We provide expert assistance

Tanka Fund provides expert assistance to advise Native buffalo ranchers on ranch planning, implementing and sustaining best ranching practices, obtaining certifications that allow them to participate in the value-added buffalo markets, and much more. Our services include:

Financial Planning

Financial planning for private Native buffalo ranchers has multi-levels of barriers. Tanka Fund assists our caretaker partners financially through connection to FSA services, conversation coaching for banking institutions, creating partnerships and/or relationships with Native CDFIs, information on insurances, lines of credit, and general overall financial planning for a business (budget development and planning, financial options, etc.). Our eventual plan is to establish a Guaranteed Purchase Program where our producers will have increased opportunity for long-term sustainability.

Business Planning

Our goal is to assist our partners with the establishment of an agricultural operation that reflects each rancher’s individual goals and methods. Through this assistance, we provide support with business plan development at any level (beginning, in process, in transition to new models). We also assist with emergency preparedness planning.

Conservation Planning

Our services include conservation planning, grazing model identification, navigation through the land acquisition process, land mapping, etc.  We also provide in-person events for training on soil, assessing grass, immunizing herds and more.

Infrastructure Building

The physical portion of herd management is a monumental piece of buffalo operations. Tanka Fund provides direct grant funding in order to assist with the infrastructure building needs of operations. Funds can be used for equipment, fencing, feed, hay, soil testing, or any other function related to daily operations. 

Network Building

As a way to share experiences, have peer mentorship and connection, we host rancher meetings, virtually or in-person, with topics based upon the collective needs of our participants. We also administer feedback surveys to ensure that all of our services continue to be relevant and helpful to changing needs.