In This Newsletter:

• NAP News

               o    Native Americans in Philanthropy E’s in Action in 2011
               o    Call for Proposals: 2012 Native Philanthropy Institute
               o    CoLA Applications now available!
               o    Regional Action Network Gatherings: Looking for Hosts in 2012

• Profiles on Native Leadership: Eileen Briggs
• Member News
• Partners and Allies
• Calendar
• Resources
• Ways to Support NAP

NAP NEWS

Native Americans in Philanthropy E’s in Action in 2011
In 2011, Native Americans in Philanthropy has strived to create  opportunities to ENGAGE members, partners, and allies in partnerships that will support the advancement of philanthropic practices enhanced by the spirit of Native generosity. NAP continues to utilize opportunities to EDUCATE individuals and organizations in the philanthropic sector and to EMPOWER our members and allies to share our vision of healthy and sustainable Native communities. The following is the NAP E's in Action in 2011.

ENGAGE
Regional Action Networks Launched
In early 2011, NAP launched the NAP Regional Action Networks with its first national tour.  The NAP Regional Action Networks (RAN) serves as a program and a construct for program delivery. These gatherings of native and philanthropic representatives will discuss and define actions on both individual and collective action to improve the effectiveness of grantmaking in Indian Country. The RAN will serve as opportunities to deepening relationships between Tribes, urban Native communities and philanthropy.  RAN will be organized in collaboration with member organizations – funders, tribes and nonprofits – who wish to ENGAGE in dialog and relationship building and gain greater context for the varied Native community realities and experiences that philanthropy can learn from and share with their sector colleagues.

By the end 2011, NAP journeyed across the country through two national tours. NAP held 20 RAN gatherings with over 250 NAP members, partners and allies. During these gatherings we shared the history and future for Native Americans in Philanthropy, honored the wisdom of those at the table, and nurtured and networked deeper relationships with and between our NAP members, partners and allies. For more information about the Regional Action Networks, click here.

2011 Native Philanthropy Institute
As NAP continues to convene conversations in our Regional Action Networks, we will also hold its national convening to share stories, challenges, successes, and future movement-building focusing on leadership development, leadership transition, and intergenerational learning and exchanges. NAP successfully concluded its 6th Annual Native Philanthropy Institute (NPI) on April 4-5, 2011 at the remarkable Tulalip Resort & Casino located in Tulalip, WA.  The NPI engaged more than 145 national participants representing over 75 organizations from Native communities, Tribal giving programs, Native and non-Native nonprofits, foundations and philanthropic associations for dialogue, interaction and co-learning centered on the conference theme of Weaving Leadership, Indigenous People and Resources. 2011 Native Philanthropy Institute was also a financial success with our largest Tribal sponsorship to-date with the Tulalip Tribes hosting as well as supporting it with as s major sponsor.   For a full conference report, click here.

The 2011 Louis T. Delgado Distinguished Grantmaker Award was given to Jo-Anne Stately, Director of Grantmaking and Special Projects at The Minneapolis Foundation. Ms. Stately is a former board chair of NAP and has been engaged in Native philanthropy for many years.  When asked of her nominator to describe why they chose to nominate Ms. Stately they stated, “Jo-Anne is a dedicated and committed woman who has been an influential presence in philanthropy...  She has become an ‘elder’ of Native philanthropy and has been a pioneering Native presence in the foundation world.  Through her constant diligence and dedication to educating and changing foundation agendas, she has helped to bring a Native presence to the region’s philanthropy where there was none.”

The 2011 Flying Eagle Woman Award for Community Based Philanthropy was given to Iris Friday and Claudia Kauffman as they were recognized for their work as Native Action Network.  They are described as being “profoundly generous with their time, creativity and whatever resources they can offer.  As leaders, they humbly and beautifully articulate the vision of a united Native community in the Pacific Northwest region by nurturing women leaders and promoting civic engagement.”  

