College Fund Newsroom
As the largest charity supporting Native higher education for over 35 years, the American Indian College Fund believes that Education is the Answer. We provide scholarships, resources, and programs to help Native students thrive, graduate, and lead their communities into a brighter future.
Quick Stats
150,600
scholars served since 1989
$208
million of scholarship support since 1989
$13
million of non-scholarship support (internships and other programs)
6,900
scholarships awarded in 2024-25
$22.2
million in scholarships for 2024-25
2,500
first year scholars in 2024-25
34
Tribal Colleges and Universities Supported
Press Releases
Recent Blogs
Policy and Advocacy
Reports
Events
American Indian College Fund Celebrates 2025-26 Student Ambassador Cohort
The American Indian College Fund (the College Fund) named 12 student ambassadors for 2025-26 to represent its values and mission of providing Native students with access to an affordable, culturally based higher education to revitalize Native communities and cultures.
American Indian College Fund and Pendleton Woolen Mills Student Blanket Design Contest Opens November 15
Starting November 15, the American Indian College Fund and Pendleton Woolen Mills, the international lifestyle brand headquartered in Portland, Oregon, are accepting submissions for sixth annual Tribal College Blanket Design Contest. American Indian and Alaska Native students attending a tribal college or university are eligible to submit up to two designs.
Our Students’ Success is Our Wealth: Join Us to Help More Students Access Higher Education
Winter is a special season, full of holidays, good food, good company. And no matter the culture, storytelling and the spirit of reflection, growth, giving, and gratitude take center stage this time of year. It is no different for Native peoples, many of whom wait to tell certain stories on long, cold winter nights.
Hanging a Red Dress for Christmas: MMIP, Native Higher Education, and Hope for a Better New Year
The epidemic of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) in the United States that has existed for years continues unabated. And while Native students deal with the same end of semester pressures and holiday stresses as other students, they’re more likely to also be living in a state of fear or mourning for a relative who may never make it home.
Tribal Colleges and Universities Face an 88% Cut in Federal Funding
Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) are facing an unprecedented 88% budget cut in federal funding after the Trump administration's budget proposals suggest the funding for Bureau of Indian Education post-secondary programs be slashed from $183 million to just $22...
New York EATSS
April 30th, 2026
Join us for a night of celebration – a unique and captivating experience featuring the best of indigenous food, art, discussion, and entertainment.
Our featured chefs, musical performers, and talented artists are excited to see you in New York!
Student Biographies
Deanna
(Navajo)
Growing up on the Navajo reservation in Blue Gap, Arizona, Deanna learned early in life that determination and focus are the keys to lifting oneself out of adversity.
Sam
(Cherokee)
Sam’s chosen career path is all about words – using words to teach, to change hearts and minds, to rewrite truthful history, to document and preserve culture and language, and to shape the future. Sam’s vision for all Native people is to have a voice, and he wonders what our world would look like today if Native voices had been included in the growth and evolution of our country.
Promise
(Yankton and Santee Sioux)
“Resilience is in my DNA,” says Promise, reflecting on her upbringing. Surrounded by instability, drug abuse, and a responsibility to protect her younger siblings, Promise views her education as proof that nothing will stop her from achieving her goals.
Selena
(Pascua Yaqui)
Throughout her journey, Selena has seen the barriers that prevent her people from traveling on the path they want to take. Being a single mom with four kids, two of whom have special needs, she has first-hand experience with the lack of resources and culturally centered support available in Native communities. This is why Selena has taken it upon herself to receive the education she needs to be a guiding light for her tribal community and help clear a better path for them.
