Geography & Community Served are where the nonprofit provides services or makes an impact. Organizations are invited to select as many as are relevant to their work. We have not provided strict definitions for these geographic and service areas; however, these may be understood as follows:

• Reservation: Works with Native people on an American Indian Reservation
• Off-Reservation: Works with Native people or communities not located on a reservation
• Urban: Works with Native people or communities who live in a city or urban area
• Tribal: Works with Native people who are citizens or descendants of a specific Tribe
• Local: Works with Native people of a small geography, not necessarily bound by a reservation or specific Tribe
• Regional: Works with Native people across a larger geography that could include multiple reservations, off-reservation areas, urban areas, counties, or states
• National: Works with Native people and communities across most or all of the colonially imposed U.S.A. state borders
• International: Works with Native or Indigenous people and communities across colonially imposed international borders

This filter can be used to find organizations based on their state geography. We acknowledge and honor Tribal sovereignty and recognize the conflict in using colonially imposed state geography to describe the location of Native and Tribal organizations and we hope to improve this element ongoing.

Due to current limitations of the directory, we have chosen to provide organization locations based on their state. Additionally, we hear from funders and donors who are seeking information about organizations within specific geographies, such as state or region, and this will help those groups to find organizations that meet their needs.

If a specific state is not listed, there are currently no organizations that submitted that state as their primary location or ‘headquarters’. This does not mean there are no organizations impacting Native communities in your State or community.

You may be able to find organizations working across states by using the Geography & Community Served to filter for “National” or “Regional” organizations.

Nonprofits include a variety of categories that the IRS and U.S. government have determined are not paying out profits to shareholders or stakeholders, including but not limited to 501(c)3s, 501(c)4s, 501(c)5s, 7871s, and fiscally sponsored organizations. Not all nonprofits can receive tax-deductible donations. Learn more at the National Council of Nonprofits.

The #GiveNative List only includes organizations that can receive tax-deductible donations, including 501(c)3s, 7871 Tribal nonprofits, and fiscally sponsored organizations.

501(c)3s are organizations that apply for and qualify as public charities or private foundations under the Internal Revenue Code 501(c)(3) and are exempt from corporate income tax. Individuals or companies can provide tax-deductible, charitable contributions to organizations with 501(c)3 status.

7871s are Tribal Nonprofits. Section 7871 treats Indian Tribes like states for most federal tax purposes, including determining whether and in what amount a contribution to a Tribal government is deductible as a charitable contribution.

Fiscally Sponsored Organizations have not yet received or applied for 501(c)3 status from the IRS. They have a formal relationship with a 501(c)3 (their fiscal sponsor) who accepts tax-deductible contributions on behalf of the sponsored organization. The fiscal sponsor may also provide infrastructural and administrative support. It is common for the fiscal sponsor to charge an administrative fee for its services. Learn more at the National Council of Nonprofits.

Native Ways Federation advocates that donors, foundations, and allies increase their support of Native-led organizations. By joining this list, Native-led nonprofits are participating in a collective campaign, highlighting the incredible range and power of Native-led solutions across the country. We hope this resource advances our goal of increasing direct support to Native-led organizations and reflects the strength and diversity of this network.

We define “Native-led” and “Native-controlled” as organizations with at least 51 percent of the Board of Directors and Leadership Team identifying as American Indian, Alaska Native, or Native Hawaiian.

Yes and No. Organizations who do not meet all four criteria for the list, including having at least 51 percent Native board and leadership team representation, are not eligible to be published.

However, all organizations can (and should!) participate in Native Nonprofit Day by uplifting and supporting Native-led organizations! And organizations can become part of this great network of Native-led nonprofits by increasing Native leadership opportunities at their organization.

No, we asked participating organizations to share the number of board members and leadership team who identify as Native. We do not require proof of identity, descendance, citizenship, or enrollment in a state or federally recognized Tribe.

While we recognize that U.S. boundaries were not created by Indigenous communities, and are often in conflict with how we identify, at this time we are only including organizations located within the U.S. and registered under the IRS (501c3s or fiscally sponsored) or Federally Recognized Tribes (7871 Tribal Nonprofits).

Please contact the organization directly if you have questions about their work or how to best support them.

If you have a question or concern about an organization’s inclusion on the list, please contact us at Native Ways Federation by emailing us at: info@nativeways.org

You can always participate! Organizations are not required to sign up for the list to participate in Native Nonprofit Day. Organizations may participate in one or more of a variety of ways, including using the #NativeNonprofitDay hashtag, sharing campaign posts, graphics and content, fundraising, thank-a-thons, hosting events, hosting a volunteer activity, and much more. We want all organizations to feel welcome and able to join this amazing network of Native-led nonprofits.

If your organization would like to be on the list and missed the Monday, April 29, 2024 deadline, please sign up for our email list where we share updates on the list and other giving day opportunities: https://nativeways.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/nativeways/subscribe.jsp?subscription=3

Currently information is accurate at the time submitted. All organizations on the list must submit or reconfirm their details in March and April 2024.

Organizations may submit updates, additions, or corrections to their profile by Monday, May 13, 2024 to info@nativeways.org and we will do our best to accomodate those changes.

Native Ways Federation staff review organizations submissions, based on self-reported details, to ensure they meet all four criteria:

1. Be Native-led. We define “Native-led” and “Native-controlled” as organizations with at least 51 percent of the Board of Directors and Leadership Team identifying as American Indian, Alaska Native, or Native Hawaiian.
2. Demonstrate specific service to Native people and communities. The organization has a mission, vision, strategic plan, or founding documents that express a commitment to serve Native Nations, communities, or people.
3. Have U.S. nonprofit status (501c3, 7871, or fiscally sponsored). Using the organization’s or their fiscal sponsor’s provided EIN – Employment Identification Number, we search the IRS Exempt Organization Search. 7871 Tribal Nonprofits must submit the affiliated federally recognized tribe.
4. Be in good standing with the IRS as a Tax Exempt Organization. In other words, the organization or fiscal sponsor is eligible to receive tax-deductible charitable contributions. To verify this for a 501c3, we use the IRS Exempt Organization Search to find Publication 78 Data for potential revocation status. We also use the Exempt Organization Business Master File Extract if there was a revocation listed to verify the most up to date status.

Native Ways Federation used the organization’s or their Fiscal Sponsor’s EIN (Tax Identification Number) to search the IRS website and additional online resources to confirm the organizations were verified nonprofits and eligible for tax deductible donations at the time of our review. Some organizations were confirmed in October and November 2023, new organizations will be confirmed in April and May 2024.

Native Ways Federation did not review additional financial, legal, watchdog, or accountability reporting resources.  Donors or supporters are responsible for due diligence if they are concerned about how their donations are being used.

No, Native Ways Federation does not accept or distribute donations on behalf of the organizations featured on the list or our founding organizations. If you would like to donate to an organization, use their donation link or contact them directly.

If you would like to donate to Native Ways Federation and support our work, including Native Nonprofit Day and #GiveNative, you can submit a donation online (click here) or mail a check to:

Native Ways Federation
101 5th St E, Suite 2400
St. Paul, MN 55101-1800

Yes! All are welcome and encouraged to advertise and share the Native Nonprofit Listing. Please include a link to the listing, and credit to Native Ways Federation and Native Nonprofit Day.

Feel welcome to reach out at info@nativeways.org

We’re happy to help in any way we can!