Membership Growing
Native Americans in Philanthropy membership engagement continues to grow. In 2011, we have increased with nearly 22 new individual memberships and 17 new organizational memberships and two organizations membership upgrades.  We continue to try and keep our members actively involved in the network and current on membership status.

EDUCATE
Communications Expansion
In 2011, you will have noticed an expansion of communications through monthly E-newsletters and Call-To-Action emails along with Regional Action Network gathering notifications. NAP has created Profile in Leadership as a way to highlight and share the work of the amazing individuals in our network. NAP has also tried to coordinate resources and news from our members and philanthropic sector in our monthly emails.

Native Culture & Context for Philanthropy Formalized
Native Culture & Context for Philanthropy is an educational and engagement series of symposia and set of knowledge resources currently being piloted with ClearWay Minnesota. The purpose of this initiative is to deepen the understanding of largely mainstream philanthropic organizations working with Native (and diverse) communities in order to expand cultural competence and to enhance strategic and impactful grantmaking to Native communities. Additionally, Native Culture & Context for Philanthropy will provide context for understanding the diverse Native communities, increase and sustain understanding of current and relevant issues, and promote ongoing learning with community partners. For more information on Native Culture & Context for Philanthropy, click here.

Knowledge Sharing & Research Expanded
NAP seeks out opportunities to ENGAGE in partnerships that will support the advancement of philanthropic practices enhanced by the spirit of Native generosity. We seek to leverage and expand the sources of philanthropic dollars going toward Native issues and concerns by sharing our wisdom and network with partners and allies. These knowledge-sharing opportunities include speaking engagements and planning efforts for conferences and convenings. NAP utilizes these opportunities to EDUCATE individuals and organizations in the philanthropic sector and to EMPOWER our members and allies to share our vision of healthy and sustainable Native communities.

At the Native Philanthropy Institute we shared the latest research coproduced by Native Americans in Philanthropy.

In 2011, NAP actively sought to share wisdom and create opportunities for learning and relationship strengthening through the following activities:

• Co-hosted Moving to Action: A Report on Foundation Giving in Native Communities briefing with Minnesota Council on Foundations and the Norwest Area Foundation
• Served on the Neighborhood Funders Group 2011 Conference Planning Committee and served as the Cultivating Intersections Learning Tour Moderator
• Cohosted and moderated Seventh Generation Leading: Making the Case for Native Youth Leadership and Organizing, A Philanthropy New York Members Briefing sponsored by Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Surdna Foundation, Jewish Funds for Justice, and Open Society Foundations, with Native Americans in Philanthropy, Hill-Snowdon Foundation, and the Funders Collaborative on Youth Organizing.
• Moderated No Lack of Concern: Working to Build Capacity in Native American Populations, Tribes & Organizations session at Conference of Southwest Foundations Annual Conference
• Served on the Minnesota Council on Nonprofits 2011 Annual Conference Planning Committee and designed and moderated Strategic Communication Planning and Action: Setting Priorities, Being Proactive and Improving Relationships and Tribal Philanthropy: Building Communities through Native Giving and Reciprocity
• Presented Native American Philanthropy: Looking Forward session at the First Nations L.E.A.D. Institute
• Presented Traditional Native Philanthropy and Tribal Government Philanthropy plenary session International Funders for Indigenous Peoples Annual Conference
• Presented at the Emerging Practioners in Philanthropy’s Professional Development Training
• Coordinated the Marguerite Casey Foundation’s Native Gathering 2011.
• Partnered with Philanthropy Northwest in reciprocal conference planning and presented Building Vibrant Native Communities Through Relationships and Investments and Ground Truthing: Listen to the Landscape, Speak from the Heart learning tour
• Facilitated a convening for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s Native Portfolio Focus/Learning Session
• Interviewed on Native American Calling, Art of Giving, click here to listen.
• Interviewed on First Peoples Radio, Native Philanthropy: Funding Self Determination, click here to listen.
• Served on Joint Affinity Groups Steering Committee
• Served on D5 Leadership Team and 3 working groups
• Served Council on Foundations’ 2011 Conference Planning Committee
• Moderated Philanthropy on Trial plenary session at the 2011 Council on Foundations’ Conference

