In This Newsletter:

• NAP News

•  Regional Action Network Tour
•  NAP Partnerships and Knowledge Sharing Activities
•  Profiles in Native Leadership: Shelley Butler-Allen

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

NAP NEWS

Regional Action Network Tour
June kicked off the second round of Native Americans in Philanthropy’s Regional Action Network (RAN) tour.  The RANs work as a strategic lens to engage with NAP’s membership as well as with each other both on the ground and on a national level.  Through NAP’s seven Regional Action Networks (RAN), gatherings of native and philanthropic representatives will discuss and define actions on both individual and collective action to improve the effectiveness of grant making in Indian Country; in addition, raising the profile and importance of leadership in Indian Country.  Each 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.  The RANs will create deeper learning opportunities for both Native people, tribal and mainstream foundations and encourage new behaviors, even action, as they are armed with greater knowledge.  The RANs will also provide opportunities to deepening relationships between tribes, urban Native communities and philanthropy. Through the work of each RAN, NAP seeks to improve grantmaking and community-building outcomes in Indian Country.

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.

NAP’s follow-up visit to the Northwest Region was hosted by the NAYA Family Center.  With regional partners, NAP will host events in each region twice in order to deepen networking, collaborations and partnerships throughout each region culminating to the national virtual network and Native Philanthropy Institute in April.

Interested in hosting or partners 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. Visit our website for more information.

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, PA; 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.

NAP Partnerships and Knowledge Sharing
In pursuit of its mission, Native Americans in Philanthropy (NAP) actively seeks out, ENGAGES, and participates in philanthropic collaborations, dialog, and partnerships that support the advancement of philanthropic practices enhanced by the spirit of Native generosity.  Our partners include Native and non-Native individuals, organizations, donors, foundations and interested philanthropists.  All with an interest in understanding the unique aspects of Native communities and how philanthropy can help Native people increase their access to opportunities within the philanthropic community.

Two of NAP’s high profile collaborations include national efforts as key partners in the Joint Affinity Group 2.0 (commonly known as JAG; a liaison group working with Council on Foundations to advance affinity group philanthropic issues) and the D5 Coalition (a five-year working to advance diversity and access in philanthropy).

Native Americans in Philanthropy also seeks to leverage and expand the sources of philanthropic dollars going toward Native issues and concerns by sharing our wisdom brought forward by its membership and build a reciprocal network among Native community, partners, and allies. These knowledge sharing opportunities include NAP staff hosting, presenting, facilitating, and planning speaking engagements, conferences and smaller subject-driven convenings with and for philanthropic organizations. 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. To learn more about NAP recent knowledge sharing activities, check back on our website for the upcoming Knowledge Sharing Activities page.

Contact Y. Elaine Stephens if you’re interested in discussing how you can become more engaged with NAP activities and members, yestephens@nativephilanthropy.org.

JAG
jointaffinitygroups.org
The Joint Affinity Groups (JAG) is a network of grantmaking affinity groups that seek racial and social justice through more equitable funding for all communities. JAG’s work changes philanthropy so that grantmaking more justly represents underserved communities based on race and ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and disability.
 
The primary vehicle for JAG’s work is coordination and collaboration among its six partners. In addition to NAP, JAG’s partners include: Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy (AAPIP), the Association of Black Foundation Executives (ABFE), Funders for LGBTQ Issues, Hispanics in Philanthropy (HIP), and Women’s Funding Network (WFN).
 
Currently, JAG is coordinating partners’ work around issues that affect men and boys of color. JAG is also building collaborations that connect partners’ leadership programs, develop issue-based work, and support a public sector initiative that impacts underserved communities. Additionally, JAG is one of the lead members of the sector-wide D5 initiative that promotes more diversity and inclusion of underserved communities within philanthropy.

D5
www.d5coalition.org
The D5 Coalition is a five-year effort to grow philanthropy’s diversity, equity, and inclusion. In 2010, philanthropic institutions came together to form an unprecedented coalition of 18 foundations and infrastructure organizations and set a strategic agenda to help the field become more effective and reflective of the communities it serves.

The D5 Coalition builds on the achievements and lessons of many in the field. The decades-long work of affinity groups and other partners on diversity issues are essential building blocks of D5′s work.  The ultimate goal is to help foundations achieve greater impact through their grant making in an increasingly diverse environment and to become a more inclusive, equitable and effective sector.

