Welcome to E-News from Native Americans in Philanthropy!

You will see that our E-News now compliments our website at even greater degrees, from the overall look and feel to the depth of resources available.

In this summer edition of E-news you will find news of our latest board members, and links to the newly polished website containing "Tools for Tribes", "Tools for Nonprofits", "Tools for Funders", and "Tools for Leaders" as well as job posting, announcements and dates for Native Philanthropy gatherings across the nation.

As members of Native Americans in Philanthropy (NAP) you not only find resources and links to people and information that strengthens your work, but you can also add your links and resources to the NAP website. Send us the link to your webpage, title and summary and we will post the resource and link members back to your site. The network through collaboration, partnerships and sharing of information.

We hope you will join us. As a member, you will benefit from the strength of our connections, the caliber of our members and the promise of our work. Your involvement is important to us and to the larger American Indian community. Whether you work in mainstream philanthropy, tribal giving or the non-profit sector, you will be a vital part of our growing and dynamic network.
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Note; Memberships are renewable on our fiscal year July thru June

- Joy A Persall, Executive Director

NAP Welcomes Three New Board Members

Megan Minoka Hill (Oneida) recently joined Honoring Nations of The Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development. Megan brings experience as the Director of Development at Arizona State University's American Indian Policy & Leadership Development Center. and as Senior Program Officer for The Institute of American Indian Arts. Megan currently serves on the board of the Dr. Rose Minoka Hill Fund and Wings of America. She is a former American Indian Ambassador of Americans for Indian Opportunity

Ricardo Lopez, (Aleut) is a Program Assistant with the Rasmuson Foundation. He currently serves as the Board Chair for the Anchorage-based nonprofit organization Child care Connection. Since December 2002, Ricardo has volunteered as the host for First Voices, a radio program featuring contemporary Native American, Alaska Native, and world music. The live program airs weekly on KNBA 90.3 FM, the nation's first Native radio station located in an urban market and operated by Koahnic Broadcast Corporation.

Carla Roberts (Eastern Delaware) is Vice President of Affiliates for the Arizona Community Foundation with responsibility for managing a statewide network of affiliated community foundations. Prior to joining the Foundation, Roberts was the Executive Director of Atlatl, National service Organization for Native American Arts for seven and a half years. She was a national Endowment for the Arts Fellow with the Division of Human Rights in 1981. She is a qualified trainer in technology of Participation methodologies for group facilitation and consensus building as well as fundraising with an emphasis on planned giving.

Members News

Ford Foundation Launches $1.9 million Native American Arts Initiative
The Ford Foundation has announced a $1.9 million initiative to strengthen Native American arts and cultures throughout the United States.

The IllumiNation program will provide support for indigenous artists and performers, encourage entrepreneurship, and help build networks between individuals and organizations across the United States. As part of the program, a select number of indigenous arts organizations have been awarded two-year grants of up to $250,000 that will be disseminated to individual artists, community groups, and institutions.

The seven Ford grantees participating in the program have created a national support network for the contemporary Native American arts community and, through the program, will work to sustain artists and organizations in communities across the country, support cultural creativity and self-determination, and expose the larger arts community to Native American perspectives.

The foundation also announced that later this year it will launch a new Native American arts and culture fund with an initial endowment of $5 million designed to strengthen philanthropic networks of tribes, foundations, corporations, and individuals. The fund will extend the work of the IllumiNation program and its commitment to Native American arts.

For a complete list of IllumiNation grantees, visit the Ford Foundation Web site at under the News and Resources section. "Ford Foundation's IllumiNation Program Supports Native American Arts, Artists, and Cultures." Ford Foundation Press Release 7/06/07.

Primary Subject: Native Americans
Secondary Subject(s): Arts and Culture
Location(s): National, New York, New York City



Echohawk- Delgado Award, Waukazoo - Flying Eagle Woman
The Louis T. Delgado Distinguished Grantmaker Award will be presented to Lucille Echohawk.

Lucille has successfully reached out to mainstream philanthropists with grace and humility for over 25 years. She has served the Native community while earning a great measure of respect among the many friends that she has cultivated. She has become known as one of the most distinguished leaders in Native philanthropy.

Lucille currently serves as Senior Specialist - Indian Child Welfare Programs for Casey Family Programs . She has focused her professional and volunteer work towards increasing the well-being of Native American children on reservations and urban communities. Humbly, and patiently, Lucille works tirelessly to build bridges between Native communities and mainstream philanthropy.

The Flying Eagle Woman Community Based Philanthropy Award will be presented to Helen Waukazoo.

Helen embodies the spirit of the Flying Eagle Woman award in her individual leadership capacity, tireless and culturally relevant advocacy and as a trusted and compassionate friend to the Indian community and beyond.

Helens roots as Navajo have entwined with the diverse representation of Native peoples nationally through her work at the Friendship House. Helen represents peace and grace through conflict resolution, community building and determination in developing vibrant, exciting, caring and proud communities.

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Resources

First Nations Films
First Nations Films are available to the public on important subjects from Spirituality to Land Claims to Traditional Music to Politics. These award-winning professional broadcast TV programs are some of the best in North America! Very suitable for groups, libraries, classroom or individual.

Antioch's Center for Native Education (CNE)
Native students have the highest dropout rates and the lowest college completion rates of any ethnic group in the country. Antioch's Center for Native Education (CNE) is dedicated to changing this reality and improving academic success for Native Americans in culturally relevant ways.

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Member Events

August 1st, 2007 - Common Vision.

September 15, 2007 - Native Philanthropy: Community and Resources

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