Native American Advised Fund awards $205,000 to 40 Native-serving nonprofits

The Native American Advised Fund (NAAF) at the Santa Fe Community Foundation is pleased to announce its largest round of grantmaking to date, totaling $205,000 to 40 nonprofit organizations and initiatives serving Native communities across New Mexico. The 2025 grants, which range from $2,500 - $20,000, advance NAAF’s mission of enhancing Native ways of life and promoting the Indigenous core values of community, language, culture, and environment.

"This time of year is a time of gratitude,” says Jhane Myers (Comanche, Blackfeet), chair of NAAF’s advisory committee. “With the continued growth of the Native American Advised Fund, we offer thanks to our donors and supporters. Because of you, we are able to invest more than ever before in the work of our communities.”

This year’s grantees include 516 Arts, ACLU-NM, Animal Protection of New Mexico, Breath of my Heart Birthplace, Center of Southwest Culture, Chaco Culture Conservancy, Conservation Legacy, Crisis Center of Northern New Mexico, Drag Story Hour, Free Flow NM, Groundswell Climate Collective, IndigenousWays, Institute of American Indian Arts, Keres Children's Learning Center, Memory Care Alliance, Miss Indian New Mexico, Multicultural Alliance for a Safe Environment, National Indian Youth Leadership Development Project, Native Forward Scholars Fund, Native Health Initiative, Nizhoni Smiles, New Mexico Community Capital, The New Mexico Dental Association Foundation, New Mexico Legal Aid, New Mexico Wildlife Federation, Notah Begay III Foundation, Raven Chacon Studio, Reading Quest, River Source, Saad K'idilye, Santa Clara Pueblo Realty Department, Santa Fe Film Institute, Santa Fe Indigenous Center, School for Advanced Research, Sovereign Energy, Three Sisters Collective, Trees, Water, & People, Tribal Adaptive Organization, YAKANAL, and Youth Heartline.‍

“These grants support nonprofit organizations that are protecting our cultures, preserving our homelands, and carrying forward the knowledge our ancestors entrusted to us,” says Emily Haozous (Chiricahua Fort Sill Apache), member of NAAF's advisory committee. “Our ability to support Native communities through these grants are a fitting tribute to the fund's founder — my grandfather, Allan Houser (Chiricahua Fort Sill Apache) — and his vision to impact Native communities across New Mexico.”

The Native American Advised Fund’s annual grantmaking is determined by an all-Native advisory committee that reflects the diversity of New Mexico’s Indigenous communities. Since its inception, NAAF has deployed over $1 million dollars to tribes, schools, and organizations across the state.

“The Native American Advised Fund is one of the most important and enduring expressions of community-guided philanthropy in New Mexico,” says Christopher Goett, President & CEO of the Santa Fe Community Foundation. “At a time when Native-serving nonprofits are navigating so many pressures — from rising needs to uncertain funding — this support reflects our deep belief in the leadership, vision, and resilience of Native communities.”

The Native American Advised Fund was established in 1993 with a seed gift from the late Allan Houser (Chiricahua Fort Sill Apache), a humanitarian and one of the world's great artists. It remains the only endowment in New Mexico dedicated solely to Native causes.

The fund is made possible through the generosity of its many supporters. To learn more and donate to the Native American Advised Fund, please visit http://www.santafecf.org/native or call 505.988.9715.

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