The D5 Coalition has outlined 4 goals for its work:

Goal One - More Dollars, More Donors
Increase resources going to diverse communities, focused primarily on population focused funds (PFFs).

Goal 2 More Diverse and Inclusive Leadership
Increase and promote more diverse executives, CEOs, and board members, as well as policies and practices that foundations can use to support diversity, inclusion and equity.

Goal 3: Consistent and Transparent Data
Coordinate and promote standardized data collection methods and studies that examine and track demographics and grant making regarding diversity, inclusion and equity.

Goal 4: Voluntary Action
Create campaigns and strategies that encourage foundations to take action on diversity, equity and inclusiveness.

Knowledge Sharing Activities

April 7-12, 2011
NAP participated in events at the Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy’s (EPIP) Philanthropology & 10th Anniversary Celebration, as well as the Association of Black Foundation Executive’s (ABFE) 40TH Anniversary Celebration and Conference in building deeper relationship across the affinity groups.

April 10-12, 2011
Council on Foundations 2011 Annual Conference: Windows — NAP served on the 2011 COF Conference Planning Committee. In addition, Carly Hare, NAP Executive Director moderated the closing plenary, Philanthropy on Trial.

May 4, 2011
Philanthropy New York’s Funders Briefing: Seventh Generation Leading: Making the Case for Native Youth Leadership and Organizing — The funders briefing provided an overview of the Native youth leadership and organizing landscape. Information was presented about what Native youth are doing to reshape their communities and their lessons learned will be shared. New research from Honor the Earth, entitled We Are the Seventh Generation: An Assessment of the Needs and Potential of Native Youth Organizing, was be shared.  Funders’ perspective of Native youth organizing was also shared. The session was moderated by Carly Hare and presentations were made by Ray Yazzie, Native Youth Leadership Alliance, Kevin Killer, Co-Director, Native Youth Leadership Alliance and Nat Williams, Executive Director, Hill-Snowdon Foundation.
This funders briefing was organized by Native Americans in Philanthropy with Hill-Snowdon Foundation, Rockefeller Brothers Fund, and Funders Collaborative on Youth Organizing and sponsored by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Surdna Foundation, Jewish Funds for Justice, and Open Society Foundations.

May 25-27, 2011
International Funders of Indigenous Peoples (IFIP) 10th Annual Conference: Traditional Native Philanthropy and Tribal Government Philanthropy Plenary Session
This session highlighted the rich history that Native peoples around the world have in sharing their wealth and caring for their communities. We shared stories of how reciprocity in our communities flourishes from traditional practices through establishment of mainstream foundation-like structures in Indian Country with new wealth.

June 8-10, 2011
EPIP – Professional Development Fund Gathering: Our Partners-Hearing From EPIP Partners and Allies Plenary Session
NAP, ABFE, Asian American and Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy (AAPIP), Resource Generation, and Funders for LGBTQ Issues shared our creation stories and our current work and priorities. Each organization shared ways that attendees can support our missions and be allies.

Ongoing and Future Events
NAP staff and volunteers currently serve on the following planning committees:
July 18, 2011, Washington, DC
Council on Foundation Summer Meeting of Affinity Groups Meeting.

October 6-7, 2011, Saint Paul, MN
Minnesota Council of Nonprofit’s 2011 Conference: Details coming soon.

October 25-27, 2011, Albuquerque, MN
Neighborhood Funders Group’s 2011 Annual Conference: Advancing Community Power through Culture, Equity and Justice

September 21-23, 2011, Missoula, MT
Philanthropy Northwest’s 2011 Annual Conference and Membership Meeting: Barn Raising: The Art of Collaboration.

Register for these events when you’re available and contribute to the knowledge sharing.  More knowledge sharing events and activities will be posted to the NAP website as they are confirmed: www.nativephilanthropy.org.  Contact Y. Elaine Stephens if you’re interested in discussing how you can become more engaged, partner, or collaborate with NAP activities and members, yestephens@nativephilanthropy.org.

