Celebrating the First Year of the NCAI Foundation: Lessons in Partnership, Sovereignty, and Impact
By Greg Masten, Yurok, President of the NCAI Foundation
For the past 81 years, the National Congress of American Indians has been at the forefront of many issues that have impacted and shaped what we know as Tribal Nations today. The NCAI legacy was birthed out of necessity—to protect and advocate for our Tribes and Native Peoples. Our leaders of the past carried a sacred trust; they didn’t always want to be Tribal leaders, but in the face of injustice, they stood and fought, not for themselves, but for their families and their people. They hoped for a better future for their children, grandchildren, and future generations—and that hope fueled them to take action.
In continuation of NCAI’s mission, it is that same sacred trust that birthed the NCAI Foundation. We launched the NCAI Foundation on National Philanthropy Day. The Foundation was launched to meet the growing and urgent needs of Tribal Nations and to support Native Peoples in a way and at a scale that had not been done before. There are many complex issues impacting our Native communities. To solve them, we need true partnerships and impact investments requiring deeper strategies that center collaboration and integrate policy, programs, and services at local, regional, and national levels.
It has been clear for some time that philanthropy needs to prioritize and invest more in Native American communities and Tribes. I believe there are many in the philanthropy sector that want to do good, but we need to do the good work, in a good way—based on understanding, with mutual respect and trust, and with an unwavering commitment.
This first year has been a time of laying foundations—literally and figuratively. The pandemic showed the world what we have always known: Tribal Nations are resilient, innovative, and deeply capable of managing their own affairs. Often, we’ve been under-resourced, and in spite of this, we’ve done so much good with so little. But what if we were properly resourced? During the pandemic, and for the first time, philanthropy responded with unrestricted funding, trusting Tribes to define and solve their own challenges. The NCAI Foundation emerged in this context, serving as a critical partner in amplifying these efforts, bridging gaps, and scaling solutions that honor Tribal sovereignty and Native knowledge.
The NCAI Foundation is more than a funding entity; it is the connection point for true collaboration. We have built on NCAI’s long history as a trusted partner with Tribes and continue the legacy of NCAI by working with our national sister organizations, inter-tribal organizations, and Native serving organizations. In the past, NCAI forged the way as a national re-granter, managing federal pass-through funds for decades to ensure they reach Tribal Nations directly. But today, we go further. The Foundation’s unique relationship with Tribes positions us as the conduit to scale investments across multiple areas, from environmental sustainability and digital sovereignty to economic development, education, public health, and other community impacts.
Our Equity and Sovereignty Framework anchors everything we do. Sovereignty is not just a guiding principle; it is the cornerstone of self-determination that leads to effective solutions. Through this lens, we reduce bureaucracy and honor the expertise of Tribal Nations, allowing them to apply resources in ways that work best for their communities. This first year has underscored the power of this approach—investments aligned with sovereignty have real and lasting impact.
While our work in this first year has laid strong foundations, there are still challenges ahead. Invisibility and underinvestment require ongoing efforts to build awareness, shift narratives, shift power dynamics, and expand opportunities. The NCAI Foundation has taken important steps by gathering data, amplifying Tribal voices, and addressing funding gaps that persist across Indian Country. We have shown that we are an effective convener and conduit for these investments as a trusted partner in ensuring they reach where they are most needed.
Looking ahead, the NCAI Foundation’s mission remains clear: to create an ecosystem for collaboration where policy, programs, and services align to support the distinct needs of NCAI, Tribal Nations and Native communities. This work is about more than addressing immediate challenges—it is about building the infrastructure and relationships that will sustain Tribal Nations and Native communities for generations to come.
We are only at the beginning of this journey, but already the lessons are clear. Tribal Nations and Native serving organizations are a good investment. Trust the decision making of their leadership. Invest in the work. Commit to long-term, unrestricted support. These principles have guided our first year and will continue to shape our path moving forward.
I am often asked, “What do you hope for the NCAI Foundation?” My hope is the same, for healthy, thriving Native American communities and Tribes—and that hope would inspire action where every foundation and corporate giving organization would acknowledge the first people of this nation by prioritizing their giving to include Native Peoples with a minimum of 3% of their annual giving. Some foundations have already taken this step, some as high as 50% of their portfolios now supporting Native American communities. Native American people have sacrificed so much for this nation. It is time to give back.
LISTEN TO THE PODCAST:
In this episode of the Sentinel, we mark the one-year anniversary of the NCAI Foundation, established in November 2023. The Foundation was created to unlock philanthropic dollars and build sustaining relationships supporting tribal sovereignty and Native self-determination. The NCAI Foundation is the only one of its kind that upholds these core principles while holding itself directly accountable to Tribal Nations. Funds raised go to support Native-led programs addressing challenges in a wide variety of issues such as food security, health, and education.
Greg Masten, President of the NCAI Foundation, and Dawn Knickerbocker, Vice President of Philanthropic Strategies, join us to report on the success of their efforts and the growth of the Foundation’s reach during their inaugural year. We also learn about the current landscape of Native philanthropy and the specific challenges that tribal communities and Native organizations face when accessing philanthropic dollars. Read the blog post below:
