Improving Equity and Accountability for Native American Communities with Community Foundations

About this grant

The goal of this project is to support the advancement of racial equity for Native communities by U.S. community foundations, applying the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals. In 2022, Native Americans in Philanthropy conducted a study of community foundations and received input from Native leaders. This resulted in a report that provided an assessment of the current state of community foundation interaction with Native communities and offered recommendations for how to improve relationships between them. These findings gave the basis for a further proposed six-year educational, relationship-building and resource-leveraging project. During the current grant period, the grantee will: 1) convene relevant stakeholders to share and discuss the report; 2) conduct a research study that will explore the link between the Sustainable Development Goals and community foundation data-gathering processes; 3) design a workshop curriculum; 4) develop a strategic communications plan; 5) hire a regional coordinator for the first of four regions; and 6) establish the first of four communities of practice, each of which will include up to 20 community foundations. Founded in 1990, Native Americans in Philanthropy promotes equitable and effective philanthropy in Native communities.