PROFILES ON NATIVE LEADERSHIP

Dr. Shelley Butler-Allen, NAP Treasurer & Cherokee Nation Foundation

Education has been a running theme throughout Shelley Butler-Allen’s life and career.  Her work within the Cherokee Nation has allowed her to practice philanthropy by implementing educational opportunities as well as advocate for cultural preservation.

Shelley Butler-Allen (Kiowa/Caddo) spent her youth moving around a lot but her family always ended up back in Oklahoma where most of her extended family also resides.  Growing up, an aspiration of hers was to be a veterinarian but chose not to pursue it due to its focus on science.  “I didn’t have the tendency to be real strong in the sciences.  That was when I was younger though,” she said.  In college, Shelley turned her focus to the social services domain.  She found her true calling by getting her Bachelor’s degree (BA) in Education from the University of Oklahoma.  Education allowed her to take on a helping profession.  She served as a public school teacher and Indian Education Counselor for five years and brought her passion for education into the rest of her professional career. 

Shelley received her Master’s degree (MA) in Guidance and Counseling in 1979 from Northwestern Oklahoma State University.  She continued her pursuit of higher education in 1982 at the University of Oklahoma to work on a doctorate in Education.  Going back allowed her to experience the changes that had occurred since the last time she was at the university.  “The first time around with my BA, it was back in the late 60’s to early 70’s.  It was difficult because there was not a large support system for Native American students pursuing their degree.  You got lost in mainstream society.  My experience as a doctoral student was very different.  There was a lot more visibility of Native American students and counseling on campus.  And you’re more mature,” she added.  With the support of her friends, family and community, Shelley decided on pursuing her PhD in Adult and Community Education and felt it was a good fit with her lifelong objectives.  She said, “It was in line with what I had been doing all my life as an educator.  It fit my life experiences, work experiences, and academic experiences.  It felt comfortable and it was an adaptable field of study.”  

In 1990, she applied for a position with the Cherokee Nation (CN) in Tahlequah, Oklahoma.  Over the past 21 years of tribal service, she has served as Director of Education and Training for Talking Leaves Job Corps, Associate Education Director and is now currently the Director of the Cherokee Nation Co-Partner Program.

Shelley has served as the Director of the Co-Partner Program within the Cherokee Nation Education Services for the past seven years. She manages 88 sub-grants to public schools within the tribal services area, which provide supplemental educational services to 22,000 Native American students in grades K-12. She also oversees the Cherokee Nation Johnson O’Malley (JOM) Program, which provides supplemental educational services to Indian students based on the needs of its communities. “My involvement at the grassroots level of our program provides a broad range of Cherokee programming to schools.  It’s been interesting; exhilarating.  We’re able to provide rich cultural enrichment activities and resources to our students of all ages,” explained Shelley. 

Her interest in the nonprofit sector first stemmed from nationwide funding and budget cuts in 1995.  “It was when Newt Gingrich and the Senate were slashing all kinds of programs.  We were threatened by severe funding cuts,” she explained.  Shelley thought that a tribal nonprofit organization would be beneficial to tribal education programs through supplemental funding resources.  The creation of the Cherokee Nation Foundation, formally the Cherokee Nation Education Corporation, started a synergistic effect within the tribal education department.

Shelley was instrumental in founding the Cherokee Nation Foundation (CNF) in 1998. While many of the tribal nonprofit organizations go through the state to incorporate, CNF was the first to incorporate under tribal nonprofit corporation codes, which set precedence for other tribes to use as a model. CNF is held accountable to the tribal administration and council. CNF works hand in hand with tribal education services to provide supplemental scholarships and language revitalization programming. As Treasurer for CNF, she has oversight of all financial business.  Since the foundation has grown in the past ten years, the organization has expanded to allow for more meaningful focus on its mission and the support staff to do so. “We have an Executive Director, Program Specialist and accountant. The CNF also has an eight member Board of Directors,” she said. Shelley feels that the board represents a broad spectrum of professional expertise and works hard to drive CNF’s mission and goals. 

