Our mission:
Serving immediate needs. Supporting long-term solutions.
Our vision:
Strong, self-sufficient Native American communities.
Partnership With Native Americans is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to championing hope for a brighter future for Native Americans living on remote, isolated and impoverished reservations. Collaborating for nearly 30 years with our reservation partners, we provide consistent aid and services for Native Americans with the highest need in the U.S.
Much of our work centers around material aid, educational support and community-based services. PWNA also connects outside resources directly to reservations through its distribution network and reservation partnerships. We care about quality of life for Native Americans and respect their self-determined goals for their tribes.
One of the largest Native American charities to work in Indian Country year-round, our service area is concentrated in 9 priority states and encompasses Pine Ridge, Rosebud, Navajo and other high-need reservations. Scholarships are offered nationwide to eligible Native students.
More a Partnership Than a Charity
PWNA has a strong network of hundreds of reservation programs (our Program Partners). We work through these partners to bring much-needed relief to 250,000 Native Americans each year.
- PWNA partnerships reach into remote reservation communities that most Americans never see and most organizations cannot reach — whether due to geography, a need for reservation contacts or cultural competency, or a lack of information about specific needs.
- We operate a highly efficient warehouse and distribution system that lets us truck about 5 million pounds of materials to our reservation partners each year.
- PWNA’s reservation partners ensure goods make their way directly into the hands of the people who need them.
PWNA’s approach brings several other important benefits to those who work with us. The fact that our Program Partners are Native Americans who live and work on the reservations gives us added insights on how to work effectively on the reservations. Their success stories reflect their dedication.
Through our partnerships over the years, we evolved "The PWNA Way" and our guiding principles of stewardship, volunteerism, and respect.
How you can help
To make a difference in such a wide service area, PWNA relies on the generosity of individual Americans concerned about Native well-being as well as corporations and foundations able to make grants or donate goods in bulk. We deliver the donated and purchased goods to our reservation Program Partners, who distribute the goods in their communities.
Typically, materials take the form of basic necessities for immediate relief in our remote communities. PWNA sometimes covers the cost of shipping the goods from wherever they are to our distribution center in South Dakota or Arizona. Monetary donations help us purchase similar goods at volume discounts and transport the goods to the reservations.
Both monetary and product donations increase the quality and quantity of goods that PWNA provides and support a greater impact on quality of life for the Native Americans we serve.
Additionally, PWNA invests significant funds and efforts into long-term solutions for sustainable change in Native American communities. These typically revolve around food access and food sovereignty, nutrition training, scholarships and leadership training, and emergency preparedness planning and training. We believe the people who live and work in the communities PWNA serves have the solutions to the problems that challenge their quality of life, and our role is to provide resources and be a trusted partner and resource to support these community-driven efforts toward lasting change.
For more on our material services and long-term solutions, visit our impact page.
Red Crescent Code
PWNA subscribes to the Red Crescent Code, an international code of conduct for nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in disaster relief. The Red Crescent Code sets forth standards for governmental independence, effectiveness, and impact in delivering NGO services. Developed by the American Red Cross and other entities, the Red Crescent Code closely aligns with the PWNA Way. Our approach to working on the reservations has been a key factor in sustaining more than 1,000 reservation partnerships.
PWNA is a member of National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD), a national forum “where organizations share knowledge and resources throughout the disaster cycle” — preparation, disaster relief/response, recovery and mitigation — to support community readiness and navigation of disasters. The National VOAD coalition includes 50 of America’s most reputable organizations, 55 state/territory VOADS representing local and regional interests, and other members. PWNA is a first responder for the reservations, often acting in concert with the American Red Cross and other state or national VOAD members.
Seals of Approval
Partnership With Native Americans voluntarily participates with charity evaluators so that donors can feel confident about supporting our cause. All the seals are hard-won, and each one must be re-earned annually or bi-annually for continued use.
BBB accreditation is a mark of trustworthiness and integrity that increases loyalty, and the evaluation by the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliances helps businesses improve their operations as well. The Wise Giving Alliance publishes 20 standards for charity accountability related to governance, organizational effectiveness, finance, fundraising, transparency and privacy. PWNA meets or exceeds all 20 standards. View our bi-annual BBB report >>
GuideStar Platinum Exchange member status indicates to donors that a nonprofit is proactive in transparency and impact reporting. GuideStar aims to provide information that advances transparency and helps donors make better giving decisions. They also encourage charitable giving by including a host of relevant information all in one place, from financials to annual reports, strategy, and impact data. View our annual GuideStar profile >>
Top-Rated Nonprofit status means just that — a diverse group of customers, beneficiaries, donors and collaborators have posted reviews about the nonprofit and rated it in high standing. Great Nonprofits manages an independent review portal where reviews may be posted year-round. These independent reviews inform donors and help them better understand a nonprofit’s work. PWNA is pleased that our stakeholders have deemed us top-rated since 2011. Check out our annual Top-Rated Nonprofit reviews here >>
