American Indian College Fund Extends Partnership with Dollar General Literacy Foundation

More than $430,000 Invested in Native Students Stepping Forward: Dollar General Adult Education Program

October 17, 2025, Denver, Colo.— The American Indian College Fund (College Fund) recently received a $434,000 adult literacy grant from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation (DGLF) for its Native Students Stepping Forward (NSSF): Dollar General Adult Education Program. Celebrating its eleven-year partnership with the DGLF, the program works to increase the number of adults working toward high school equivalency (HSE) in Indian Country. With this year’s DGLF funding, the program can serve 10 tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) who support HSE attainment while also strengthening the whole adult education pathway. The College Fund currently plans to select its tenth participating college in 2026.

Cheryl Crazy Bull, American Indian College Fund President and CEO, said, “Access to higher education should be available to everyone. NSSF supports adult learners and helps them see the positive impact an education has on their lives and tribal communities.”

Through TCU programming, NSSF seeks to strategically expand services and resources for adult education students, as well as assess and address students’ needs to succeed in HSE, encourage culturally relevant programming, promote visibility of HSE students at TCUs, and support college and career readiness.

TCU grantee partners also meet regularly to connect and build relationships, share best practices and challenges, strengthen programming, and examine impact on students and communities.

Current TCU partners include:

• Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe University (Hayward, Wis.)

• Northwest Indian College (Bellingham, Wash.)

• Oglala Lakota College (Kyle, S.D.)

• Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College (Mt. Pleasant, Mich.)

• Salish Kootenai College (Pablo, Mont.)

• Sinte Gleska University (Mission, S.D.)

• Sitting Bull College (Fort Yates, N.D.)

• Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute (Albuquerque, N.M.)

• Turtle Mountain College (Belcourt, N.D.)

 

Darlene Chee (Navajo), a program participant at the Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute, said, “My vision for my community is encouraging all age groups, no matter how young or old, that it’s never too late to go back to school and continue their education.”

“Since 2014, we’ve been proud to partner with the American Indian College Fund to help increase access to adult education programming and resources,” shared Denine Torr, executive director of the Dollar General Literacy Foundation. “We hope the NSSF program continues to inspire, empower and equip individuals to pursue their educational goals with confidence and help build a brighter future.”

With the belief everyone deserves an equal opportunity to receive a basic education, the DGLF awards grants each year to non-profit organizations, schools and libraries within a 15-mile radius of a Dollar General store or distribution center to support adult, family, summer and youth literacy programs. Since its inception in 1993, the DGLF has awarded more than $275 million to support more than 23.8 million individuals improve their lives through literacy and education.

About the American Indian College Fund— The American Indian College Fund has been the nation’s largest charity supporting Native higher education for 35 years. The College Fund believes “Education is the answer” and provided $20.5 million in scholarships and other direct student support for access to a higher education steeped in Native culture and values to American Indian students in 2023-24. Since its founding in 1989 the College Fund has provided more than $349 million in scholarships, programs, community, and tribal college support. The College Fund also supports a variety of 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. It earned a four-star rating from Charity Navigator, a Gold Seal of Transparency from Guidestar, and the “Best in America Seal of Excellence” from the Independent Charities of America. The College Fund was also named as one of the nation’s top 100 charities to the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance. For more information about the American Indian College Fund, please visit www.collegefund.org.

Journalists—The American Indian College Fund does not use the acronym AICF. On second reference, please use the College Fund.