In addition to these knowledge-sharing opportunities, NAP participated in the following events:

• Council of Foundation’s Annual Conference
• Council of Foundation’s Rural Philanthropy Conference
• Council of Foundation’s Community Foundations Conference
• National Congress of American Indians Mid-Year and Annual Conferences
• United Southern and Eastern Tribes Mid-Year Conference
• US Human Rights Fund Conference
• Opportunities Fund Network Annual Conference
• Nexus Next Generation Philanthropy Convening
• First Peoples Fund/Open Society Foundations South Dakota Funder Learning Tour
• Independent Sector’s Annual Conference
• W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s Strong Sector Convening
• W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s Cultures of Giving Convening
• Association of Fundraising Professionals Conference
• Emerging Practioners in Philanthropy Annual Conference & 10th Anniversary
• Association of Black Foundation Executives 40th Anniversary Celebration and Awards
• Indigenous Peoples Working Group of the Social Investment Forum
• Pacific Islander Philanthropy Forum and the Native Hawaiian Convention
• Grantmakers for Effective Organizations & Monitor Institute’s Network Convening
• Four Cornerstones of Financial Literacy Training

EMPOWER
Regional Action Networks
In addition to serving as a bridge for sharing wisdom between funders and communities, our RAN construct raises the profile and importance of leadership in Indian Country and philanthropy.

Revamped and Recruitment for 2012-13 Circle of Leadership Academy
Circle of Leadership Academy (CoLA): CoLA is an 18-month Leadership Development program for emerging and mid-career Native individuals interested in careers in the philanthropic and nonprofit sectors. The program is designed to EDUCATE, EMPOWER and ENGAGE candidates with philanthropy that includes, but is not limited to, Knowledge Enhancing webinars, 2 national summits and two regional convenings to explore leadership ground in Native identity and the intersection with philanthropy and nonprofit sectors.  
To nominate a candidate for the 2012-13 Circle of Leadership Academy, click here.

NAP Network Flourishing with Support
NAP members, partners and allies have contributed to the success our gatherings and network development. The 2011 Native Philanthropy Institute had the largest amount of sponsorship revenue to-date with support from the Lannan Foundation, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Forest County Potawatomi Foundation, Marguerite Casey Foundation and Tulalip Tribes. NAP also received general operating and program support from McCune Foundation, McKay Foundation, Otto Bremer Foundation, C.S. Mott Foundation, ClearWay Minnesota, Marguerite Casey Foundation, Northwest Area Foundation, the Ford Foundation and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation

In addition to the financial resources, NAP received an unprecedented amount of in-kind support from Northwest Area Foundation, Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, the Institute of Americans Indians Arts, Time Warner, Inc, New England Foundation for the Arts, Chickasaw Nation Foundation, NAYA Family Center of Portland, Sac and Fox Nation, MacArthur Foundation, Philanthropy Northwest and National Congress of American Indians.

NAP Board of Directors & Staff Team Leveraging Influence and Opportunities
NAP Board and staff work to advance a shared vision of healthy sustainable communities enhanced by the spirit of Native generosity. Utilizing strategic partnerships and collaborations, NAP has sought to increase out national impact and influence. NAP Board and staff developed and maintained relationships with key partners, including members, funders, and the broader Native American and philanthropic communities, and identifying ways to increase and enhance member involvement.

NAP Board and Staff continued to cultivate financial and human resources. NAP staff grew from 3 full time employees and 2 interns to 6 full time employees.  NAP staff refined our office systems and process to maximize efficiency and effectiveness. Part of this process included creating logic models for all programs and operations with assessment plans. In 2012, NAP will share these plans with our members, partners and allies.

