In This Newsletter:

•    NAP News

• Board Education Initiative: First Symposium
• Regional Action Network Tour
• Profiles in Native Leadership: Dr. Susan Jenkins

•    Member News
•    Philanthropy News
•    Resources
•    Ways to Support NAP



NAP NEWS

Native Americans in Philanthropy Delivers First Symposium of the Board Education Initiative
Native Americans in Philanthropy (NAP) held its first symposium with ClearWay Minnesota board and staff on June 1, 2011, within the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe reservation.  ClearWay Minnesota is working to reduce commercial tobacco’s harm for the people of Minnesota and has engaged NAP to provide a basic cultural understanding of Minnesota Native communities.  By partnering with NAP, the organization hopes to enhance its grantmaking strategy and deepen relationships with Minnesota Native communities.

NAP’s educational approach is two-fold:  1) supply ClearWay Minnesota with a set of knowledge resources accessible online through its website and 2) hold a series of symposia on topics that will have the greatest impact on their work.  

The purpose of this symposium was to build the basic knowledge of Minnesota Native communities, traditions, culture, historical context and contemporary realities.  The morning session was an opportunity for participants to learn from Herb Sam (Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe) and Dave Larsen (Lower Sioux Community); elders representing perspectives from the two Native communities (Ojibwe and Dakota) that retain land in Minnesota.  Mr. Sam and Mr. Larsen were asked to share their personal perspectives on the cultures, traditions and history of their respective communities.  Both communicated the significance of preserving their culture and language for future generations.  

After lunch, ClearWay Minnesota board and staff visited the Mille Lacs Indian Museum.  Through a guided tour they were visually immersed into traditional Ojibwe life on Mille Lacs Lake and the surrounding forest.  Afterward, participants had an opportunity to visit other exhibits within the museum and the tribal trading post.

An afternoon panel presentation focused specifically on land and language.  Presenters were Teresa Peterson (Upper Sioux Community), executive director of Dakota Wicohan; Syngen Kanassatega (Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe), Mille Lacs Band’s Ojibwe language preservation and public policy analyst; and Cris Stainbrook (Lakota), president of Indian Land Tenure Foundation.  Ms. Peterson and Mr. Kanassatega shared how few fluent Dakota and Ojibwe speakers are still alive in Minnesota and the vital work that each is doing to preserve their language.  Mr. Stainbrook’s presentation took participants through almost 160 years of land history with maps to illustrate the colonization of America and its impact on Indian people.

Each presentation was followed by Q&A with the presenters.  Feedback from participants revealed they had a very positive experience and there was an appreciation of the experiential learning format.  The next symposium is scheduled for early this fall and will focus on the history of Native health and contemporary health issues of Native communities.

For more information on the Board Education Initiative please contact Daniel Lemm, NAP Director of Programs and Finance, via e-mail.


Regional Action Network (RAN) Tour: Looking for Hosts
Interested in hosting or partnering for upcoming RAN visits?   Contact Daniel Lemm at (612) 724-8798 x4 or by email if you are interested in hosting.  Below is a list of upcoming tentative dates and locations:
 

• Pacific Region (Northern CA) - mid-September - Looking for hosts in Bay Area.
• Pacific Region (Southern CA) - mid-September - Looking for hosts in Los Angeles area.
• Northwest Region - September 20 at Missoula, MT; more details soon.
• Northeast Region - mid-October (2 dates) - Looking for hosts in DC and NY.
• Southeast Region - early November (preceding USET conference), Philadelphia, MS; more details soon.
• Southwest Region - mid-November at Phoenix, AZ.  Looking for hosts.
• Central Region - late November (2 dates) - Looking for hosts in Tulsa and Oklahoma City.

All RAN events are free and open to the public.  We encourage you to bring a friend, colleague, or tribal leader to one of our events. Click here to see your region.
Visit our website for more information.

 

PROFILES ON NATIVE LEADERSHIP

Dr. Susan Jenkins (Choctaw), the Cherokee Preservation Foundation & NAP Board of Directors

As a past recipient of the Louis T. Delgado Distinguished Grantmaker Award, Philanthropy Institute, Dr. Susan Jenkins exemplifies the intent of the award, for her work in understanding and advancing the role of philanthropy between Native Indigenous communities and mainstream philanthropy.  Throughout her career she has been dedicated to preventive care and capacity building.  Her current position as executive director for the Cherokee Preservation Foundation enables her to focus on those objectives by looking for ways to boost sovereignty and sustainability for the future of Native communities.