The CNF has had a strong focus on language revitalization and higher education.  An important project the foundation has been working actively on for the past three years is an electronic Cherokee dictionary.  The Cherokee Electronic Dictionary has been a collaborative effort with Summer Institute of Linguistics International (SIL) to develop the functional dictionary prototype.  Shelley said, “We worked hard to launch this product.  It’s not only for the benefit of its Cherokee citizens but it also has global implications.  It’s available on the worldwide web to anyone who wants to learn Cherokee.  It’s a valuable tool to the continuing study of our language.”  Additionally, CNF provides educational opportunities to all tribal citizens and disburses approximately $90,000 in scholarships annually.  Shelley is proud the foundation is able to impact Cherokee students striving to improve their lives through higher education.

Another project CNF has produced is a traditional Lullaby CD: The Cherokee Songbird Project.  The organization has produced a CD with seven original Cherokee language lullabies in the Cherokee Language and seven stories narrated in Cherokee and English.  The CD has been distributed to Cherokee health clinics, hospitals, head start programs, the Cherokee Language Immersion School and the CN Johnson O’Malley (JOM) programs.  The CD is free and paid for by the CNF.  Shelley expressed excitement over the CD and its distribution to neo-natal clinics and hospitals throughout Cherokee country in order to expose infants and newborn babies to the rich Cherokee language. The foundation also provides educational resources written in Cherokee to schools as a part of their preservation mission. “Through our philanthropy we reach all age groups,” she said.

Married to a full blood Cherokee, Shelley expressed that she feels like an adopted member of the Cherokee tribe.  “I’ve lived in Cherokee Country for 30 years now…My children were raised Cherokee,” she explained.  Her husband has worked 29 years for the Cherokee Nation and Shelley has worked for the tribe for 21 years.  “I never dreamed I would be here that long.  It’s been a wonderful, rewarding experience seeing the tribe’s growth over the past twenty years,” she said.  Tribal gaming is now able to provide much needed funding to its programs and services.  The Cherokee Nation has a $600 million budget with about 7,000 tribal employees.  Shelley described this as a big difference from when she first started working there and the tribe is continuing to grow at a rapid pace.

Since first starting her career, Shelley has noticed several changes happening within philanthropy and the impact they’ve had on Indian Country.  Philanthropic programs with a social justice focus have had a powerful impact on tribal people and Indian communities in Shelley’s opinion.  She has seen an escalation in Native philanthropic programs that focus on educational scholarships.  It has impacted the number of students who wish to continue their education.  She feels environmental philanthropy is extremely important and has had an impact on Indian Country through support and advocacy for the preservation of tribal lands and sovereignty.

Native Americans in Philanthropy (NAP) continue to promote and advocate for the development and promotion of philanthropy in Indian Country.  “It is my hope that mainstream philanthropy will begin to understand that we are an integral part of the philanthropic community,” she said.  She believes NAP’s Regional Action Network is strategic in its aim to educate and advocate Native philanthropy.  NAP’s focus on leadership programming will also help to strengthen philanthropy within Native communities through programs such as the Art of Giving (AoG) and Circle of Leaders Academy (CoL).  “I know people who have gone through the CoL program and they’ve then gone out and done some really good work within their own tribal communities,” she said.

Shelley believes, “giving is a natural part of Native life.  It is innate to all Native communities.” Being philanthropic in our personal lives can sometimes be difficult when getting caught up in our professional jobs but Shelley takes time to give to charitable organizations like her local Help and Crisis Center.  She is looking forward to having more time on her hands for volunteer work once she retires.  Until then, she has a desire to encourage young people like NAP’s Executive Director Carly Hare to assume leadership roles within the philanthropy field.  “I’m so excited she’s seized the opportunity to bring her skills and progressive expertise to NAP,” she said.

Shelley’s advice for those who might be interested in the philanthropic field is to “seize the opportunity to volunteer your time and expertise to help build strong sustainable tribal communities.”

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
Potlatch Fund

Individuals
Edgar Villanueva, Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust

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 at yestephens@nativephilanthropy.org.

Invisible Native Americans of Wealth
By Ron Rowell, Common Counsel Foundation & NAP

It will no doubt surprise some people that there actually are individual Native Americans who own significant material assets. They belong to an invisible group, along with African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanic Americans, and others of color with wealth. The stereotype holds that people of wealth by definition must be White. It is certainly true that the American economic system has long privileged White folks and has erected structural barriers to economic participation by people of color, including of course, seizing Indian land and in every way trying to destroy traditional economies. Nevertheless, there are individual Native Americans who have succeeded in accumulating wealth or who have become wealthy through tribal gaming or natural resource per capita payments. A recent blog post by Pam Pompey, executive director of The Ujamaa Institute in North Carolina and a recent post by Theo Yang Copley on Resource Generation’s website pushed me to reflect on how the invisibility of wealthy Native Americans can be a barrier to growing Native philanthropy.