CALL FOR PROPOSALS:  2012 Native Philanthropy Institute
The 2012 Native Philanthropy Institute will be April 25-27, 2012 at the Westin LAX located in Los Angeles, CA.  Native Americans in Philanthropy will create opportunities for attendees to build new and deepen existing relationships, promote knowledge and resource sharing, highlight examples of philanthropic and community partnerships, broaden and enhance the Native leadership pipeline, and explore intersections of identity and equity within diverse communities.

Native Americans in Philanthropy is pleased to announce its Call for Proposals for the 2012 Native Philanthropy Institute.  This year’s conference theme is Sustainable Native Futures: Leaders and Partners for Philanthropy.  The conference planning committee is seeking session proposals for inclusion in the conference program with specific interest around the topics of Leadership, Strategic Grantmaking/Partnerships and Organization Development.  Session proposals are due December 15, 2011.  

View more information and download proposal guidelines here.

Applications Now Available for the Circle of Leadership Academy
Native Americans in Philanthropy and The Center for Leadership Innovation are pleased to announce their partnership for delivery of the Circle of Leadership Academy (CoLA).  CoLA is an 18-month leadership development program that is designed to enhance and empower Native American leadership in the philanthropic and nonprofit sectors.  CoLA engages emerging and mid-career Native American leaders and educates them in the field of philanthropy and nonprofits through professional development, networking and mentorship opportunities.  More information about CoLA can be found here.

The first national summit will kickoff CoLA on April 24-25, 2012 in Los Angeles, CA.  Applications are available here and due to the Native Americans in Philanthropy office by Friday, December 16, 2011.

Regional Action Network Gatherings: Looking for Hosts in 2012!
In 2012, Native Americans in Philanthropy wishes to continue in deepening engagement with its members, partners and allies through our Regional Action Network Gatherings.  All are encouraged to engage in this opportunity to join NAP board members and staff as they highlight opportunities for partnership, share resources and illustrate programs available through NAP that work to advance philanthropic practices grounded in Native values and traditions.

The next round of RAN Gatherings is being scheduled for February and March 2012.  If you would like to host an upcoming regional gathering please contact Daniel Lemm via e-mail for more information.  All RAN Gatherings are free and open to the public.  We encourage you to bring a friend, colleague and/or tribal leader to the gathering.

Registration for the gatherings is FREE.  For more information and to learn what region you are in click here.  Regional gatherings are offered in a 1/2-Day format and for a copy of the agenda click here.
 

PROFILES ON NATIVE LEADERSHIP
Profiles on Native Leadership: Eileen Briggs (Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe), Executive Director for Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal Ventures

As an enrolled member of the Cheyenne River Sioux, Eileen Briggs grew up on the tribal reservation in the town of Eagle Butte before moving away for 20 years.  In 2003, Eileen moved back home to be close to her family and to be back with her tribal community.  

After returning home, she worked as an instructor at the local tribal college before being asked to help with a new opportunity for the tribe.  The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe (CRST) had been approached with a partnership from the Northwest Area Foundation (NWAF).  In 2003, NWAF selected three tribes, including the CRST, seeking deep and lasting change to participate in their Ventures program that supports poverty-reduction and prosperity-building programs among Native Americans.  “NWAF was approaching the eight states they work within differently than they had before.  They selected the communities to participate in the Ventures,” explained Eileen.  The CRST tribal chair and council invited Eileen to help with the research and project planning team.

At the time, the CRST tribal leadership had some awareness of the foundation but it was new ground for the tribe to build a relationship with a private foundation.  “We had some connections to the foundation world but we didn’t really know a lot about that.  I give a lot of credit to the NWAF and the fact that they realized it was going to take some time to build relationships with the tribe and start to understand each other,” Eileen said.   The foundation worked to support the tribes as they developed their long-term poverty reduction plan.  

Eileen was soon asked to direct the implementation of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal Ventures – ten-year poverty reduction plan.  The plan focuses on three main areas: 1) individual, social & cultural; 2) community & capacity, and 3) economic development.  Eileen was excited to emphasize the fact that the poverty reduction plan was a very inclusive process.  She stated, “This is the people’s plan.  So the outcomes came from the people.  These were ideas that came from our people about what was needed to address poverty.”   

Within the plan, the tribe focused on long-term projects like work force development.  At the time the project was first being developed, Eileen estimates that the tribe had about eight people who had completed a general educational development (GED) test while 3,000 adults did not have a GED or high school diploma.  The tribe spent time customizing and creating a community-focused self-paced Adult Education/GED training program.  In the last three years, the program has helped nearly 70 people achieve their GED.  Since the tribe has such a large rural land base, they have also focused on decentralizing opportunities by bringing resources and technology to outlier communities.  

Another initiative from the plan is financial empowerment through their Financial Literacy Program & Youth Individual Development Account (IDA).  “We try to go across the reservation and ensure that young people have access to knowledge and information about financial education.  When you’re living in poverty, you’re not always equipped with the tools to understand it,” Eileen said.  The program also made a commitment to invest in business expansion on the reservation and created a matching grant fund called the Reservation Partnership Development Fund.  “It’s an innovative tool…We’re trying things that haven’t been tried in Indian country,” she said.

Now in year six of their ten-year initiative, all 12 projects under the Tribal Ventures have been launched and are in forward movement.  They continue to use strategic thinking in their projects and are cautious about over-promising.  “We are focused on empowerment of our communities.  We’re marred in dependency thinking.  You don’t know what you don’t know.  We need to wake up a little to realize how dependent we’ve become and ask what are our Lakota values?  We need to see their role in this and their assets and know that we can help ourselves,” said Eileen.  They’re working with the CRST tribal leadership in taking a look at what future poverty reduction looks like beyond the plans deadline in 2016.  

“With this approach to problem solving and stimulating the economy, there are lots of lessons to be learned…but I would say that’s our goal: to capture and utilize our lessons learned,” said Eileen.  She hopes the program continues to inspire confidence and demonstrate to the tribal community the amount of creativity and innovation they hold within themselves.  “This is about the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe.  The honor of one is the honor of all.  The honor of the Tribal Ventures is the honor of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe.  It’s about really understanding what needs to happen to create change and around collective ability and exercising our sovereignty.  This wasn’t the federal government telling us what to do.  We decided these things,” she explained.  

In 2010 Eileen participated in the Bush Foundation’s Native Nations Rebuilders program first cohort.  The program aims to develop and support emerging Native leaders, as well as existing leaders, from the 23 tribes they serve.  Eileen saw this as an opportunity for personal and professional growth.  After being a part of the first cohort, she feels the lessons from the program will take some time to spread within the communities.  “For my tribe, until there are a lot of people who see opportunities to build up our nation, it doesn’t matter if I’m a ‘rebuilder’ or not.  You have to create a group of people who are talking about the bigger picture for any movement to grow,” she said.  The Bush Foundation is now helping to facilitate those opportunities for tribal workers, leaders, and program managers to come together and think about how to strengthen sovereignty and tribal structures.  

Eileen credits opportunities like the partnership with NWAF for opening the doors for the CRST to have a better understanding of the foundation world and cites the importance of the work that Native Americans in Philanthropy (NAP) does for bridging the gap to help foundations learn about giving in Indian country.  “It’s important; the gathering of foundation and tribal people together to understand and share about needs and capacity.  And to learn about the bridges that are available and identifying the ones that need to be built between Indian country and the philanthropic world,” she explained.  Eileen feels that philanthropy is still a word a lot of Indian country is not familiar with.  She said, “But when we stand back and look at it, we see the value about sharing and giving that our grandparents taught us about—helping in a way that helps another to be stronger.  [Philanthropy] is about giving and sharing.”  She believes NAP is able to be an intermediary to help both tribes and foundations feel successful.  She encourages individuals and foundations who want to engage with Indian country to reach out and use NAP as a safe place to ask questions.