Susan Jenkins, an enrolled member of the Choctaw Nation, was born in Durant, Oklahoma but grew up in the Midwest.  After graduating from high school, she went to nursing school and then on to college where she focused on the health care field and education.  While working at a hospital, Susan began to turn her attention to prevention-focused health care.  “When [people] came to the hospital or the emergency room, it was too late as the damage had already been done.  I wondered ‘is there anything we as a society or community could do to prevent them from coming to the emergency room in the first place?’” explained Susan.  In pursuit of the answer and her interest for preventative care, Susan began working for the University of Georgia’s Cooperative Extension Service as a rural health specialist.  Her work there included working with county agents to create programs around health that would engage the community.  The programs were intended to educate people about preventing behaviors that were health risks such as smoking, high blood pressure, and diabetes that could result in emergency room visits.

After 15 years, Susan’s work at the University of Georgia led to an invitation from The W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF) to help them bring their leadership program to Georgia and Alabama.  Working for the foundation taught her some valuable lessons in philanthropy.  She learned the importance of engaging the community and being able to articulate the issues in order to identify what the workable solutions are.  “Philanthropy to me is about community development,” she shared.  Susan believes that that communities and people have to address their own issues because an outsider may not know the culture or have the right answers to their problems.  After working for the Rural Development and Food Systems program at WKKF for almost 6 years, she moved on to a Senior Program Officer position with the Hitachi Foundation based out of Washington, DC.  The Hitachi Foundation focuses on discovering and spreading business practices that can improve the lives of those living near or under the poverty line.  

In 2002, her experience in working for both large and small foundations as well as working within communities led to Susan being selected as executive director for the Cherokee Preservation Foundation (CPFdn)-which its start up phase.  At the time, the CPFdn was not housed in its own building and did not have a staff or application form.  Susan’s first task as executive director was to create an infrastructure for the brand new foundation and to build an environment that encouraged community collaboration to address tribal and regional challenges.  Since its establishment, the CPFdn has grown to 10 staff members, implemented different initiatives and programs, and is currently interested in building its endowment.  CPFdn program focuses include cultural preservation, with particular emphasis on leadership development, language revitalization and enabling the success of tribal artists.  The Right Path, for example, is a leadership program that takes participants through an intensive and rewarding 12-month journey into the rich traditions of the Cherokee with the intent that they apply traditional practices and contemporary leadership competencies to help their communities address current challenges.  The foundation also focuses on economic development through increasing financial literacy and investing in entrepreneurs.  “Philanthropy resources are investments in good ideas that can help people help themselves.  Some ideas may work and others may not; but the important thing is what you learned from the experience and then modify the process so it will work or find another avenue toward success”. said Susan.  She sees the foundations role not solely as a grantmaker but also as a convener, meant to bring people together in a region and community and to develop new partnerships that might result in more resources going to the complex problems being addressed by a community.  

The programs and projects developed or funded by CPFdn are intended to build capacity and to work towards sustaining that activity; two ideals that Susan believes are crucial to Native communities.  “In Indian country, a project needs to be done but if you are not building capacity then you’re not going to get to the next level of development.  It’s important to be good stewards-but we have to take on that responsibility of developing skills for the community and for the 21st century,” she said.  The Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians (EBCI) and its Harrah's Cherokee casino funds the resources that the foundation provides to the local and regional communities.  The CPFdn Board developed a policy of putting aside 10% of the total revenue received each year into an endowment. At the end of the agreement between CPFdn and the EBCI to fund the foundation, the endowment will allow the work to continue.  “We are trying to sustain this organization like we ask our grantees to think about sustainability”. said Susan.  

Along with its programs, the CPFdn puts out an annual report to the community to share what they have done with their resources for that year and what to look forward to in the future.  You can download the ga-du-gi 2011 Report on the CPFdn website here at www.cpfdn.org/downloads/gadugi-2011.pdf.

Because of her work within philanthropy and Native communities, Susan was recognized with an award from Native Americans in Philanthropy (NAP) back in April 2008, at the Native Philanthropy Institute held in Washington, DC.  Susan said, “I was really, really honored... I think it’s wonderful that NAP honors not only a community person but also a grantmaker”.  Susan has been associated with NAP for 15 years and has seen the organization go through different changes.  “I think it’s a great organization that provides to the philanthropy community information about the needs and opportunities within Native communities that should be supported with philanthropy resources.  This may include situations where there is a funding, convening, or partnership opportunity”. she stated.  

