Native Americans in Philanthropy Annual Conference brings partnerships to the forefront

Our team attended the Native Americans in Philanthropy Annual Conference in Riverside, CA, April 14–16. NAP is a Native-led organization that advocates, educates, convenes, and innovates to increase philanthropic investment in Native communities and shift how the sector engages with Indigenous people.

The gathering brought together changemakers, culture keepers, and leaders working across philanthropy, Native advocacy, and Tribal sovereignty. It was a clear reminder — when collaboration is possible, there’s no reason to work in isolation.

We attended to strengthen funding opportunities and build partnerships. Collaboration is critical to the long-term strength of Indigenous organizations. The experience also pushed us to think more intentionally about how we share our work, including developing a stronger annual report moving forward.

Much of the learning was interactive and grounded in community. One exercise asked participants to reflect on what’s possible when people work together. Another highlighted who was in the room — a simple but powerful reminder of the network behind the work.

Moments like this reinforce something important: our work doesn’t have to happen in silos. It can move alongside others across communities and sectors.

Tanka Fund is proud of the partnerships that support our mission to return Buffalo to the land, lives, and economies of Native people. We remain committed to building with others who are doing the work to move our communities forward.