TAKE ACTION NOW
Funding those doing work on the ground ensures that Indigenous Peoples have the tools, support, and agency necessary to build a future rooted in self-determination and collective liberation.
ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN
The first few months of the second Trump Administration has been an onslaught of executive orders attacking human and civil rights, federal funding cuts to essential programs and services, and the halting of nearly all climate justice work. The administration’s impact leaves Indigenous communities, Tribal governments, and our relatives in precarious conditions.
NDN Collective’s For The People Campaign is a call to action for both individuals and institutional philanthropy to support Indigenous Peoples, Indigenous-led movement infrastructure, and community-based organizations who are doing the work their communities need. This campaign is designed to provide critical resources through our current grantmaking programs and organizing work to strengthen our movement, enhance the resiliency of frontline actions, and catalyze transformative change under this authoritarian regime.
THE PHILANTHROPIC LANDSCAPE FOR INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
Over the past several years, NDN Collective has leaned on the support of institutional philanthropy to rematriate resources back to Indigenous communities. We’ve done this because of philanthropy’s history of severely underfunding Indigenous organizations and people, who receive only 0.4% of all philanthropic giving.
According to our “Meeting the Moment: A Call to Radically Transform Philanthropy for Indigenous communities” report, Indigenous communities are still not receiving an equitable amount of funding. Native communities received only 0.36% of total funding from philanthropic foundations from 2018 to 2022. In 2022, the percentage of grant dollars going to Native communities was 0.44%, yet American Indians and Alaska Natives make up 2.9% of the population per the 2020 Census. Indigenous Peoples also continue to be underrepresented in foundation staffing and leadership.
This campaign is an opportunity to address philanthropy’s failures and constantly changing strategies that uphold the very structures of white supremacy that we are seeing dominate our society today. At this moment we are seeing institutional philanthropy fail to respond with the urgency and investment that our communities need and deserve. Being a true leader in philanthropy means using power to move resources effectively and commit to measurable change.
OUR ASKS FOR PHILANTHROPY
- Invest long-term for the next 20-50 years into community-led movements
- Endow movement infrastructure organizations
- Increase philanthropic giving to Indigenous People and organizations from 5% to 10%
NDN COLLECTIVE’S IMPACT
NDN Collective’s infrastructure was carefully designed to swiftly rematriate resources to our people. In only 5 years, NDN Collective has provided more than $109 million in grants across Turtle Island (North America). For every $1 invested, NDN Collective produced $4 of social return in 2024. That said, we have only been able to fulfill 13.5% of all funding requests, leaving the vast majority of community-identified needs unsupported.
Our ability to swiftly move necessary resources to Indigenous communities is rooted in the understanding that our people know what our needs are and what solutions will fit our unique challenges. It is crucial for funders and donors to provide unrestricted funding so we can continue to do the work our people need on our own terms.
DONATE
NDN Collective has a Four-Star rating on Charity Navigator.
Are you a funder or investor who has questions and wants to make a large impact? Contact us at advancement@ndncollective.org with the subject “FTPC.”
For media inquiries, contact press@ndncollective.org
TO LEARN MORE, READ OUR BLOGS & PRESS RELEASE
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NDN Collective
NDN Collective is an Indigenous-led organization dedicated to building Indigenous power. Through organizing, activism, philanthropy, grantmaking, capacity-building and narrative change, we are creating sustainable solutions on Indigenous terms.