Eileen also encourages Native people who are working in philanthropy or with tribal organizations to keep going and hopes that any future work that foundations do within Indian country will work with tribes to understand their current state and to invest in the steps the tribes sees themselves taking to achieve long-term goals.  Her advice is to “make your relationships with Indian country last.  We’re all relational, Native people in particular, but long-term success is really gained in relationships.  Native people are not going anywhere.  So understand that if you take the long view with them, your resources will have greater impact.”

About Northwest Area Foundation
The Northwest Area Foundation is dedicated to supporting efforts by people, organizations and communities to reduce poverty and achieve sustainable prosperity.  The Foundation’s service region includes urban, rural and American Indian reservation communities in Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Washington and Oregon.  The Great Northern Railway, founded by James J. Hill, served these states. Hill’s son, Louis W. Hill, established the Foundation in 1934.  For more information, please visit www.nwaf.org.       
 

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
Solidago Foundation
Casey Family Programs

Individuals
Suzanne Koepplinger, Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource Center
Dawn Spears, New England Foundation for the Arts
Ricardo Huerta Nino, Doctoral Student
Jennifer Sterling, Center for Individuals with Physical Challenges
Judge Shelli Hayes, State of Illinois

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.

Headwaters Foundation Announces Fund of the Sacred Circle Grant Awards
MINNEAPOLIS, MN:  The Headwaters Foundation for Justice is pleased to announce $45,000 in grant awards to four Minnesota- and Wisconsin- based nonprofits through the Fund of the Sacred Circle.

The Fund of the Sacred Circle supports the work of Native urban, rural and tribal groups to address systemic issues affecting American Indian communities.  Focus areas include language and cultural revitalization, land and environmental restoration, sovereignty and treaty rights and self-determination and civil rights.  Established in 1999, the Fund of the Sacred Circle is operated in conjunction with the Wisconsin Community Fund and directed by Native community leaders who make funding decisions.  Since the fund began making grants in 2001, it has awarded 57 grants totaling $535,000.

To read the full press release, click here.  For further information on Fund of the Sacred Circle, click here.

The Hopi Foundation Executive Director Barbara Poley Names Her Successor
The Hopi Foundation
Monica Nuvamsa is a member of the Tewa Cloud Clan from the Village of Songoopavi located in Second Mesa, Arizona.  She received her BA from the University of Arizona in 1997.  Some of her early career experiences include developing and managing the Hopi Tribe's Domestic Violence Program until her appointment to the Hopi Tribe’s Intergovernmental Liaison coordinating tribal policy and appropriations priorities at both state and national levels.  Monica also served in higher education and leadership development for the University of Arizona's Native American Student Affairs and the Morris K. Udall Foundation’s Native American Congressional Internship Program in Tucson, Arizona and Washington, D.C.

She currently serves in several capacities at the Hopi Foundation including, Associate Director, Director of Programs and KUYI General Manager.  She is also a board member of the Hopi Education Endowment Fund and Native Americans in Philanthropy.

After returning to Hopi she began her employment with the Foundation in January 2007.  “I am truly honored to be part of The Hopi Foundation transition into a new phase of leadership.  The Foundation has brought me many wonderful realizations; foremost is being a part of an organization that starts with community first and reflects a talent and skill that comes only with experience born from local values, local assets and local resilience.  As a result, I've witnessed how change in our community must be affected one person at a time.”

Nuvamsa will succeed Barbara Poley as Executive Director of The Hopi Foundation upon her retirement in 2012.

PARTNERS AND ALLIES NEWS
A Celebration of Giving by Diverse Donors
By Y. Elaine Stephens

All too often donors of diverse communities give in quiet support of communities and with little expectation or recognition in return.  In philanthropy, this giving is sometimes overlooked as giving in diverse communities can often times look different than traditional philanthropic giving. But on November 17, at the D5 Coalition Donor Network event, the coalition partners hailed diverse donors, created new opportunities for networking and learning, and explored ways to inspire more giving to diverse communities.

