Native Nonprofit day 2023

Native Nonprofit Day is a giving initiative aimed at increasing support for Native-led organizations nationwide. Organizations, foundations, and individuals are invited to dedicate May to raising awareness of the importance of supporting Native-led nonprofits, culminating in Native Nonprofit Day!

NWF recognizes that Native-led organizations have the solutions to the issues that Native communities are facing. Native-led nonprofits know Native communities and their strengths and how best to help Native people. The systemic funding inequities Native-led organizations face make it more difficult to implement Native-led solutions. Investing in Native-led nonprofits is the best way to enhance positive change in Native communities. Native Nonprofit Day is an innovative opportunity for donors and foundations to learn about our amazing Native-led nonprofits and contribute to our groundbreaking work.

This campaign encourages donors to give to nonprofits directly through Native-led organizations’ donate pages or through their own fundraisers. We are not accepting donations meant for other Native-led nonprofits.

We are inviting all Native-led nonprofits, foundations, individuals, and other allies to join us and we encourage all Native-led nonprofits to use #NativeNonprofitDay, #GiveNative, and #SupportNativeLed in their fundraising efforts leading up to and on Native Nonprofit Day.

And remember, you can join us in this endeavor by creating content to post, tag, and share—and share other organization’s content—so that all Native-led organizations may benefit!

“Native Nonprofit Day is a day of recognizing the needs of Native communities and taking action to fulfill them in an immediate and supportive, yet respectful, way. Native-led nonprofits directly address these needs and, too often, are having to do so without the flexible, funding streams that allow their work to be as effective as possible. Native Nonprofit Day calls on the broader funding community—individual donors, foundations, and corporations—to increase the resources to our organizations to ensure our communities thrive.”

Carly Bad Heart Bull, JD (Flandreau Santee)

Executive Director, Native Ways Federation

Resources for Native nonprofit day 2023

Please check out our resources below to assist you and your organization in promoting Native-led nonprofits on Native Nonprofit Day 2023! If you need more assistance, please don’t hesitate in reaching out to us! More resources will be added leading up to Native Nonprofit Day 2023.

Donate to Native Ways Federation

DISCLAIMER: While we encourage non-Native foundations and non-Native-controlled nonprofits to join us in uplifting Native-led nonprofits throughout the entirety of Native Nonprofit Day and beyond, we request that they refrain from fundraising for non-Native organizations using Native Ways Federation materials. We ask that our materials be used to ethically promote funding equity for Native-controlled nonprofits. We do not condone non-Native nonprofits utilizing our campaign posts and graphics to fundraise for their organizations.

We define “Native-led” and “Native-controlled” nonprofits as organizations with at least 51 percent of the board of directors and leadership team identifying as American Indian, Alaska Native, or Native Hawaiian. We also advocate for Native-led organizations whose programs predominantly serve tribes, Native communities, and peoples in tribal and/or off-reservation communities.