CLIENT: From Standing Rock to Divestment to Indigenous Peoples Day, Native Americans in Philanthropy (NAP) has played an important role within the recent groundswell of organizing in Native communities across the country as well as the significant increase in broad public awareness of issues and narratives that impact Native peoples and their relevance to the current national context.

KEY ELEMENTS: Advocacy, Philanthropy Development, Message Strategy, Narrative Change, Event Production

CHALLENGE: From Standing Rock to Divestment to Indigenous Peoples Day to Truth and Healing movements, there has been a recent groundswell of organizing in Native communities across the country. However, philanthropic efforts to improve the lives of men and women of color have often overlooked the distinctive needs of Native Americans, who have long been left out of philanthropy conversations. Native Americans in Philanthropy plays a crucial connecting role between the grassroots, grasstops and policy worlds, promoting resilience and advocating for recognition and acknowledgement, Human Rights, and restorative justice.

SOLUTION: In partnership with philanthropic advisory Partnerships for Purpose, Millennium helped Native Americans in Philanthropy increase the level and impact of philanthropic investment into Native communities, and raise the level of national awareness about important issues that disproportionally impact Native people. The team's work with NAP helped ensure Native American voices are at the table in national conversations around addressing our country's challenging history and current equity issues. The team's multifaceted work included convenings aimed at breaking silos between funders and non-profits, recruiting and engaging new allies, communicatings activities to shift harmful narratives, and catalyzing cross-movement advocacy while providing counsel on communications, partnerships and events.