MMIR reward fund
The fund
"Gaagige-Mikwendaagoziwag" means "they will be remembered forever."
Minnesota lawmakers established the Gaagige-Mikwendaagoziwag reward account during the 2022-2023 legislative session. The fund offers rewards for information on missing and murdered Indigenous relatives.
The fund's advisory group
The Gaagige-Mikwendaagoziwag Reward Fund Advisory Group has served in consultation with the director of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives office to determine eligibility criteria and procedures for granting rewards related to cases formally referred to the MMIR office.
Consistent with the Gaagige-Mikwendaagoziwag Reward Fund Advisory Group Policy and Procedure, the director of MMIR is authorized to pay a reward to any person who provides relevant information relating to a missing or murdered Indigenous relatives’ investigation as well as the following objectives:
- Supporting community-based efforts through funding community lead searches and search kits that have been placed regionally throughout Minnesota
- Funding for communications and outreach, including but not limited to billboards and other media-related expenses
- Funding activities and programs to gather information on missing and murdered Indigenous relatives, and to partner with and support community-lead efforts
- Developing, implement and coordinating prevention and awareness programing base on best practices and data driven research
- Any other funding opportunities that support case resolution for MMIR cases served by the office
Advisory Group appointments and responsibilities
MMIR office Director Juliet Rudie makes appointments to this advisory group. The Advisory Group is fully appointed with no current vacancies. Members serve a term of four years and may be reappointed.
The group is tasked to make recommendations on:
- Development of Policy related to the reward fund
- Recommendations on the development of a tip program
- Input on how the office can support community-based efforts to search for missing Indigenous relatives
- Input on the scope of how funding can be utilized including but not limited to search kits and related resources
- Input regarding awareness campaign efforts including the use billboards, flyers and other media efforts
Meeting information, documents and minutes
Meeting schedule
The advisory group held its first meeting on Nov. 9, 2023. Members continued to meet the second Thursday of the month until recommendations were provided, and policy and procedures were drafted.
Members will then meet quarterly to carry out its duties.
Other meeting schedule notes
- May, June, July, August and September meetings for 2024 were not required as policy and procedure drafts were edited and moving through the approval process.
- In October 2024, the advisory group shifted to quarterly meetings.
How to join a meeting
Advisory Group meetings are open to the public and community engagement is encouraged.
The reward fund's permanent Teams meeting link is:
Click here to join the meeting
Meeting ID: 298 013 466 767
Passcode: Z5Dr6M
Download Teams | Join on the web
For additional information, please contact Ana Negrete at ana.g.negrete@state.mn.us.