Welcome

We are honored to collaborate with leaders and organizations whose vision for culturally holistic, community-led early childhood development uplifts families and preserves heritage. We invite you to get to know them and their impact!

While more than a decade of funding in Indian Country has allowed us to listen, learn, and evolve, our greatest inspiration comes from our partners. They have made incredible strides in language revitalization, teacher development, and strengthening their operations. But what moves us the most are the stories of children gaining confidence and pride in their Indigenous identity—something not seen in generations, according to many partners. 

Reciprocity and communality are core Indigenous values, shaping how we engage with partners, learn as an organization, and approach evaluation. In Indigenous cultures, giving and receiving feedback is a gift—a sign of respect and a commitment to relationship-building. We are grateful to Dakota language and history teacher, and Better Way partner, Vanessa Goodthunder for this insight.

As we reflect on progress and impact over the years, we recognize the profound gift our partners continue to share with us—the opportunity to listen, grow, and do better together.

Progress & Impact

Culture blooms with early education.

Every partner is revitalizing language.

Today, few Native languages are widely spoken by children—a critical marker of community vitality and future. But the movement to preserve Indigenous heritage, culture, and language is growing. It’s also powerful.

Across the United States, 193 of the 197 living Indigenous languages are endangered. Our former and current partners are helping save

Equipping more children to carry forward the languages of their ancestors.

 

 

The Waterfall School developed 80 instructional videos and adapted teaching methods, leading to 85% of students improving proficiency each quarter—advancing Okanogan Salish/Nsyilxcən. When Hearts Gathered opened the school 15 years ago, only five first-language speakers remained. Today, thanks in large part to the school, over 100 individuals are actively learning the language.

The NACA Inspired Schools Network, an incubator of 13 Native schools, Indigenized curricula now available as open-source materials on its Resource Hub.

Thunder Valley Community Development Corporation created 180 Lakota lesson plans and family resources to support language learning at home.

Similarly, Maȟpíya Lúta developed comprehensive Lakota curricula, now adopted by Oceti Sakowin Community Academy as it expands its school.

Partners

Partners are cultivating next-generation educators. 

Designing in-house training and partnerships with local colleges

For example, Oceti Sakowin Community Academy’s first paraprofessional is on track to become a licensed teacher after the school launched an alternative teacher certification pathway with Oglala Lakota College.

Supporting Tribal members pursuing careers in education

The Indigenous Montessori Institute, for example, certified 48 educators.

Retaining and expanding their teams

The majority of partners retained their teams; 10 expanded them.

Partners provide meaningful opportunities for adults advancing their cultural knowledge and language fluency.

315 Staff

accross partners engaged in professional development

Our Investments Currently Support 28 Indigenous Communities

(Gold represents federally recognized Tribal land)

Indigenous ECD

Lower Sioux Indian Community
(Lower Sioux/Morton, Minn.)

Hearts Gathered
(Colville Indian Reservation/Omak, Wash.)

NACA Inspired Schools Network
(Tiwa Pueblos/Albuquerque, N.M.) *13 schools across different Tribes and communities*

Comanche Language and Cultural Preservation Committee 
(Comanche Nation, Okla.)

Indigenous Montessori Institute
(Cochiti Pueblo, N.M.)

Little Earth Residents Association (
Dakota and Anishinaabe/Minneapolis)

Montessori American Indian Childcare Center
(Dakota/Roseville, Minn.)

Wicoie Nandagikendan
(Dakota and Anishinaabe/Minneapolis)

Oceti Sakowin Community Academy
(Lakota/Rapid City, S.D.)

Weetumuw School
(Mashpee Wampanoag/Mashpee, Mass.)

Thunder Valley CDC
(Pine Ridge Oglala Lakota Reservation/Pine Ridge, S.D.)

Pueblo of Isleta
(Isleta, N.M.)

Saad K’idilye
(Tiwa Pueblos/Albuquerque, N.M.)

AICSN

American Indian Catholic Schools Network
(Pokagon Band of Potawatomi/South Bend, Ind.)

De La Salle Blackfeet School
(Blackfeet/Browning, Mont.)

St. Anthony’s Mission School
(Pueblo of Zuni/Zuni, N.M.)

St. Augustine Indian Mission
(Winnebago Reservation/Winnebago, Neb.)

St. Charles School
(San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation/San Carlos, Ariz.)

St. Joseph Mission School
(Laguna and Acoma land/San Fidel, N.M.)

St. Mary’s Mission
(Red Lake Nation/Red Lake, Minn.)

St. Michael Indian School
(Navajo Nation/St. Michael, Ariz.) *not a member of the network*

Maȟpíya Lύta
(Pine Ridge Oglala Lakota Reservation/Pine Ridge, S.D.)

CDFIs

Akiptan
(Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe/Eagle Butte, S.D.)

Citizen Potawatomi Community Development Corporation
(Citizen Potawatomi Nation/Shawnee, Okla.)

Four Bands Community Fund
(Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe/Eagle Butte, S.D.)

Lakota Funds
(Pine Ridge Oglala Lakota Reservation/Kyle, S.D.)

NACDC Financial Services
(Blackfeet/Browning, Mont.)

Sicangu Co
(Rosebud Sioux Tribe/Mission, S.D.)

Tiwa Lending Services
(Isleta Pueblo, N.M.)

Programs

Programs foster widespread truth and healing.

By taking a trauma-informed, holistic approach to mental health services, Little Earth Residents Association empowers families to break cycles of intergenerational trauma.

Now in its second year, 150 young children are on their path to healing and resilience.

At Thunder Valley CDC, students and staff find healing and connection through language and cultural traditions, engaging in ancestral practices like harvesting PleziNota (sage), ChapDá (chokecherry, meaning “bitter wood”), and Chansása (red willow).

Educators in the NACA Inspired Schools Network feel supported, rating identity development through cultural knowledge opportunities 4.9/5.

Our partners create transformative opportunities for children and families, strengthening their communities. Their efforts nurture leaders and organizations that safeguard sacred knowledge, preserving cultural heritage and traditions for future generations.

Impact Investing

Our partners create transformative opportunities for children and families, strengthening their communities. Their efforts nurture leaders and organizations that safeguard sacred knowledge, preserving cultural heritage and traditions for future generations.

LEARN ABOUT OUR IMPACT INVESTING

Partners’ Stories

Our partners create transformative opportunities for children and families, strengthening their communities. Their efforts nurture leaders and organizations that safeguard sacred knowledge, preserving cultural heritage and traditions for future generations.

INDIGENOUS ECD

Early childhood is a vital time for development, making it ideal for nurturing Indigenous languages, cultures, and traditions. These programs instill cultural pride, enhance emotional well-being, and support strong educational and health outcomes.

AICSN

Our investments in the American Indian Catholic Schools Network and its member schools support Truth and Healing at former Native catholic boarding schools. These efforts range from growing Native language speaking to teacher development.

TANZANIA ECD

Our partnerships in Tanzania will conclude in 2025. To support our partners through this transition, we provided subsidized technical assistance training with Mama Hope. This initiative equipped them with tools for system strengthening, collaboration, and long-term progress, including diversifying revenue-generating activities.

60 South 6th Street
Suite 2950
Minneapolis, MN 55402

info@betterwayfoundation.org

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