Campaign Update: NativeGiving.org Matching-Gift Challenge Met!

At the end of 2015, each of the organizations featured on www.NativeGiving.org participated in a $500 Matching-Gift Challenge with incentive awards for highest number of gifts and most funds raised. Created by and for Native people, this giving platform exists to raise awareness of the remarkable initiatives that are making a real difference in the lives of Native children and families at the grassroots level.

Each of the participating organizations worked very hard during the campaign to conduct local outreach in creative ways via social media, email marketing, peer-to-peer fundraising by staff members — and even a booth at a community market on Molokai!

We are delighted to report that all eight participating organizations met their goal of $500 during the Matching-Gift Challenge. Congratulations to STAR School, Leadership Institute at the Santa Fe Indian School, Oklahoma Native Assets Coalition, Oyate Teca Project, Sust’ainable Molokai, Tewa Women United, College of Menominee Nation, and Zuni Youth Enrichment Project!

The participating organizations received training in emarketing, peer-learning opportunities and received technical assistance to prepare for the campaign. “The help of everyone made this possible! Congratulations to everyone for taking risks and all the encouragement,” said Tewa Women United Executive Director Corrine Sanchez.

The NativeGiving.org cohort raised a total of $14,176 during the campaign period with a total of 201 gifts. With the matching-gift incentives, that’s a total of $20,176 to further the missions of these high-impact organizations!

The two incentive awards – one for the highest number of gifts and one for the most funds raised – went to:

  • Award for Highest Number of Gifts for the Matching Campaign: Tewa Women United (Española, New Mexico) with 84 gifts during the campaign. 
  • Award for Most Funds Raised for the Matching Campaign: Sust’ainable Molokai (Kaunakakai, Hawaii) raising $5,305.

NativeGiving.org was developed by First Nations Development Institute to maximize its national influence and direct more investments to worthy nonprofits in Native America such as those featured on this site.

By Eileen Egan, First Nations Associate Director of Development & Senior Program Officer

Gifts of Appreciated Securities

A gift of appreciated stocks or mutual funds may be a tax-advantaged way for you to make a significant impact on First Nations’ immediate goals to preserve Native cultures, build stronger tribal economies, expand financial education, increase access to healthy foods, and so much more.

Donating appreciated stocks or mutual funds to First Nations is simple and can be made by taking a few quick steps:

  • CALL your broker or account administrator.
  • DIRECT them to our website for transfer instructions at www.firstnations.org/give
  • SPECIFY which stocks you want to give.
  • CONTACT First Nations to let us know of your gift, so we can track it, send you a receipt for tax purposes, and thank you for your thoughtful gift.

Eileen Egan

For more information about making a gift of stocks or mutual funds to further our mission, please contact Eileen Egan in our Development Office today at (303) 774-7836 or by email to eegan@firstnations.org. You can also visit www.firstnations.org/give.

(This information is not intended as tax, legal or financial advice. Please consult your personal financial advisor for information specific to your situation.)

Good Planning Requires Good Information: We Have It For You, Online!

Please visit www.firstnationsgift.org, our new planned giving website

First Nations Development Institute (First Nations) is pleased to offer our friends and supporters information on personal and estate planning through our new planned giving website at www.firstnationsgift.org. When you visit our website, you will find helpful gift-planning information and enjoy reading articles offered such as personal planning, savvy living, Washington and financial news.

You may use our secure online Wills Planner, which walks you through the entire process of creating your will. You may also run personal gift calculations to view how your giving can benefit both you and our organization’s good work and be part of First Nations’ Legacy Society – a group of individuals who have included our organization in their estate plans and are committed to making a lasting contribution to our mission to strengthen American Indian economies to support healthy Native communities.

First Nations’ Legacy Society is our way of honoring the visionary contributions of these individuals who are dedicated to advancing First Nation’s mission. “First Nations is truly grateful to those who have made provisions in their estate plans to ensure we continue to invest in and create innovative institutions and models that strengthen asset control and support economic development for American Indian people and their communities,” said First Nations President Michael Roberts. “We were recently honored with an anonymous bequest based on our scope of work, track record in Native communities, and top charity ratings. This gift is so very meaningful to us. We are dedicated to carrying out and honoring the donor’s philanthropic wishes and using this gift wisely.”

Eileen Egan

For more information on First Nation’s Legacy Society, please contact Eileen Egan, Associate Director of Development, at (303) 774-7836 or at eegan@firstnations.org. If you have already chosen to include First Nations in your estate plans, we ask that you complete our Legacy Intention Form or contact us. We would welcome the opportunity to talk with you further about the impact your thoughtful gift will have on the communities we serve and thank you for your generosity.

Five New Staff Members Join First Nations

Left to right are Elton, Tawny, Kendall and Anita

Over the past few months, First Nations has welcomed five new staff members. They are Anita Conner, Eileen Egan, Elton Naswood, Kendall Tallmadge and Tawny Wilson.

Anita is our new Finance Assistant.  She has worked in accounting and systems-support functions at various companies in Boulder County, Colorado, with many of those years at StorageTek.

Eileen Egan

Eileen is our new Associate Director of Development and Senior Program Officer. Eileen, who is a member of the Hopi Tribe, worked for many years in fundraising for the American Indian College Fund and most recently was providing fundraising counsel and organizational development services for nonprofits.

Elton joined us as a Program Officer.  Elton, who is Navajo, previously was a capacity-building assistance specialist at the National Native American AIDS Prevention Center and, before that, was founder and program coordinator for the Red Circle Project, AIDS Project Los Angeles.

Kendall also joined us as a Program Officer. She is an enrolled member of the Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin. She previously worked in the museum field and focused on improving relationships between museums and Native communities.

Tawny is also a new Program Officer. She is Rosebud Sioux. Before joining First Nations, Tawny spent more than a decade in various roles in the finance industry as a licensed mortgage broker, banker and sales manager.

You can learn more about our entire staff at this link: http://firstnations.org/about/staff