Those precious few of us who are Native American and work inside institutional philanthropy believe it is time that we invited these individuals to participate as donors in helping to improve conditions in our communities. Many donors have learned through coming together that they can have a collective impact that may not be achievable alone. Many potential donors do not know where to start and may feel overwhelmed by the seemingly infinite range of possibilities of giving. Some are afraid of becoming visible as people of wealth because they might be treated differently or be viewed as just a potential source of funds. These are not uncommon feelings and fortunately, there are people out there who can help. Public foundations like my own can provide advice on philanthropic giving and help you network with other donors. First Nations Development Institute has a training program for wealth management specifically for Native people.

To read the full Indian Country Today Media Network article, click here.

Philanthropists and Indigenous Leaders Talk Solutions to World’s Pressing Problems
By Terri Hansen for Indian Country Today

Philanthropy has often overlooked the world’s 300 million Indigenous Peoples. But the need for climate change solutions makes clear that contributing to our common good must also encompass Indigenous Peoples for their role as protectors of the earth’s biological resources, integral to climate mitigation.

Indigenous Peoples occupy 80 percent of the last remaining biodiversity-rich wilderness. Their land has routinely been taken by conservation and environmental groups, casting them out into the fringes of society. They lose their foods, traditional medicines, and their livelihoods. The world loses too. Not only their ecological experience gleaned over thousands of years of contact with those coveted lands still pristine because of it. It loses their adaptation know how, recently acknowledged by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change as “key,” when they recognized pre-Colombian peoples adaptation to climate change two thousand years ago.

 “Recognition is dawning that Indigenous Peoples hold time-tested answers to some of the gravest problems facing the planet today,” said Evelyn Arce, executive director of the International Funders for Indigenous Peoples. At IFIP’s conference last month in Verona, New York, indigenous leaders and influential donors discussed the world’s most pressing questions as much as they did philanthropy. The more than 100 participants connected innovative solutions to such issues as sustainability, resource management, and the changing climate.

It’s important to remember that “life is not monetarized everywhere,” said Dr. Wolde Tedesse, program officer for the African Rift Valley for The Christensen Fund. “We live in realities where cash and market are not central.” Indigenous Peoples engage in “reciprocal exchanges,” Tedesse said. Climate change is fostering even more reciprocity. In the Gamo Highlands of Ethiopia where Tedesse is from if one community suffers from say, an unseasonal drought, another community automatically offers cattle and seeds.

Climatic changes are forcing donors to better understand their role. Simply providing disaster relief can disrupt traditional reciprocal relationships among neighbors. In Africa for example, increasing erratic rainfall forced seasonally flooded communities to rely on outside resources, a situation that fractured local support systems.

“The Indigenous Peoples grew dependent on the government,” said Ken Wilson, Christensen Fund executive director. “As relationships broke down, conflicts increased.” That insight led to a funding shift. Instead they gave money to neighboring tribes to distribute to flood affected tribes, according to their traditions, with feasts, settling of old accounts, and through the gift of cattle, and seeds. Ultimately, it revived the reciptrocity practiced for millenia. It was a lesson in “how formal philanthropy can achieve far more than simple relief,” said Wilson.

Formal indigenous philanthropy is a growing trend that reached $75 million in grants in 2010. “The amount of funding to Indigenous Peoples has been declining, while Indigenous-controlled funding has increased,” said Carly Hare, executive director of Native Americans in Philanthropy. Native American philanthropy evolved through three major phases, Hare said. Dedicated groups like the Seventh Generation Fund emerged in the late 70s. The Alaska Native Claim Settlement Act dominated the late ’80s and ’90s, largely with academic scholarships. Funding grew from gaming and economic development strategies of various tribes in the late ’90s.

To read the full article, click here.