Held at the beautiful Montage Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, the day’s program opened with remarks from Kelly Brown, D5 Coalition Director and the premiere of the D5 coalition video, “I am a Philanthropist – Diverse Voices of Giving,” which presents diverse donors discussing their motivations for creative and effective philanthropy. Included in the video is NAP member Heather Bernikoff, Program Officer for California Consumer Protection Foundation.  A free download of the video is available at: www.d5coalition.org.
 
The panel discussions, Giving at the Intersections of Movements and Communities and Donor Reflections on Effective Philanthropy, provided interactive discussions among the panelists and event attendees. In between panels, the audience was graced by Tony™ Award winning playwright Sarah Jones and her merry band of characters to share the impact of philanthropy to individuals in our diverse communities.  
The event closed with Academy™ Award winner Geena Davis joining in the afternoon to discuss her work on behalf of women and girls. Ms. Davis is the founder of the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, which engages film and television creators to increase the percentages of female characters -- and reduce gender stereotyping -- in media made for children.

D5 is a five-year initiative to grow philanthropy’s diversity, equity and inclusion. For current research, D5’s priority areas, or more information on who is D5 go to www.d5coalition.org.

Joint Affinity Groups - Translating Affinity into Action
By Paul Bachleitner, Joint Affinity Group Project Director

A sense of urgency accompanied Native Americans in Philanthropy (NAP) and the other partner members (Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy, Association of Black Foundation Executives, Funders for LGBTQ Issues, Hispanics in Philanthropy, and Women’s Funding Network) of the Joint Affinity Groups (JAG) when they met for JAG’s Annual meeting in San Francisco in October.  JAG partners have been conducting monthly conference calls during 2011 to plan resurgence for the network. Regularly attended meetings of this frequency hadn’t occurred in years. But there had been a need for a plan of action to carry the momentum forward.

“We need to develop a structure,” Y. Elaine Stephens, NAP Director of development and communications said, “that supports what every one of us wants to accomplish and channels it in the right direction.”

Two days of intense discussion and collaboration updated JAG’s vision for 2012 and beyond in a way that builds on partners’ current work. The streamlined vision incorporates a three-pronged strategic framework that relates to diversity, inclusion, and equity: Advance (critical thinking and analyses), Align (partners and resources), and Activate (advocating on issues, developing leaders).  This refined vision will move the individual partners into collaborative action in 2012. JAG’s partners will craft a joint analysis of current men and boys of color work that reaches across race and ethnicities to incorporate grantmaking lenses that address sexual orientation and women and girls.

The first outward signs of JAG’s resurgence will appear in January 2012, when JAG will unveil its new interactive website that drives shared connections and resources through blogging and social media.  Later in the year, JAG will begin a series of virtual meetings with the tentative name: “JAG University.” This series will provide curriculum and information related to the partners’ leadership development work (such as NAP’s Circle of Leaders Academy) to facilitate cross training and knowledge sharing across affinity groups. In addition, the JAG partners plan to host an event during the affinity group conferences that precedes the 2012 COF annual conference in Los Angeles.

2012 Joint Affinity Group Annual Conferences
Funders for LGBTQ, January 11-14
Association of Black Foundation Executives, April 27-28
Native Philanthropy Institute, April 26-29
Women’s Funding Network, May 3-5

First Peoples Fund Announces 2012 Artist in Business Leadership and Cultural Capital Fellows
(Rapid City, SD) - First Peoples Fund, a Rapid City-based national nonprofit organization supporting the work of indigenous artists nationwide, is proud to announce its 2012 Artist in Business Leadership and Cultural Capital Fellows.

The 2012 Artist in Business Leadership Program is an independent business arts fellowship program that features a working capital grant of $5,000 to be used to support a one-year marketing plan/strategy or business goal as defined by the artist applicant.  Artists will receive technical assistance, a professional network of peers, as well as travel funds to participate in FPF's individualized professional development workshops. The fellowship also provides a focus on new works to stimulate creativity and a renewal of energy in Native art expression.

