Indian Land Tenure Foundation

TO ENSURE THAT ALL LANDS WITHIN NATIVE AMERICAN RESERVATION BOUNDARIES IS UNDER NATIVE AMERICAN OWNERSHIP AND CONTROL. OUR PRIMARY ACTIVITY IS GRANT-MAKING TO NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT CAN ASSIST IN REACHING THAT GOAL.

GENERAL PROGRAM:THE INDIAN LAND TENURE FOUNDATION (ILTF) CONTINUES TO REACH OUT TO NATIVE AMERICAN COMMUNITIES AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO BROADEN THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF THE COMPLEX ISSUES OF LAND OWNERSHIP IN INDIAN COUNTRY. AMONG THESE ACTIVITIES ARE GRANT-MAKING, PRESENTING AT CONFERENCES AND OTHER GATHERINGS, DISTRIBUTION OF OUR RELEVANTPUBLICATIONS, OUTREACH THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA AND PROGRAM UPDATE REPORTS AS WELL AS THROUGH THE FOUNDATION'S WEBSITE. THE FOUNDATION TAKES AN ACTIVE ROLE WORKING WITH NATIVE NATIONS ADDRESSING ISSUES BY HOSTING REGIONAL MEETINGS, MEETING WITH FEDERAL OFFICIALS, AND OTHER OUTREACH TO TRIBAL LEADERS. THE 2020 ONLINE OUTREACH CONTINUED DURING 2021 THROUGH ONGOING WEBINARS AND POSTED CONTENT TO REACH TRIBAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO WERE STILL SHUT IN BY THE COVID PANDEMIC AND FOR A CONSTITUENCY THAT APPRECIATES THE CONVENIENCE OF THIS FORMAT.SPECIFIC OUTREACH EFFORTS INCLUDE OFFERING CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION (CLE) COURSES AND THE TRIBAL LAND PROFESSIONALS CERTIFICATION PROGRAM, ESTATE PLANNING AND WILL WRITING, DIRECTLY ADDRESSING FRACTIONAL OWNERSHIP ISSUES ON ALLOTTED LANDS, CARBON CREDIT MARKETS; AND DEVELOPING AND PRESENTING LESSONS OF OUR LAND CURRICULUM INFORMATION TO TEACHERS, SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS, STUDENTS, AND TRIBAL ELDERS, LEADERS, AND OTHER CITIZENS. THE LARGEST SINGLE GENERAL PROGRAM EXPENDITURE WAS IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,633,758 TO SUPPORT THE PURCHASE OF LAND IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO THE HOLY SITE, BEAR BUTTE.

INDIAN COUNTRY EXTENSION FUND:THE FOUNDATION ESTABLISHED THE DONOR-ADVISED INDIAN COUNTRY EXTENSION FUND IN 2016. THE PURPOSE OF THE FUND IS TO RAISE CAPITAL SUPPORT FOR ALL THIRTY-SIX EXISTING FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED TRIBAL EXTENSION PROGRAMS(FRTEP). THESE ON-RESERVATION PROGRAMS PROVIDE SERVICES SIMILAR TO THE USDA EXTENSION SERVICES BUT ARE WOEFULLY UNDERFUNDED FOR THE AREA AND POPULATION NEEDS. A FOCUS ON INDIAN YOUTH PROGRAMS AND AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION FOR FARMERS AND RANCHERS ARE THE MAIN PRIORITIES.DURING 2021 THE FOUNDATION RECRUITED AND DISSEMINATED $255,000 TO 19 OF THE FRTEP AGENCIES FOR CARRYING OUT A RIPPLE EFFECTS MAPPING PROJECT TO DELINEATE THE REACH OF THE FRTEP SERVICES ACROSS EACH RESERVATION. ALSO, A SMALL AMOUNT OF FUNDS WERE USED TO CREATE THE FRTEP COMMISSION TO RESEARCH AND DEFINE THE POTENTIAL EXPANSION OF THE FRTEP PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT INDIAN COUNTRY.

NATIONAL INDIAN CARBON COALITION:IN 2021, NICC PARTNERED WITH TRIBES ON CARBON PROJECT DEVELOPMENT. THE MISSISSIPPI BAND OF CHOCTAW INDIANS PROJECT COMPRISED 27,000 ACRES. THE PROJECT WITH THE KEWEENAW BAY INDIAN COMMUNITY INVOLVED 16,500 ACRES. THE FOND DU LAC BAND OF LAKE SUPERIOR CHIPPEWA PROJECT COMPRISED 8,200 ACRES.