How to pay for this kind of work.
Below you can read how we funded our work. The logos here are links to museums that have some funding for engaging with their collections. We did not necessarily apply to these.
This project has been funded...
There are a few ways that people have been paid for the work done on this project.
In 2017 the Nakoda AV Club applied for funds to visit museums and heritage sites and other spaces that told stories about Nakoda people. The funding covered transportation and admission fees, some meals and accommodations. It was provided by the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, which can give anyone money for art projects if they are an artist or an art collective.
During the research Amanda was paid approximately $25.00 per hour, for 40 hours per week, between spring 2021 - 2025 (including one year maternity leave) from Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships. Any graduate student can apply for these. They are awarded based on the qualifications of the researcher, and the merits of the proposed research. Amanda supplemented their income through part time work during this time.
Nakoda Storytellers & Artists applied for a grant to spend time in museums with Amanda and the knowledge keepers and Elders. They were paid one day per week for two years to do this work (from spring 2023 - spring 2025), and they were paid $25.00 per hour. This funding came from the Canada Council for the Arts, who can grant funding to artists and art collectives for art projects. The group managed their own funds with the help of the Urban Society for Aboriginal Youth.
Amanda applied for the Lillian Agnes Jones Fellowship. They were awarded $6000 which went directly to seven Nakoda artists and storytellers. This group also applied for several other project funds, including from Canadian Roots Exchange, and Calgary Arts Development, to do work that emerged from their museum explorations. Anyone Indigenous can apply for these funds. Amanda is willing to provide help on applications. (Contact them if you want support).
This group also reached out to the Museum of Anthropology to apply to their Indigenous Collections Access Grant. We were awarded $2,000 to assist in the costs of paying for Elders and knowledge keepers to come to the museum with the group.
Amanda was awarded funding from the Wenner Gren Foundation totaling $20,000 USD. This funding was spent on Elders and knowledge keepers, and their travel and accommodations when visiting museums. This is a fund that graduate students of anthropology can apply for.
The group applied for a grant from the Alberta Foundation for the Arts again in 2025 to travel to Europe to visit the museums there. They were awarded funding for four artists and storytellers, and one Elder to undertake that travel. Bearspaw First Nation and Goodstoney First Nation also helped provide some funds for this travel.
Individual group members have applied for other funds, like the Lillian Agnes Jones Scholarship, to cover other projects and expenses related to this work.
How did we decide what to pay?
We used Amanda's wages as a benchmark for the co-mentors wages, but sometimes folks are paid honoraria as lump sums based on the grants they applied to and the work they're doing.
We used federal government guidelines to determine how much should be paid for travel, including meals and compensation for expenses of travel (per diem).
We used rates approved by the Stoney Nakoda Nation (as of 2022) for Elders and knowledge keepers pay ($250 per half day & $400 for full day up to 6 hours).
If you have questions or concerns about this please contact Amanda.