Native Americans in Philanthropy is a left-of-center advocacy group and funding collaborative that operates a variety of programs to direct funding from large left-of-center grantmaking foundations to Native American advocacy groups that conduct get-out-the-vote campaigns. The group is affiliated with Third Plateau, a consulting firm that operates left-of-center funding collaboratives including the Democracy Funders Network, Democracy Communications Fund, and Patriots and Pragmatists, and has promoted Native American advocacy groups including the Advance Native Political Leadership Education Fund, California Native Vote Project, and Get Out the Native Vote. ^{1 2}

Background

Native Americans in Philanthropy was formed during the Council of Foundations Conference in 1989 when a small group of Native American, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander foundation employees decided to form groups focused on increasing the visibility of funding towards groups representing such communities. This effort led to the creation of both Native Americans in Philanthropy (NAP) and Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy (AAPIP). Native Americans in Philanthropy was formed as a nonprofit organization in 1994. ^{3 2}

The group grew significantly in revenue, expenses, and assets since 2020, reporting $2.9 million in revenue in 2020 compared to $13.8 million in 2024. ³

Native Americans in Philanthropy was aligned with the Black Lives Matter movement since before 2016 and supported far-left Native American protests at the Standing Rock reservation. ⁴

Racial Equity Advancement and Defense Initiative (READI)

Native Americans in Philanthropy is a member of the Racial Equity Advancement and Defense Initiative (READI), a project of the Association of Black Foundation Executives (ABFE), Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy, Hispanics in Philanthropy, and Native Americans in Philanthropy designed to “promote, expand, and defend race-explicit grantmaking and programming.” ⁵

READI opposed the 2023 Supreme Court decision that banned the use of race as a determining factor in higher education admissions, which according to the group is “emboldening right-wing groups to attack racial equity policies and practices in the public, corporate, philanthropic, nonprofit, and other sectors.” ⁵

The group also called the decision “part of the centuries-long series of attacks on attempts to build the multi-racial, multi-ethnic democracy that we all deserve.” ⁵

Biden Administration

In 2024, Native Americans in Philanthropy helped direct $122.5 million in conservation grants from the “America the Beautiful Challenge” organized by the Biden administration’s Department of the Interior through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Department of Defense, Native Americans in Philanthropy, and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) with funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Inflation Reduction Act, and other federal conservation programs, and private sources. ⁶

In 2022, the group participated in the White House Tribal Nations Summit, at which Erik Stegman, CEO of Native Americans in Philanthropy, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) “with the Department of the Interior to create a new Office of Strategic Partnerships. This new office will bring private funders together with government officials to unlock federal dollars for Tribes and make them work better for their communities.” ⁷

1. “Announcing a First-of-its-Kind Funders Guide to Support Indigenous-led Civic Engagement in 2024 and Beyond.” Third Plateau. September 17, 2024.  https://thirdplateau.com/blog/announcing-funders-guide-to-support-indigenous-led-civic-engagement/
2. “Our Origin Story.” Native Americans in Philanthropy. Accessed February 9, 2025. https://nativephilanthropy.org/our-origin-story
3. “Native Americans in Philanthropy.” ProPublica. Accessed February 9, 2025. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/561849598
4. “2016-2017 Annual Report.” Native Americans in Philanthropy. Accessed February 9, 2025. https://20951050.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/20951050/2016-2017-NAP-Annual-Report.pdf?__hstc=233546881.85fd08f4d40313ba1facdd52e31b3fbd.1674139179884.1679492856496.1679495535669.50&__hssc=233546881.3.1679495535669&__hsfp=3867785717&hsCtaTracking=6cd5a6e2-6a25-4a15-8f8f-9fffa98e6a28%7C2c358998-7ec6-47bd-a4ea-d070360acd28
5. “Equity and Inclusion Statement.” Native Americans in Philanthropy. Accessed February 9, 2025. https://nativephilanthropy.org/equity-inclusion-statement
6. “National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Announces $122.5 Million in Conservation Grants from the America the Beautiful Challenge.” Native Americans in Philanthropy. December 2, 2024. Accessed February 9, 2025. https://nativephilanthropy.org/blog/national-fish-and-wildlife-foundation-announces-122.5-million-in-conservation-grants-from-the-america-the-beautiful-challenge
7. “Public Private Partnerships.” Native Americans in Philanthropy. Accessed February 9, 2025. https://nativephilanthropy.org/public-private-partnerships