While working within the field of philanthropy, Susan feels it’s important to keep in mind ways to engage the community and have a broader perspective on the field.  “Philanthropy is a way to catalyze change.  A way to get the community members focused on a particular topic and come up with workable solutions.  It’s far less about the money than it is about getting the members together to look at their own issues and find some solutions,” she explained.  She is concerned how philanthropy will react to the digitalization of communication that might drift away from face-to-face contact, especially in communities where relationship building is important to getting things done.  At the same time, she finds these shifts exciting and believes the changes could provide new opportunities to different groups.  Susan urges people who are interested in philanthropy or looking for ways to take on leadership roles in the field to take advantage of programs offered out like NAP’s Circle of Leadership Academy (CoLA) and First Nations Development Institute’s Leadership & Entrepreneurial Apprenticeship Development (LEAD) Program.  “When I hire people, the thing I’m looking for is their connection to the community.  I can teach them key elements of philanthropy like reviewing proposals and writing Board summaries.  But to be successful in community development …you have to know your community and be in the community.  That’s what makes a good philanthropist,” she said.  

MEMBER NEWS

New & Renewed Members
NAP would like to take the time to recognize and welcome our new members and our recently renewed members.  Thank You!

Organizations
Ain Dah Yung Center

Individuals
Pilar Gonzales, Global Fund for Women
Nicole Bowman, Bowman Performance Consulting
Joseph Podlasek, American Indian Center of Chicago

Where’s your thank you?
Thank you to those who sent us a ‘Thank You’ in your Native language.  Here is what we have so far.  Is yours on the list?

Email the words thank you and the name of your tribe and language to Elaine.

Tiwahe Foundation announces New Website and Endowment Campaign Committee members
The Tiwahe Foundation, an independent, American Indian directed and managed community foundation in the Twin Cities is pleased to announce its new Endowment Committee, which was formed to support its Seventh Generation Endowment Campaign.  The campaign was launched in 2009 and is working to secure $6 million that will provide permanency for the successful 16 year American Indian Family Empowerment Program, leadership development initiatives and be an instrumental resource in philanthropy for donors, mainstream foundations and tribal nations.  To date, the campaign has raised gifts totaling $1 million.

The Tiwahe Foundation Endowment Committee includes Endowment Chair, Laura Waterman Wittstock and Tiwahe Board Chair, Valerie Larsen as well as Tiwahe Board members; Carrie Day Aspinwall, Yvonne Barrett, Daniel Lemm and Alicia Smith.  Other members include; Tiffany R. Beckman, M.D., M.P.H, James R. Boyle, Conley Brooks Jr., Ellis F. Bullock, Kathy Denman-Wilke, Jackie Dionne, Kelly Drummer, Anthony Genia, Leah Goldstein Moses, Louis F. Hill, John Hinck, LaVon Lee, Trisha Lee Cook, Ronald Libertus, Malcolm W. McDonald, Ronald McKinley, Steven Newcom, Carrie Morris Owens, Joy Persall, Jorge Saavedra F., Elaine Salinas and Maggie Arzdorf-Schubbe.

The Tiwahe Foundation recently launched a new website, which provides more information about its mission, vision and values, how to apply for AIFEP fund grants and its goal of increasing philanthropic dollars to American Indian causes in Minnesota.  The website integrates social media and an easy-to-use donation option, and provides information about the Tiwahe Foundation’s history, board, grants, publications, leadership opportunities, news and events, and grantee and donor stories.  For more information about the Tiwahe Foundation or the Seventh Generation Endowment Program, please visit http://www.tiwahefoundation.org.

The Tiwahe Foundation grew out of a culturally responsive grant-making initiative, the American Indian Family Empowerment Program (AIFEP).  AIFEP, founded in 1993, was the inspiration of Markell Brooks of the Marbrook Foundation and operated as a donor-designated fund for 16 years, funded by Marbrook, Westcliff, and Grotto Foundations.  In 2009, with the leadership of the AFIEP advisory board, staff and founding philanthropic partners, the Tiwahe Foundation became the first-of-its-kind independent community foundation in the Twin Cities.  Tiwahe, a Dakota word for family guides the work of the Foundation.  “Ti” means dwelling, “wa” means snow, sacred or purity, and “he” means stands.  Tiwahe is a sacred dwelling and represents the value of family.  The Tiwahe Foundation is a resource for giving and strengthens American Indian communities by building capacity through leadership, culture, values and vision.  For more information, visit http://www.tiwahefoundation.org.

Former Governor James Hunt Visits Cherokee at the Invitation of Cherokee Preservation Foundation
CHEROKEE, NC– Cherokee Preservation Foundation announced today that former Governor James Hunt visited Cherokee on Wednesday, July 13, at the invitation of Cherokee Preservation Foundation.  The governor, who helped negotiate the agreements between the EBCI and the State of North Carolina that paved the way for the casino and the establishment of Cherokee Preservation Foundation, came to see how the Foundation has invested in cultural preservation, economic development and environmental preservation over the past decade.  He was accompanied by Mrs. Hunt and their daughter Rachel.

 Governor Hunt first met with Tribal leaders at the Tribal Council House.  Then he boarded a Cherokee Transit bus for a tour of the downtown, where he was briefed about the development of the Riverbend shopping area, which was financed with help from the EBCI, Cherokee Preservation Foundation and the Sequoyah Fund, and he learned about the Foundation’s $8 million investment to enhance the promotion of tourism.
To read the full press release, click here.

Pamela Wheelock to Leave Bush Foundation
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota announced today that Pamela Wheelock will become its interim CEO in early August.

Wheelock joined the Bush Foundation in early 2009 as vice president of the Advancing Solutions team, which works to increase the vitality of communities by advancing solutions to tough public problems through learning and leadership.

To read the full press release, click here.

PHILANTHROPY NEWS

Philanthropy Northwest 2011 Annual Conference
Please join NAP at the Philanthropy Northwest 2011 Annual Conference on September 21-23, 2011.   Over 250 grantmakers from the six Northwest states will convene in Missoula, Montana to explore the theme “Barn Raising: The Art of Collaboration.”  With a special commitment to lift up the voices of our Native communities in the region, there will be several breakout sessions dedicated to Indian Country culminating in a five hour offsite Talking Circle at the Salish Kootenai Tribal College in Pablo, Montana.  NAP members qualify for a discounted conference registration too so we hope you’ll join us.

Healthy Native Communities Fellowship Recruiting for 2012 Year
The application process is now open for the 2012 Healthy Native Communities Fellowship.  This year, we are looking for community teams of 2-3 people who are part of a coalition or group working towards wellness.  Teams will start the process by completing the letter of interest online.  We've also included a team interview where HNCF Alumni and/or staff will talk with applicants about why they want to be part of the Fellowship.  Each team member is responsible for their travel to/from each Fellowship retreat site.

Letter of Interest due August 12, 2011.  Go online to www.hncpartners.org and click on “Submit your Letter of Interest”.  Visit the website for more information.

New Fund-Raising Site Makes Quick Mark in Online Giving
Philanthropy.com
Started just five months ago by a 19-year-old Bostonian, Fundraise.com has quickly established a place in the highly competitive online-giving market, according to Bloomberg.

The site’s founder, Nate Drouin, who postponed college to start the for-profit firm with $250,000 from relatives and friends, said Fundraise.com already has 500 nonprofit clients and expects to earn more than $2-million in revenue this year.

Mr. Drouin’s supporters as well as rivals who have met him note that charities can easily grab Fundraise.com code and paste it on their own sites as a widget. They also like the analytics that the company provides to charity.

“We think there’s a massive opportunity,” Dustin Dolginow, a technology analyst at the venture capital firm Atlas Ventures, in Cambridge, Mass., told the news service. Mr. Dolginow said he expects to arrange $1.2-million in new financing for the company soon.

Dirk's 262 Mile Run to Support Native American Youth
The Center for Native American Youth and Dirk Whitebreast are working together to raise awareness and prevent youth suicide in Indian Country.

Dirk Whitebreast, a 31-year-old member of Sac & Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in

Iowa, is taking on the challenge of running 10 marathons in 30 days in an effort to raise awareness of the challenges facing Native youth and address the tragic level of suicide in Indian Country.

“It is people like Dirk that can give Native American youth hope. Through Dirk’s challenge and the Center, we will reach out to youth and give them hope,” says Center’s founder, former US Senator Byron Dorgan.

For more information and to support Dirk’s 262 Mile Run by donating to the Center for Native American Youth please visit www.aspeninstitute.org/dirksrun.

RESOURCES

The estimated dollar value of volunteer time for 2010 is $21.36 per hour
The estimate helps acknowledge the millions of individuals who dedicate their time, talents, and energy to making a difference.  Charitable organizations can use this estimate to quantify the enormous value volunteers provide.

According to the Corporation for National and Community Service, about 63.4 million Americans, or 26.8 percent of the adult population, gave 8.1 billion hours of volunteer.