Potlatch Fund Native Arts 2011 Grant Cycle Now Open
Native American art in the Northwest has always played a central role in all facets of Tribal life.  Artists are important educators and opinion leaders in Tribal communities.  Through art, people learn to imagine other ways of seeing, doing, and interacting with each other and the environment.

Past Native Art grants have, among other things, funded

    * regalia design classes
    * the publication of books
    * co-op projects
    * the purchase of specialized equipment
    * and the teaching of tradition art forms

The application is available online.  Applications must be emailed, or postmarked, by Friday, July 15 to be considered for funding.  Kindly contact Stephanie for additional information: 206.624.6076 x 10 or stephanie@potlatchfund.org.

Visit potlatchfund.org for more details.

NoVo Foundation commits $80 million over 10 years towards ending violence against women and girls.
Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource Center selected as one of 16 national organizations for Move to End Violence.
 
Move to End Violence will strengthen the national movement to address root causes of violence against women and girls in the USA.
 
Last week, the NoVo Foundation of New York kicked off its Move to End Violence Initiative, a groundbreaking, 10 – year, $80 million initiative designed to strengthen the movement to END violence against women and girls in the United States. The program is designed as a series of five cohorts, each with a two-year cycle. Over the life of the initiative, Move to End Violence will engage over 100 individuals and as many organizations, establishing a powerful infrastructure of sophisticated leaders and organizations to lead this effort. NoVo’s strategy is to invest in building capacity in the field and cultivating innovative leaders and organizations working for social change. Sixteen national leaders and organizations were selected for the pilot group, including two from Minnesota. The Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource Center of Minneapolis, and Casa de Esperanza in St. Paul were both honored to be selected by the NoVo Foundation as core members of the first group.

“The opportunity to network with other leaders in the field and influence a national dialogue on ending violence is very exciting”, said Suzanne Koepplinger, Executive Director of the Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource Center. “We are honored to be part of this initiative to end the on-going victimization of women and children in our country”.
 
The first cohort group was selected from a pool of over 140 applicants. During the two-year pilot, these leaders and organizations will engage in movement building work, transformative leadership development, social skills trainings and organizational development. Additionally, each organization receives a significant grant from the NoVo Foundation.
 
The overall goal of Move to End Violence is to strengthen the capacity of individuals and organizations to carry out work to end violence against girls and women in the United States. “For too long, this movement lacked the funding necessary to commit sufficient time and energy to addressing root causes, “ said Jackie Payne, a consultant to NoVo and the director of the initiative, “Because of NoVo’s extraordinary commitment, Move to End Violence will fill that void by strategically investing in a movement’s capacity to end violence against women and girls”.

 
Bush Foundation’s New Website
There's now more to learn, see and do at the new BushFoundation.org.  The website introduces a new look that better reflects our work, and provides tools to help us and our partners interact with each other and the communities we serve, including:

    * A new blog where you can join the discussion.
    * Stories about the amazing work of our partners and fellows.
    * Timely updates about news, opportunities, events, resources and media coverage.
    * New ways to interact with the Foundation via Twitter, Facebook and RSS.

 Find all this and more at the new BushFoundation.org.

PHILANTHROPY NEWS

D5 Coalition Launches Population-Focused Funds Directory
Population-focused funds are giving vehicles established by and for members of racial, ethnic, tribal, gender- and sexual-orientation-based communities to address critical issues within those communities.

D5′s directory contains entries for over 400 population-focused funds throughout the United States, serving African American, Arab American / Middle Eastern, Asian / Pacific Islander, Hispanic / Latino, Native American, women, and LGBTQ communities. Data is sourced through the Foundation Center and supplemented with data from D5 research.

This project was managed by Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors in partnership with the Foundation Center. Funds currently in the directory have been identified through ongoing research and outreach. If you are a fund that meets the eligibility criteria for inclusion in the directory and would like to be added, contact us.

To view the directory, click here.

National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy (NCRP) launches Philanthropy’s Promise website
Join the more than 60 grantmakers that have promised to serve the common good and maximize the impact of their grants. Your foundation can, too!

Philanthropy’s Promise celebrates many of the country’s most innovative and influential grantmaking institutions that seek to maximize the effectiveness of their grants and generate the greatest impact in their communities. Each foundation that has signed on to the initiative is committed to providing at least half their grant dollars for the intended benefit of underserved communities, broadly defined, and at least one quarter of their grant dollars for systemic change efforts involving advocacy, community organizing and civic engagement.

