At Native Americans in Philanthropy (NAP), our mission extends beyond simply advocating for increased funding to Native causes and organizations. We are committed to promoting effective and equitable philanthropy in Native communities by cultivating a diverse and robust network of Indigenous leaders. This community of leaders is integral to our work since the most significant barriers Native people face in philanthropy continues to be invisibility and exclusion from decision-making spaces.

Our vision for an equitable and inclusive philanthropic sector would be incomplete without our youth. We strongly believe that Native youth bring a critical perspective to the world of philanthropy and deserve decision-making power when it comes to the issues that impact us all. 

The Native Youth Grantmakers (NYG) program was founded to introduce Native youth to the flourishing community of Native-led philanthropy organizations and Indigenous philanthropy professionals, educate them about the sector at large, develop their leadership skills, and actively include them in participatory grantmaking through the Native Voices Rising collaborative. 

Our first cohort of Native Youth Grantmakers is comprised of eight highly accomplished Native youth leaders looking to gain a deeper understanding of philanthropy and its potential to drive positive change within their communities. Our participants came from a range of experiences; some were fresh out of high school, others were in the midst of pursuing an undergraduate degree, and others were young professionals beginning their careers with their Tribes or communities. 

We were and remain immensely proud to have named these impressive leaders as our 2022 Native Youth Grantmakers: 

  • Alyson Brown (Seneca Nation) 
  • Candice Joe (Navajo Nation) 
  • Sadie Kelley (Oneida, Kiowa, Comanche, Muskogee Creek, Shoshone, and Paiute Nations) 
  • Gianni Lacey-Howard (Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation) 
  • Holly Masten (Yurok Tribe) 
  • Karen McGirt (Muscogee Nation) 
  • Deanna Mousseau (Kul Wicasa Oyate and Oglala Sioux Tribe) 
  • Sophia TurningRobe (Spokane Tribe and Siksika First Nation)

Read the full article about the Native Youth Grantmakers program at Native Americans in Philanthropy.