Together, we carry the herd
First, thank you for your ongoing support — your generosity powers the mission of Tanka Fund: restoring Buffalo to Native lands, lives, and economies. Alongside grants and government support, your contributions remain essential to this work.
Our commitment to Native communities and the return of Buffalo as a powerful force for cultural and economic restoration remains unchanged. As Executive Director Dawn Sherman wrote to our rancher partners:
“We remain deeply committed to restoring Buffalo and look forward to finding new ways to continue working together.”
On April 14, the USDA ended its $3 billion Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities program — a groundbreaking initiative that supported regenerative practices across the U.S. Tanka Fund had been awarded up to $5 million over five years through PCSC to expand our Climate-Smart Buffalo Producer incentives.
Two weeks later, our Mountains and Plains Environmental Justice (MAP EJ) Grant — focused on community-based Buffalo harvests — was also formally closed.
For dozens of Native families who steward Buffalo herds, the cut means:
Lost cost-share dollars for regenerative fencing, water-line installation, and prescribed-burn planning.
Interrupted soil-health monitoring, delaying the data that proves Buffalo grazing heals prairie ecosystems.
Cultural harvests have been impacted and halted for the unforeseeable future, which affects our smaller ranchers by removing the access to feed the community, schools, and elders.
“Your commitment during these challenging times empowers our mission to restore Buffalo to Native lands, lives, and economies, which is more crucial now than ever,” Dawn said. “While recent setbacks have posed obstacles, we are actively seeking new avenues and as we move forward, we will keep you informed about our efforts and the impact your generous contributions continue to make. Thank you for standing with us.”
Stand with Native ranchers today
Your support is more than a gift — it’s a stand for sovereignty, stewardship, and the sacred bond between Buffalo and Native people.
Make an unrestricted gift.
Your donation is our most flexible tool for helping ranchers replace lost PCSC payments — whether it’s a water-tank purchase next week or fuel for range monitoring in July.
Give now ➜ tankafund.org/donateBecome a monthly Buffalo Sustainer.
Reliable, month-to-month support lets us commit to multi-year grazing plans and equipment grants with confidence.
Set up a recurring gift ➜ tankafund.org/donate (select “Monthly”)
Buffalo restoration is sacred, generational work — and we won’t let this setback stop us. Your support today is more than a donation; it’s a stand for sovereignty, stewardship, and strength. Together, we’ve made so much possible — and together, we’ll keep going. Wopila and thank you for standing with us, with Native ranchers, and with the Buffalo.
Tanka Fund co-sponsors inaugural Buffalo to School Conference
We are proud to announce that we are a partner of the Regional Buffalo to School Conference, which kicks off June 22 and runs until June 24 at Western Dakota Technical College in Rapid City, South Dakota. This is a first-of-its-kind event designed to help school food service staff, school administrators and buffalo producers begin or continue Indigenizing school meal menus with Buffalo!
In addition, Ron Brownotter, vice-president of the Tanka Fund Board and one of our rancher partners, will be speaking at the event.
Among the other activities, there will be a Cultural Buffalo Harvest with Lisa and Arlo Iron Cloud on June 22 at the Dakota Partnership Ranch as well as Taste of Indian Country – A Celebratory Indigenous Food Tasting event with Chef Sean Sherman (The Sioux Chef) on Monday evening.
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Our Rancher Partners: Bamm Brewer
Charles "Bamm" Brewer, a Tanka Fund rancher partner on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, was recently featured on KOTA Territory News for the expansion of his Charging Buffalo Meat House — the first and only meat processing facility on Pine Ridge. The expansion marks a major step forward in supporting food sovereignty and economic development for the Oglala Lakota community.
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Funder Spotlight: Makoce Agriculture Development
Makoce Agriculture Development, a Native-led organization based on the Pine Ridge Reservation, is dedicated to advancing Indigenous agriculture and food systems that support healthy communities, sustainable economies, and environmental regeneration. Tanka Fund Board Member Nick Hernandez serves as its CEO and president.
Through a current grant with Makoce, Tanka Fund is conducting seed trainings and soil sampling with our ranchers, while also engaging in community events, cultural harvests, conferences, and team-building efforts.
Together, we're not only supporting our ranchers — we're strengthening Native-led solutions that heal the land and feed our communities.
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How Buffalo self-care shapes the prairie
This is a wallow and it lives on the land at GP Ranch, one of our rancher partners.
Buffalo create these shallow basins by instinct — rolling their massive bodies in the dirt to scratch itches, shed fur, cool down, and deter insects. Over time, the herd returns again and again, deepening the imprint.
After rain, wallows often fill with water, becoming microhabitats that support birds, amphibians, and native plants.
What begins as a Buffalo’s self-care ritual ends up nourishing the prairie. Wallows are living proof that Buffalo shape the land as much as they graze it.
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