Visit the Philanthropy’s Promise website here.

Shakopee Mdewakanton Announce $2 Million in Tribal Grants
Lower Brule and Santee Sioux Tribes

Prior Lake, MN – To help other Indian Tribes further develop their economies and better serve their tribal members, the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community (SMSC) today announced $2 million in grants to two Dakota/Lakota tribes.  Each of the tribes will receive a $1 million grant for economic development and community improvement.  The Lower Brule Sioux Tribe is located in South Dakota; the Santee Sioux Nation of Nebraska will also receive a grant.

Already in fiscal year 2011 the SMSC has announced more than $14 million in grants, with grants of $1 million each going to the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa Indians (Minnesota), the Crow Tribe of Indians of Montana, the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe (South Dakota), the Omaha Tribe (Nebraska), the Rosebud Sioux Tribe (South Dakota), Spirit Lake Tribe (North Dakota), the White Earth Nation (Minnesota), and Yankton Sioux Tribe (South Dakota).  A grant for $325,000 was also awarded to the Northern Cheyenne Tribe of Montana.

The SMSC has also made a total of more than $396 million in loans to other tribes for economic development projects.  Over the past 15 years, the SMSC has donated more than $215.7 million to charitable organizations and Indian Tribes and Native American organizations.

To read the full press release, click here.

RESOURCES

Registration Now Available for Conference of Southwest Foundations 2011 Annual Conference
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.

Early bird registration ends August 5, 2011!
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 www.c-s-f.org.
Questions? Contact the CSF office at 214-740-1787.

2011 Native Economic Development Workshop Series Open for Registration 
Washington, DC—The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund) is proud to announce an expanded and enhanced intergovernmental workshop series to promote economic development in Native American communities across the country.  Titled Growing Economies in Indian Country: Taking Stock of Progress and Partnerships, the workshop series builds upon last year’s efforts of the CDFI Fund and the Federal Reserve by drawing multiple federal partners and local stakeholders into the discussion about best economic and community development practices for Native communities.  Registration for these workshops is now open.

The one-day workshops are being conducted by the CDFI Fund, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, and the Federal Reserve Banks of San Francisco, Minneapolis, Chicago, and Boston, along with other federal agencies.  The dates and locations for the 2011 workshops follow:

July 19, 2011               San Diego, California
July 21, 2011               Portland, Oregon
August 30, 2011          Billings, Montana
September 20, 2011    Bangor, Maine
September 22, 2011    Lac de Flambeau, Wisconsin

The workshops are free; however, advance registration is required. For more information about the series, and to register for a specific workshop please click here.

Professionals Learning About Community, Equity & Smart Growth (PLACES) Program
The PLACES program is now accepting applications for the 2012 class.  The application deadline is July 29, 2011.  The fellowship begins in October 2011.

Now entering its third year, the PLACES fellowship is designed as a year-long fellowship program that offers tools, knowledge, and best practices to enhance funder grantmaking decisions in ways that are responsive to the needs and assets of low-income neighborhoods and communities of color. This fellowship is designed for professionals in philanthropy who are serving low-income neighborhoods and communities of color.

 To learn more about the program and how to apply, click here.

Indian Land Tenure Foundation: Training Opportunity for Tribes
Solid Waste Management Training for Tribes - Northeast Region
July 12 -15, 2011, Seneca Niagara Casino and Hotel, New York

This course is designed for tribal elected officials, tribal environmental personnel, tribal court personnel, tribal law enforcement with the capacity to enforce tribal environmental laws, state and federal EPA personnel that work with tribes to address solid waste management issues and others interested in increasing the capacity of tribes to address solid waste management issues.

Topics Covered:  Solid Waste Management Code Development, Integrated Solid Waste Management Plans, Waste Stream Reduction, and more.

Hosted By: The National Indian Justice Center

Cost:  Tuition is free. 

To read more, click here.

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

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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: http://nativephilanthropy.org/membership/member_benefits_structure
 
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 at yestephens@nativephilanthropy.org.
 
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 at info@nativephilanthropy.org.

Native American Clip Art supplied by First People.