Invest in Native American college students today.
Invest in Native American college students today.
Our Vision: Empowering Native Communities
The vision of the American Indian College Fund is for healthy, self-sufficient, and educated American Indian and Alaska Native people.
Nearly 60 years ago, the Tribal College and University (TCU) movement took flight—born from the vision of Native leaders determined to reclaim education for their communities.
At TCUs curriculum is rooted in Indigenous values, cultural knowledge is passed down, and students build healthy, stable lives for themselves, their families, and the next seven generations.
President Cheryl Crazy Bull of the American Indian College Fund shares how our work and the work of the TCUs have transformed thousands of lives—and how your continued support is helping Native students reach heights their ancestors always dreamed of.
The 2026-2027 Scholarship Application is now open!
The American Indian College Fund scholarship application for the 2026-2027 school year is now open! Scholarships are available for American Indian and Alaska Native students pursuing certificate, undergraduate, or graduate degrees.
Reclaim Native Democracy
Democracy Has Native Roots.
Democracy didn’t arrive here. It evolved here. Systems of governance existed across Native nations long before European contact.
Consensus-building, clan systems, women’s councils, intertribal diplomacy, confederacies – these are democratic structures.
The land itself shaped governance models rooted in responsibility, balance, and collective wellbeing.
The Native vote impacts our education, our lands, our health, culture and future generations.
Featured News
“Power in Culture: A Study on Campus Climate and Sense of Belonging for Indigenous Students” Research Released
Three members of the National Native Scholarship Providers (NNSP) group, which includes the American Indian College Fund, AISES, and Cobell Scholarship, Inc., collaborated on the research and release of a new study, “Power in Culture: A Study on Campus Climate and Sense of Belonging for Indigenous Students.” Indigenous students surveyed shared what factors make them feel they belong, stay enrolled in college, and graduate.
Because of You
Because of you, TCU faculty, Native students are learning, leading, and realizing their dreams. Your belief in them creates classrooms where culture and knowledge grow side by side. Together, we are shaping leaders who will strengthen their nations for generations to come. Thank you, faculty.
Our Impact: Native American Scholarships and Student Success
$310.6
MILLION
Invested into Native Communities
159,652
SCHOLARSHIPS
Awarded since 1989
93%
OF OUR SCHOLARS
Give back to their communities
How Your Donations are Used
4%
Management and General
20%
Fundraising
76%
Scholarships, Programs, and Public Education
A Commitment to Donors: The Most-Trusted Native American Nonprofit
Candid
2025 Platinum Seal of Transparency
Best Charity
Certified by America’s best charities
Charity Navigator
View our Charity Navigator profile
BBB Wise Giving Alliance
View our give.org charity profile
Tribal Colleges and Universities:
Culture-Based Native American Higher Education
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.
Recent Blog Posts
From Our President
Featured News
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.
FOR STUDENTS
There’s Still Time to Apply for Scholarships from the American Indian College Fund
It’s never too late to pursue a higher education and it’s never too late for potential Native scholars to apply for funding to make their academic dreams come true through the American Indian College Fund (College Fund). Our application season runs until the funding runs out; however, students who apply by May 31 receive priority.
Programs
Emily White Hat, J.D., Vice President of Programs at American Indian College Fund, Chosen to Attend the Leading Tribal Nations Program at Harvard Business School
Emily White Hat, J.D. (Sicangu Lakota), Vice President of Programs at the American Indian College Fund, was one of 76 participants in the Leading Tribal Nations Program at Harvard Business School in June.
Featured News
American Indian College Fund Student-Designed Pendleton Blanket “Drum Keepers” Available for Purchase
The 2023 winning Tribal College Blanket Design, Drum Keepers, is now available for purchase. The blanket is the latest addition to Pendleton Woolen Mills’ American Indian College Fund collection. The acclaimed lifestyle brand from Portland, Oregon has created wool blankets in partnership with the College Fund for more than 20 years. A portion of the blanket line’s sales provide approximately $50,000 in annual Native student scholarships. Pendleton also contributes to a scholarship endowment that, combined with the total of scholarships disbursed, exceeds $2.5 million. Trey Blackhawk (Winnebago) is a graduate of Little Priest Tribal College with a degree in liberal arts who is currently working on an applied sciences degree.
American Indian College Fund Hosting Online Book Discussion with Indigenous Author Mona Susan Power
PEN Award–winning author Mona Susan Power, an enrolled member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe (Iháŋktȟuŋwaŋna Dakhóta), will discuss her latest novel, A Council of Dolls, March 26 at 12:00 noon Mountain Daylight Time with Cheryl Crazy Bull, President and CEO of the American Indian College Fund. Registration is free and open to the public.
Student News
May and Stanley Smith Charitable Trust Partners with American Indian College Fund to Support Native Student Veterans
The American Indian College Fund (College Fund) has received a $50,000 grant from the May and Stanley Smith Charitable Trust to implement a six-month fellowship focused on empowering Native student veterans to success. The Naabaahii Ółta’í (Student Warrior): Native Student Veterans Peer-to-Peer Program is a mentorship opportunity that builds relationships between veterans based upon their shared experiences.
American Indian College Fund Launches “Make Native Voices Heard” Voting Campaign
Native Americans are more impacted by the law than any other group in the United States. Native students in higher education, or seeking a higher education, in particular are impacted by federal and state laws impacting funding for education, such as Pell Grants, student loans, and federal funding for tribal colleges and universities (TCUs), 70% of which comes from federal sources.
American Indian College Fund Awards Three-Year American Indian Law School Scholarship to Jade Araujo to Attend Harvard Law School
Jade Araujo, an enrolled member of the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) in Massachusetts and a descendant of the Tlingit and Koyukon Athabascan tribes in Alaska, is the third person to have been awarded the American Indian College Fund Law School Scholarship. Araujo is a senior at Stanford University who will graduate in June with a degree in political science and will enter Harvard Law School in the fall. She is the daughter of Todd Araujo (Aquinnah Wampanoag) and Jaeleen Kookesh (Tlingit and Koyukon Athabascan).
News from our Progams Team
College Fund Programs Team
Exploring Futurism and Identity through Art with Mona Cliff
Written by Braydon...
Growing Together: Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College’s Commitment to Advancing Indigenous Early Childhood Education and Community Engagement
Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College (KBOCC) is strengthening Indigenous early childhood education through the Ihduwiyayapi grant, supporting students and integrating Anishinaabe culture into learning. From distributing Native children’s books to organizing a community pow wow, KBOCC’s initiatives empower future educators while enriching the cultural literacy of young learners.
United Tribes Technical College Publishes Video Series on Teacher Education Program
The United Tribes Technical College (UTTC) Teacher Education Program released a series of videos to support program recruitment covering a wide range of topics and perspectives from current and past students, tribal elders, and education administrators. The program is funded by the American Indian College Fund (College Fund), through the Wounspekiya Unspewicakiyapi Native Teacher Education pilot program.
College Fund in the News
Tribal Colleges Brace for Disruption as Oversight Shifts to Interior Department
Why We Must Fully Fund Tribal Colleges and Universities
Two Indigenous College Presidents Among 2025 Aspen Ascend Fellows Advancing Family Well-Being
Institute of American Indian Arts 2025 Benefit & Auction Event Raises Record $1.2 Million Gross for Scholarships
Haskell Indian Nations University producing next generation of teachers | Opinion
