evolving a practice that prioritizes community-held knowledge and values and recognizes local knowledge holders as the experts on what it takes for their communities to thrive.

The Indigenous Partnerships program aims to:

  • Support Indigenous-led climate action and resilience efforts.
  • Ensure that Indigenous ways of knowing are centered and respected alongside western science in research, education, and community engagement efforts.
  • Create opportunities for Indigenous youth to engage in hands-on, place-based science that supports the development of STEM identities rooted in cultural pride and agency.
  • Partner with tribal communities to strengthen local food systems, increase access to healthy and culturally appropriate foods, and promote overall community wellbeing.
  • Provide tools, training, and technical support to help Indigenous communities generate and use local data to inform planning and policy.
  • Share lessons learned and support other science and education institutions in forming respectful, equitable partnerships with tribal communities across the Northeast.

Indigenous Partnerships Projects

Explore the work we are co-developing with Indigenous partners across the state.

  • Food Sovereignty and Community Gardening

    Food Sovereignty and Community Gardening

    We’re working alongside the Sipayik community of the Passamaquoddy Tribe to revitalize local food systems through raised bed gardening. This community-driven effort supports food sovereignty, …

  • Coastal Erosion and Indigenous Resilience

    Coastal Erosion and Indigenous Resilience

    Rising seas and eroding shorelines pose a growing threat to Indigenous lands and lifeways. This work supports tribal efforts to document and respond to coastal …

  • Cultural Storytelling

    Cultural Storytelling

    Through storytelling, language, and cultural exchange, this project supports Indigenous-led efforts to strengthen cultural knowledge and reconnect generations. Using immersive tools like the StarLab, communities …

We recognize that Indigenous communities have long stewarded the lands and waters of this region and continue to lead efforts to protect and sustain them. Our Indigenous Partnerships Program is grounded in respect, and a commitment to uplifting Indigenous-led climate action.

We aim to support Indigenous communities by offering tools, resources, and technical capacity in service of locally defined goals. Our work is shaped by deep listening, long-term relationship building, and a belief that solutions to climate and environmental challenges must be rooted in community-held knowledge and values.

Program Team