Partnership With Native Americans is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit committed to championing hope for a brighter future for Native Americans living on remote and impoverished reservations. Native-led and Native-serving, we believe the people who live and work in the Tribal communities we serve have the solutions to the problems that challenge their quality of life. Our role is to be a trusted partner and resource for community-driven efforts toward lasting change. Our mission and vision are:  Serving immediate needs and supporting long-term solutions for strong, self-sufficient Native American communities.

One of the largest charities to work in Indian Country, PWNA collaborates with up to 500 Tribal partners year-round, reaching into remote communities most Americans never see and most organizations cannot reach. PWNA focuses on material aid, capacity building, and community-based solutions, taking care to respect the self-determined goals of the tribes and provide the right goods and services at the right time. We also connect outside resources directly to reservations through our distribution and partner network. Our reservation partners ensure that goods make their way directly into the hands of those who need them. Working together over 30+ years, we evolved “The PWNA Way” and our guiding principles of stewardship, volunteerism, and respect.

A group of people are engaged in a food distribution event, sorting vegetables and packing bags.

To create change for the better, public education is also needed. PWNA does this through the PWNA Blog, social media pages, conference and speaking engagements, and calls to action. This helps people and organizations become more NativeAware® and corrects the many misconceptions about Native people, history and funding or entitlements. We also include some public education within our direct mail packages, so we follow the Financial Accounting Standards Board guidelines, allocating a portion of the cost to programs and the bulk of it to fundraising. Call us at 800-416-8102 to learn more about our public education.

Our Service Area

Our Service Area is concentrated in 9 priority states throughout the Northern Plains and Southwest regions of the U.S. We prioritize underserved and geographically isolated reservations with limited employment opportunities. Our strengths include knowledge of Native history, 30+ years of cultural competency, and the ability to adapt to the unique needs of each tribe. We also offer scholarships to eligible students nationwide. Together with our Tribal partners, we improve the quality of life for up to 200,000 Native Americans each year. For more on our material services and long-term solutions, visit our Service Outcomes page. 

Service Area Map

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More About PWNA

PWNA has a strong network of hundreds of reservation programs (our Program Partners). We work through these partners to bring much-needed relief to 200,000 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 2 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 we serve. 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.

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 >>

Key Facts

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Native People Are
Served Annually

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Million in Aid to the Reservations

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Years of Service Throughout Indian Country