What We Do


Since 1996, the Tribal Trust Foundation (TTF) has been identifying sustainable grass roots cultural preservation projects to support indigenous people around the world. We partner with local organizations whose experience and existing relationships with specific tribes can sustain joint initiatives over the long-term to help preserve the living arts and traditional wisdom of indigenous peoples. The focus is on capacity building and empowerment processes wherein communities are able to initiate the holistic change they wish to see manifested. Below are a few of our success stories!

 

Our Vision


We envision a world where all will receive, understand, and act upon the wisdom of indigenous ancestors and elders for how to live in harmony with Mother Earth and each other.

Our Mission


Supporting the preservation of indigenous cultures and wisdom through philanthropy and education to promote living in harmony with nature and each other.

Founder's Story


Indigenous Peoples are Living Treasures

Supporting indigenous people and sharing their wisdom and knowledge has been my passion since my first trip to Nepal. When I was at a crossroads in my life, I traveled to Nepal to source stones for a jewelry collection I was designing to honor indigenous peoples. While waiting for Tibetan nomads to arrive in Kathmandu from Tibet, I explored a national park. Upon arrival, I was encouraged to go on an elephant ride in the tropical jungle of Chitwan in Southern Nepal. The indigenous Tharu man, who led the elephant (by sitting on his neck and using his feet to direct the animal), enthusiastically shared his indigenous knowledge of the plants and animals with me while we chased rhinos in the bush and crossed a flowing river. He awakened me to the beauty of his culture, his ancestral land, and the suffering of his people. The Tharu stories opened my consciousness to realize that indigenous cultures are living treasures because they hold important knowledge for all of humanity about how to live in harmony with nature and each other.

As my heart opened, I was inspired to help his community preserve their threatened culture.  I founded the Tribal Trust Foundation as a way for me to give back to indigenous peoples in gratitude for opening my consciousness to a new awareness, appreciation, and healing.  Gradually, as I began to understand how I could make a difference in the world, I established the Tribal Trust Foundation as a non profit organization. Our mission is "Supporting the preservation of indigenous cultures and wisdom through philanthropy and education to promote living in harmony with nature and each other." Through generous support from our donors and private foundations, we provide selected grants to indigenous cultures worldwide and continue to make a significant impact.

Savage: A Memoir


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Directly Support Indigenous Causes

Our global initiative has supported many wonderful and distinct cultures across this beautiful planet, including campaigning for the survival of the San Bushman, assisting cultural preservation of the Monpas in Bhutan and other projects in East Timor, Spain, Australia, Southern Africa. We also work here at home providing assistance to the Navajo, Chumash, the Standing Rock Sioux Water Protectors and other Water/Earth/Life advocates.

Explore Our Projects

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Carry Messages Between Worlds

A significant part of what we do is connect and translate for diverse peoples and organizations. The Tribal Trust Foundation works with indigenous communities to improve enlightening cross-cultural communication, bridging cultures through the sharing of their ancient wisdom traditions. We provide these communities with practical guidance to better articulate their needs, while Indigenous groups may find strength through discovering new networks of communication and resources.

Support the Vision

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Raising a Wider Consiousness

While our primary support is monetary or tangible, another key benefit to our work is educational—elevating indigenous causes to new levels of awareness and understanding. Humanity is waking up to the wisdom that exists in indigenous cultures, as well as the unique challenges they face. We share the stories and teachings that shape these cultures in order to carry their message of the interconnectedness of all life, to remind us how to live in harmony with Nature and each other.

Learn More

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Directly Support Indigenous Causes

The Tribal Trust Foundation (TTF) furthers our mission of outreach by actively supporting respected, dedicated elders and wisdom keepers through our fiscal sponsorship program. We offer this vital assistance to help ease the burden of practical concerns, thereby enabling them to continue their sacred work of promoting and preserving the world’s indigenous wisdom and cultural traditions for the benefit of current and future generations.

Meet Our Partners

Fiscal Sponsorships


The Tribal Trust Foundation (TTF) actively supports wisdom keepers, elders and others dedicated to promoting indigenous wisdom through engaging our fiscal sponsorship.

As a fiscal sponsor, the TTF is a tax-exempt, nonprofit corporation that receives and disburses funds for programs that may or may not be incorporated, and provides administrative, financial, and other program support to groups that may lack administrative or fiscal capability.

Fiscal sponsorship is a structure that contributes to the nonprofit sector’s support, flexibility, and innovation, by enabling individuals and groups to conduct charitable activities and receive tax-exempt grants and donations without building a full organizational infrastructure or receiving a formal 501(c)3 nonprofit status from the IRS.

The TTF’s motivation in providing fiscal sponsorship to individuals and groups that are engaged in projects and programs that are aligned with its Mission is to support efforts that will realize both the goals of the TTF, and of those being sponsored.


Apply for Sponsorship


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