Working in unprecedented partnership with other organizations, Native Americans in Philanthropy attracted more than 200 participants to its annual conference to promote more philanthropy in Native communities. The Native Philanthropy Institute was held on April 5-7, 2009, at the tribally owned Hyatt Tamaya Resort & Spa in New Mexico.

Speakers such as New Mexico Secretary of Indian Affairs Alvin Warren and Wilma Mankiller, the first woman to be elected chair of the nation’s largest tribe, addressed the gathering. Partnerships with International Funders for Indigenous Peoples (IFIP), New Mexico Association of Grantmakers, and First Nations Development Institute helped increase both attendance and the quality of conversation, according to Joy Persall, executive director of Native Americans in Philanthropy.

“We worked in unprecedented partnership to design this gathering,” said Persall. “We received tremendous feedback about the opportunity for conversation about funding indigenous work that crosses continents and other boundaries, thanks to the involvement of our partners.”

The first day of the gathering featured joint dialogues with IFIP members, and a partnership with the N.M. Association of Grantmakers drew a number of their members to the second day’s program featuring new research by a Mankiller-led team about effective donor/Native partnerships.

“There are a lot of stereotypes and misperceptions,” Mankiller said about dozens of interviews she has conducted with philanthropists and Native nonprofit leaders. Funders, she said, lack not only general information about tribes but also knowledge of American Indian people’s intellectual capacity. “The bar is higher for Indian people,” she stated, because of this “perception problem.”

In post-event evaluations, attendees cited the presentation by Mankiller and her research partner, Michael Chapman, as the most valuable feature of the gathering (after the chance to reconnect with other attendees for general networking). Other top-rated components all represented opportunities for structured dialogue: 1) small-group discussions on strategies to promote Native philanthropy by geographic region; 2) small-group discussions about defining indigenous leadership and developing a Native leadership network; and 3) the aforementioned joint dialogue with IFIP.

Additionally, breakout sessions covering a range of topics also received high marks from attendees, and several participants cited individual sessions as their most satisfying institute learning opportunity. In terms of other feedback, many attendees in the post-event web survey  decried the shortage of time in some sessions. Others recommended that breakout sessions be repeated, so that more attendees could take advantage of them.

The evaluation also yielded positive comments about the partnership with First Nations, which scheduled a day of post-Institute skill-building sessions for emerging Native nonprofit leaders and others. The coordination with the Leadership and Entrepreneurship Apprenticeship Development Program allowed several emerging leaders to attend the full Native Philanthropy Institute.

“Personally, I benefited much from the workout sessions and from meeting more Native movers-and-shakers,” wrote Casey Lozar, director of corporate and tribal relations at the American Indian College Fund, who attended both events. “A lot of important dialogues were continued and started in the hotel. I was just very impressed.”

During the Institute, Native Americans in Philanthropy convened its annual business meeting, introduced newly elected board members, and unveiled the Art of Giving framework for promoting two-way exchange between grant funders and recipients. As part of a joint celebration dinner with IFIP, the organization raised more than $2,700 at a silent auction. Program officer Joel Neimeyer of the Rasmuson Foundation received the Louis T. Delgado Distinguished Grantmaker Award for his years of work strengthening Alaska Native communities. During the program, speakers also made special note of the 10th anniversary of the passing of former board chair Ingrid Washinawatok.

Planning begins soon for the 2010 Native Philanthropy Institute in Denver, which will be right before the Council on Foundations conference begins there. Tentative dates are April 22-24, 2010.

For the list of conference attendees, please click here.