2025 State of the American Indian College Fund Released for Native American Heritage Month
President and CEO, Cheryl Crazy Bull Speaks to Importance of Supporting Tribal College Movement
Cheryl Crazy Bull, President and CEO of the American Indian College Fund, delivers the 2024-25 State of the College Fund address.
Denver, Colo., November 12, 2025—Every year, the American Indian College Fund releases a State of the College Fund address, delivered by its President and CEO, Cheryl Crazy Bull (Sicangu Lakota). This year President Crazy Bull addresses the importance of the College Fund’s continued mission and the tribal colleges and universities’ in growing Native people and communities in the wake of national discussions about higher education.
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. A TCU’s curriculum is rooted in Indigenous values and cultural knowledge is passed down to students, who build careers and healthy, stable lives for themselves, their families, and the next seven generations.
Scholarship demand continues to outpace available funding. To meet the need for more Native students to access a higher education, continued support is essential to expand the American Indian College Fund’s capacity.
President Crazy Bull shares how the American Indian College Fund, the nation’s largest scholarship provider for Native people, works to help Native students reach heights their ancestors always dreamed of through a TCU education. She also discusses the continued need for supporting TCUs and Native and rural students with higher education opportunities that transform local economies.
To see the video, please visit collegefund.org.
About the American Indian College Fund — The American Indian College Fund has been the nation’s largest charity supporting Native higher education for 34 years. The College Fund believes “Education is the answer” and provided $17.4 million in scholarships and other direct student support to American Indian students in 2023-24. Since its founding in 1989 the College Fund has provided more than $319 million in scholarships, programs, community, and tribal college support. The College Fund also supports a variety of academic and support programs at the nation’s 34 accredited tribal colleges and universities, which are located on or near Indian reservations, ensuring students have the tools to graduate and succeed in their careers. The College Fund consistently receives top ratings from independent charity evaluators and is one of the nation’s top 100 charities named to the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance and is a Charity Navigator four-star charity. For more information about the American Indian College Fund, please visit collegefund.org.
Journalists—The American Indian College Fund does not use the acronym AICF. On second reference, please use the College Fund.
