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YATES, N.D. (AP) – An effort to raise ,000 to fund a pilot project to outfit 20 Standing Rock Reservation homes with heat stoves that burn pellets made from natural materials is nearing its goal.

More than 1,000 people have contributed more than $44,000 to “Heating the Rez,” promoted via www.indiegogo.com.

Attorney and American Indian activist Chase Iron Eyes is spearheading the effort. He says donations from $5 to $1,000 have arrived from a dozen different countries as far as Australia and Sweden.

The ultimate goal of the effort is to move the reservation away from its reliance on propane, which is pricey now because of a nationwide shortage. As many as 5,000 homes on the reservation that straddles the North Dakota-South Dakota border rely on propane for heat.