WHY THIS MOMENT MATTERS
The for the people campaign is a response to a need for strengthening movement infrastructure for Indigenous peoples across Turtle Island. As we see the growing tyranny of authoritarianism we know what we have believed to always be true, that we need a strong multi faceted infrastructure to ensure that Indigenous peoples have the resources and tools to defend, develop, and decolonize their communities. We know that a multi racial democracy does not exist without Indigenous peoples and our leadership. No one is illegal on stolen land and it is our continued fight for all people and mother earth that continues to be the road ahead.
Over the next year we invite our accomplices and partners to learn how we define movement infrastructure and support four different facets of movement infrastructure.
DEFEND
COMMUNITIES
Protect our people from repression and injustice.
BUILD
INFRASTRUCTURE
Invest in the systems that sustain long-term movement power.
ADVANCE
LANDBACK
Uplift Indigenous leadership and the path to collective liberation.
LANDBACK IS
THE FRAMEWORK
The infrastructure we have built supports the Landback Movement. LANDBACK is the meta political, organizing, and narrative framework for which we work toward collective liberation. All of our issue areas tie to LANDBACK.
WHAT IS MOVEMENT INFRASTRUCTURE?
Movement infrastructure it is the resources, skills, and people that serve the whole movement ecosystem, which includes organizations, networks, and leaders. Read More.
We agree with the team at Building Movement Project and Muslims for Just Futures that movement infrastructure includes:
MOBILIZATION &
DIRECT ACTION
BASE-BUILDING &
COMMUNITY
ORGANIZING
LEGAL DEFENSE
& ADVOCACY
CROSS-MOVEMENT
PARTICIPATORY
COMMUNITY
DEFENSE
COORDINATION AND CONVENING
ORGANIZATIONAL
OPERATIONS
ROBUST RAPID RESPONSE
SKILLS-BUILDING &
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
SAFETY & SECURITY
COMMUNITY CARE
& MUTUAL AID
& HEALING
COMMS & NARRATIVE
DEVELOPMENT
SOLIDARITY
& PARTNERSHIPS
We also believe that movement infrastructure includes a robust network of partners across the movement that are connected and in strong solidarity with each other. For us this is the Landback Action Network. We also believe that there needs to be a strong grantmaking component. We know that Indigenous peoples receive less than .5% of philanthropic funding.
NDN has distributed over $100 million to over 1400 grantees.
Strengthening organizations who are defending, developing, and decolonizing their communities.
NDN LEGAL FUND
Indigenous leaders and land defenders are increasingly targeted by legal and political repression. The NDN Legal Fund provides bail support, legal defence, and resource to protect those on the frontlines.
KEY USES OF THE LEGAL FUND
- Strategic litigation to challenge unjust laws and policies
- Bail funds & legal aid for activists and community members
- Movement intrastructure including training and legal education
- Research, advocacy, and community legal support
- Operational support for long-term legal defense
The NDN Legal Fund was founded in the summer of 2022 when people worldwide witnessed firsthand the brutal overpolicing and use of force against non violent Land Defenders asserting their First Amendment and Treaty Rights in the Oceti Sakowin Homelands in the He Sapa.
Looking for other ways to give? Explore
options like mail, stock, and wire transfers here.
OUR IMPACT
GRAND GATEWAY
TRIAL VICTORY
Jury ruled in favor of NDN Collective. We requested $1 in damages. This case was never about money, but about ending racism.
$100M+
REDISTRIBUTED
Over $100 million in grantmaking to more than 1,400 grantees since inception.
1,400+
GRANTEES
Empowering organizations defending, developing, and decolonizing across Turtle Island.
This case was never about money for NDN Collective – no amount of money will fix racism or make NDN Collective, and the people we stand for, whole.
— Dr. Valeriah Big Eagle
Director of He Sapa Initiatives at NDN Collective
READ FULL STATEMENT
DEFENDING NICK TILSEN
NDN Founder & CEO Nick Tilsen continues to be under indictment and we’re raising critical funds for his legal defense.
LEARN MORE
SUPPORT THE FIGHT AHEAD
Increased repression in 2026 means increased need for legal defense. With support from accomplices we can bring in lawyers, provide bail funds, and support for legal observers among other needs that will emerge.
OUR GOAL
$75,000
BY MAY
Every dollar helps protect our people, our leaders, and our future.
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.
