Institutions
The College Fund supports Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) in their efforts to strengthen students, emergent leadership, education, language and culture, health and wellness, the environment, and so much more, all moving our mission of transforming Native lives and communities.
Our work in partnership with TCUs focuses on supporting our relatives from cradle to career and beyond. This institutional capacity-building work consists of supporting TCU grantee partners in co-visioning programming, technical support, professional development, research and networking opportunities, and program elements that directly support students’ and communities’ needs.
Cultivating Native Student Success
Cultivating Native Student Success provides tribal colleges and universities the opportunity to examine their current enrollment management approaches and design long-term strategies that include holistic, place-based, and collaborative student supports to promote transformative and systemic change that impacts Native student success.
2025 Cultivating Native Student Success Convening
The American Indian College Fund and AIHEC are excited to host an opportunity to learn, network, and advance TCU Native Student Success.
Native higher education experts, organization partners, and TCU staff will come together to engage in discussions, workshops and breakout sessions about the Native student journey, strategic enrollment management, data storytelling, and the constantly evolving landscape of higher education.
TCU Programs
Our Programs, in partnership with TCUs, strengthen degree programs, support faculty and staff, prioritize students, and engage tribal nation communities across several program areas of targeted impact: Native Arts, Environmental Stewardship, Computer Science, Indigenous Early Childhood Education, Native Teacher Education, Adult Education, Women’s Leadership, Native Student Veterans, and more.
Programs TCU Capacity Support and Impact
2023-2024 Data
$12.9+
MILLION
4960+
34
Tribal Colleges and Universities
Tribal colleges and universities provide dynamic higher education opportunities, most on or near reservation lands. Known for their remarkable programs, culturally-relevant curricula, and familial student care – tribal colleges allow students to further their careers, attain an advanced degree, or better support their communities.
(DRUM) Circles Project
TCU Developing Research in Undergraduate Mathematics
WestEd and the American Indian College Fund have partnered to create greater math success for Native students studying at tribal colleges.
Institutions News
Read blog updates from our institutions teams
SIPI Launches Restorative Teachings Initiative
The Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute’s (SIPI) Early Childhood program, together with the Youth Development Incorporated (YDI) happily launched their Restorative Teachings initiative on April 26, 2016. SIPI’s initiative seeks to develop a campus wide community that is inclusive of SIPI staff, faculty, students and the YDI Head Start. The collaborative initiative will focus on providing educational opportunities that support knowledge in the areas of health/ wellness and economic security.
Emily White Hat Joins the College Fund as Project Manager of Native Arts & Energy Infrastructure
Prior to joining the College Fund Ms. White Hat worked for Sanford Research in Sioux Falls, South Dakota as a project evaluator, where she oversaw and conducted research using a capacity-building approach to benefit regional tribal nations.
Native Art Forms Persevere at Sisseton Wahpeton College
Bridget Skenadore, the American Indian College Fund’s Native Arts and Culture Project Coordinator, had the opportunity this week to participate in the Sisseton Wahpeton College’s Wokape’ Parfleche Workshop. Parfleche was used by tribes in the Plains as rawhide containers to store food and personal belongings.
Traditional Native Arts at the 2016 International Conference of Indigenous Archives, Libraries and Museums
In September of 2015, Bridget Skenadore, Native Arts and Culture Project Coordinator, presented at the 2016 International Conference of Indigenous Archives, Libraries and Museums conference hosted by the Association of Tribal Archives, Libraries and Museums (ATALM) in Washington, DC. The annual conference allows of an exchange of dialogue between Indigenous organizations, museums and libraries “who work to protect and advance cultural sovereignty
