Yocha Dehe Challenge

The Native Arts & Cultures Foundation and Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation are pleased to announce a national match campaign to engage tribes, corporations and individuals to support Native arts and cultures.

In 2008, the Ford Foundation made an initial commitment of $5 million to the Native Arts & Cultures Foundation, with a potential second $5 million gift to celebrate the addition of new partners. As a response to this, Tribal Chairman Marshall McKay and the leadership of Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation have announced a gift of $1.5 million to the Foundation. Leveraging the Ford Foundation’s support, Yocha Dehe will contribute an additional $1.5 million if this amount can be matched by tribal nations. In August 2009, the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians announced a $100,000 gift to the Foundation. These generous gifts allow other tribal nations to become partners in the collective effort to support Native arts and cultures.

This long term, asset-building effort to revitalize, strengthen and promote Native arts and cultures will ensure cultural continuity and future generations of Native artists and culture-bearers. The Foundation is excited to invite you to join this historic effort.

Read the latest about the match campaign and sign up for our Enewsletters.

Foundation is Fully Operational

Foundation leaders have put together a talented team of staff to run the every day operations of the organization.

Keller George Joins the Board

Keller George (Oneida Nation) brings decades of experience to the board of trustees.

San Manuel Joins the Yocha Dehe Challenge

The Yocha Dehe Challenge continues to gain momentum.

“These gifts demonstrate strong tribal interest in creating a powerful funding engine for protecting and preserving Native art and culture—the very cornerstones of tribal sovereignty. A foundation of this nature will help reverse the long history of government suppression of Native culture done as part of the United States' assimilation program. Through gifts of this nature, Indian Country can direct its resources to protect what is closest to home to all Indian tribes—our own cultures."

Walter Echo-Hawk, Pawnee

Of counsel, Crowe & Dunlevy, P.C.