Earlier this year, Na’ah Illahee Fund was honored to attend the International Funders for Indigenous Peoples (IFIP) Global Conference in Naivasha, Kenya.
Our delegation—Charlotte Coté (NIF Board Member and UW American Indian Studies Chair), Lisa Fruichantie (Executive Director), Kate Riley (Development Director), Shelly Vendiola (Community & Culture Director), and Morgan Brown (Sovereign Futures Leader)—was invited to present within the track Philanthropy in Fostering and Strengthening Intersectional Indigenous Leadership.
Our session, Nurturing Pathways to Positive Indigenous Futures, uplifted the power of intergenerational leadership. Morgan Brown, as an emerging leader and youth educator, shared how she is weaving Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) into curriculum for the next generation. Dr. Charlotte Coté highlighted the internationally recognized Living Breath of wǝɫǝbʔaltxʷ Indigenous Food Sovereignty Symposium, co-hosted annually by UW and NIF, as a model for cultural and academic collaboration. Executive Director Lisa Fruichantie spoke to the disproportionate funding that reaches Indian Country, situating NIF’s work within the broader philanthropic landscape.
This message resonated deeply with the newly released IFIP report Reframing Philanthropy: Indigenous-Led Funds Governance Models, which reminds us:
“The tone of this report should be honest and truthful, but tell philanthropy: Let us work with you to do philanthropy DIFFERENTLY and get capital into the hands of Indigenous communities.”
Together with partners from around the world, we shared strategies, built connections, and reaffirmed that Indigenous-led philanthropy is not just about redistributing resources—it is about restoring trust, strengthening culture, and creating lasting pathways to thriving futures.
We return from Kenya inspired and committed to continue walking with our communities across the Northwest and beyond, advancing food sovereignty, land and water protection, and Indigenous leadership for generations to come.