To learn more, visit independentsector.org/volunteer_time.

63rd Annual Conference of Southwest Foundations

Register Today!  Early Bird Registration ends August 5, 2011!
Lake Tahoe 2011---CSF extends a special invitation to members of Native Americans in Philanthropy, as well as donors, trustees, and staff of foundations and corporate giving programs, and philanthropists with an interest in the southwest to attend the

63rd Annual Conference of Southwest Foundations
October 20 - 22, 2011
at the Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe
Incline Village, Nevada

Former First Lady Laura W. Bush will open the conference with remarks over brunch on Thursday, October 20, 2011. On Friday, October 21, 2011, conference attendees will hear from retired Wal-Mart Vice Chairman and Chief Operating Officer Don Soderquist.

Visit www.c-s-f.org today to view a complete schedule of sessions, speakers, and activities as well as to register. Detailed information about lodging and CSF’s 2011 Next Gen Philanthropists Scholarships may also be accessed at http://www.c-s-f.org.

Questions? Contact the CSF office at 214-740-1787.

Metrics for Movement Building: a Funders for LGBTQ Issues One Day Symposium
On September 21st, 2011, Funders for LGBTQ Issues will host a one day thought leaders symposium, Metrics for Movement Building.  The event will be held at the Gill Foundation in Denver, Colorado.  This one day forum will provide an opportunity for participants to discuss attitudes/tensions around impact analysis and the use of metrics in movement building, and to share and brainstorm strategies for analyzing the LGBTQ movement's trajectory and the impact of your grantmaking.
Please RSVP to our program director, Nancy Ordover at mailto:nancy@lgbtfunders.org.  Cost for the day is $75.

Virtual Realities: Register for the Council on Foundations 2011 Fall Conference Today!
In virtual environments, you can test drive a tank or fly a plane. If you hit a few bumps along the way, there are no real consequences. However, in the dynamic technology landscape, using the wrong tools or not using them at all can have dramatic consequences for your community foundation.

At the plenary session “Virtual Realities,” you will meet Salim Ismail, executive director of Singularity University, an interdisciplinary university that focuses on how technologies can address humanity’s challenges. Salim will inspire you to stay ahead of the curve and change your reality. Here are a few highlights:

The Matrix. With technology evolving every day, there are so many incredible solutions to choose from. They can be overwhelming and leave you paralyzed in indecision. Get tips for how to sort through the labyrinth of options. How do you decide?

“Star” Wars. Are you a star as it relates to using technology to advance your foundation, or do you feel light years away from what you could be doing? How do you use the resources at your fingertips? Benefit from tried-and-true wisdom about how much technology you really need to shine.

Transformers. Solutions can come with heavy price tags for foundations. Learn how to make strategic tech investments and transform your community foundation into the grantmaking and leadership machine it was born to be.

Join Salim and a host of the savviest leaders at the 2011 Fall Conference. We guarantee they will offer more than artificial intelligence. Register today!


For more resources from NAP, click here.
Visit our website for a complete list of job postings.


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Not a member of NAP? Or need to renew your membership?
It’s easy! Go online right now to and pay later: http://nativephilanthropy.org/membership/join_now

WAYS TO SUPPORT NAP
There are a number of ways you can support NAP. There is something for every level of commitment. Here are just a few:
 
Membership - You can become a member of NAP with a level of your choosing. Individual gifts from members provide a large source of funding for general operating expenses such as our office space, phones, and other daily activities that are not always supported through grants.  Check out the benefits of membership here.
 
In-kind services/donations – Promote your business or products to Native communities. Donate your products or services to NAP for distribution at NAP events, programs attendees, and other opportunities.

Corporate and Foundation underwriting – NAP has a range of regional and national work that is sustained though programmatic-supported grants. If you are a funder and you are interested in partnering with NAP or would like to know more about the work NAP is doing, contact Elaine.
 
Major Giving – Individuals may offer unrestricted, philanthropic support in larger amounts (typically $1000+). Major gifts are the sustaining funds that often support the ongoing, strategic efforts of NAP’s work across the country.
 
Endowment – Your gift can be designated to go into the NAP Endowment.  Endowments are funds that are earmarked and invested as principal to remain intact in perpetuity to ensure the security and growth of NAP.
 
Planned Giving - You can leave a powerful legacy — to ensure the future financial stability of Native philanthropy in your community.
 
Volunteer activities – You can volunteer your time to NAP. Volunteer opportunities range from helping with mailings to leading panel discussions at events and organizing special events.
 
How will you support NAP?  Email us today.