Tanka Fund at HIP–NAP: A Gathering of Latine and Indigenous Philanthropy Leaders
Albuquerque, NM — June 18, 2025
More than 600 funders, nonprofit heads, and grassroots organizers converged on Hotel Albuquerque last week for the first-ever joint conference of Hispanics in Philanthropy (HIP) and Native Americans in Philanthropy (NAP). Billed as “Transforming Philanthropy Together,” the June 16-18 gathering marked a decisive shift toward collaborative grantmaking that centers both Latine and Indigenous priorities.
A Conference Designed for Collaboration
Two powerhouse networks, one shared stage. After decades of hosting separate annual meetings, HIP and NAP combined forces to spark side-by-side dialogue among corporate foundations, tribal leaders, and movement builders—groups that rarely hold strategy sessions in the same room.
Every session acknowledged the land beneath attendees’ feet—the ancestral homelands of Pueblo, Navajo, and Apache peoples—reminding participants that funding decisions ultimately shape real territories, economies, and cultures.
Philanthropy’s Expanding Job Description
Panelists urged funders to think less like benefactors and more like long-term stakeholders who:
Underwrite infrastructure, not just innovation. Administrative backbone dollars allow proven projects to scale without chasing fragmented grants.
Budget for policy alignment. Advocacy stipends and training were framed as legitimate climate-solution expenses, not extras.
Invest in storytelling. Films, podcasts, and digital media were presented as essential—“the narrative scaffolding that makes big wins possible,” as one foundation executive put it.
These trends echo shifts already baked into Tanka Fund’s forthcoming fundraising roadmap for 2026.
The Bottom Line
No single blueprint emerged from the HIP-NAP convening—but a clear consensus did: land stewardship, cultural continuity, and economic sovereignty rise or stall together. From a decade in nonprofit marketing, one lesson stands out: results follow relationships, and relationships follow story.
With fresh insights—and fresh allies—Tanka Fund is poised to deepen its mission of returning Buffalo to Native lands, lives, and economies, armed with a clearer picture of where philanthropy is headed next.
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