The 2012 Cultural Capital Program is a $5,000 grant that provides tradition bearers of tribal communities the opportunity to further their important cultural work. The program is designed to support previous year Community Spirit Award recipients allowing them to commit more time in teaching and sharing their ancestral knowledge and practices with others who want to learn.

To learn about the fellows and to read the rest of the press release, click here.

A Journey through Lakota Country
By Timothy Dorsey, Open Society Foundations

In late September, the Open Society Foundations, Four Bands Community Fund, and First Peoples Fund hosted a Learning Tour for funders and practitioners.  The idea for the learning visit to the communities of Cheyenne River and Pine Ridge was to invite participants to come together with community members over four days in the interest of building our collective knowledge about social and economic justice work in Indian Country and in South Dakota in particular.  With this goal, we approached our journey as an opportunity for collaborative inquiry.

From our visit on the first day to Takini School where the young women offered a hoop dance and the young men shared their Winter Count masterpieces...to our closing day with the young spiritual leader Jerome Lebeau and the young leaders at Thunder Valley...and all along the way -- at Eagle Butte, the Badlands, Oglala Lakota College in Kyle and the Hill at Wounded Knee -- we experienced a remarkable scope and breadth of social justice practice.  This is truly visionary work that is happening in Cheyenne River and Pine Ridge -- work that is weaving strength, courage, determination, and brilliance across these communities -- and work that the rest of the United States needs to pay attention to more than ever.  It's work that the world needs.

In my humble view, Lakota people are living ‘transformationally’.  That is to say, the people are negotiating the tension lines between historical violence and trauma that continues to play out as it does for so many people in so many "marginalized" communities across this country, while at the same time making their way in the present world and also weaving a vision of the next world in a way that lifts up respect for the earth and all living things, and love.  Across the board, our hosts in the Cheyenne River and Pine Ridge communities are taking care of one another -- all of us -- with deep focus and intentionality.

I came back to my home in New York City after our learning visit as a changed person.  The world that I accepted as reality before doesn't exist for me now -- our learning process cracked it.  But not like a vase that falls and breaks:  like something that was meant to crack -- an egg into a mixing bowl or the ice on a Spring thaw lake -- to reveal another possibility.  In this case, my experience revealed a deeper layer of reality.  It's hard to experience this kind of personal view shifting; it can be painful to let go of an old way of thinking or of something that we believed in.  It is also exhilarating.  On behalf of those of us who participated in this journey, we are grateful to the fierce artists, organizers, advocates, and leaders who honored us with their time and stories.
Photo credit: Ronnie Farley
 

CALENDAR
The Center for Leadership Innovation (TCLI) 2012 National Summit
TCLI is convening its 2012 National Summit in New Orleans, January 17th – 20th, 2012 and we’re hoping that you’ll plan to attend.  

TCLI has a great lineup of sessions and community tours.  They’ve engaged expert speakers and practitioners from The Harwood Institute for Public Innovation, The Nonprofit Finance Fund, the Leadership Learning Community, Mestiza Leadership International, and TYTHE Design to share their knowledge about social sector innovation, financing, and design thinking.
For more information and how to register, click here.

LGBTQ Grantology: It's All in the Mix
Register Now!  Join the 2012 retreat for grantmakers working on LGBTQ issues to engage in four days of discussion, strategizing, and knowledge sharing at our annual gathering, this year at the Deauville Beach Resort in Miami Beach, Florida. Click here for more info.

The 2012 Grantmakers Retreat, January 11th - 14th at the Deauville Beach Resort Pool

Cross-Issue Movement Building ~ Grantmaking for Gender Justice ~ Capacity Building for Sustainable Movement & Alliances ~ Creating Opportunities for Collective Strategy & Action

For more events, visit NAP’s website.

RESOURCES
For more resources from NAP, click here.
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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.