Advocacy
The American Indian College Fund is committed to advocating for Native students, tribal colleges and universities (TCUs), and Indigenous communities. We believe that empowering individuals, institutions, and communities through education is a critical step toward a more equitable future. This page highlights our advocacy efforts and shows you how you can get involved to support these vital initiatives.
Democracy Has Native Roots.
Representative governance existed in Native America long before European contact. Our students celebrate that history and the present.
Get Involved: Ways You Can Make a Difference
Read our latest blog posts to learn how you can help advocate for Native students and Tribal Colleges. Learn about the challenges faced by Indigenous communities and find out how students, faculty, and supporters can make a direct impact. Together, we can amplify Native voices and advocate for meaningful change.
The First Amendment and the Right to Wear Regalia
To ensure your rights are upheld on graduation day without incident, the American Indian College Fund urges students to be proactive and to work with school administrations far in advance of graduation to ensure their graduation celebration is observed in a traditional and meaningful way without incident.
Proposed Federal Budget Would Eliminate All Dedicated Tribal College and University Funding, Could Shutter All Institutions in One Year
Both the College Fund and AIHEC believe consistent and robust funding across agencies is essential to ensuring tribal students and communities are not left behind. To advance opportunity in rural America, TCUs must be treated as a central investment priority in the President’s Budget.
Why Voting is Important in Native Communities
By Simone Friede (Chippewa Cree), Stone Child College Voting is a fundamental pillar of democracy, serving as a powerful tool for individuals to express their beliefs, values, and aspirations for their communities. In Native American communities, this right holds...
Being Seen: A Native Scholar’s Vision of Democracy
As America approaches its 250th anniversary, a Native student from the College of Menominee Nation calls for Native histories, voices, and systems of governance to be fully recognized in the story of democracy.
Rooted In Knowledge Video Series:
What Is a TCU?
Tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) are accredited institutions of higher learning that offer an affordable cultural and community-based education. TCUs are founded by tribes and are mostly located on tribal lands in remote, rural communities.
Watch: Jasmine Neosh on the Importance of Supporting Tribal Colleges
Jasmine Neosh (Bear Clan, Menominee) is a College Fund ambassador and third-year law student at the University of Michigan. Live from Ann Arbor, she highlights the need to protect federal programs that expand Native students’ access to tribal colleges.
Once burdened by student loan debt and housing instability, Jasmine found opportunity at the College of Menominee Nation, where she earned her undergraduate degree and gained valuable research experience. Her tribal college education prepared her for law and natural sciences graduate studies at Michigan, equipping her to serve her community.
She urges College Fund scholars and supporters to advocate for Native higher education initiatives in Washington. Read Jasmine’s blog TCU Set Stage for Student’s Success at University of Michigan.
In the Media: Advocacy in Action
Our advocacy efforts are making waves across the media. From policy discussions to stories about the success of Native students, see how the College Fund is shaping the national conversation. Check out our Media Mentions page to read about our latest appearances and contributions in the press.
Register to Vote Today
Polls show Native people are most concerned with the high rate of MMIW, environmental protections, and economic development. Voting provides the opportunity to elect leaders who will address these issues and work with the U.S. Congress to appropriate funds for issues impacting Indian Country.
Acknowledge the Land
We honor and acknowledge that the American Indian College Fund is on the traditional territories and ancestral homelands of the Cheyenne and Arapahoe Nations. This area was also the site of trading, hunting, gathering, and healing for many other Native Nations: The Lakota, Ute, Kiowa, Comanche, Apache, Shoshone, and others.
We recognize the Indigenous peoples as the original stewards of the land, water, plants, and animals who called this place home. As these words of acknowledgement are spoken and heard, the ties that these nations have to their traditional homelands are renewed and reaffirmed.
Our mission is to ensure every Native student who wants to pursue higher education has the ability and the support to be successful. We do this so Native communities can heal and move forward in a self-sufficient manner.
You can do something
to support Native Communities.
Deepen Your Knowledge
There has never been a better or more important time to deepen your knowledge of Native issues, to honor the contributions of our people, to confront the darker parts of our past, or to use your voice to amplify ours! So many people are already doing this and in doing so, are helping ensure a future of greater equity for Native people is on the horizon.
Statements on Affirmative Action
National Native Scholarship Providers Statement on Affirmative Action
The four organizations that comprise the National Native Scholarships Providers (the American Indian College Fund, the American Indian Science and Engineering Society, the Cobell Scholarship Program administered by Indigenous Education, Inc., and Native Forward Scholars Fund) are disheartened by the June 29th Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action and the potential impact it may have on our scholars.
The American Indian College Fund is honored by the ongoing public support of our mission and work.
Michelle Obama referenced us as one of the organizations that has long advocated for equity and fairness in higher education. Read about her own academic journey and the importance of affirmative action.
BeyGOOD, the public charity foundation founded by Beyonce Knowles-Carter, encourages supporting students and organizations that advocate on behalf of students.
