2025-08-19T10:22:46+00:00 2024-12-31 440160260 Forvis Mazars LLP 14221 Dallas Parkway Suite 400 Dallas TX 75254 990 2024-01-01 473730147 Partnership With Native Americans PART 2142172600 16415 Addison Road Suite 200 Addison TX 75001 JOSHUA ARCE PRESIDENT AND CEO 2025-08-19 true Andrew Gray P01517705 9727028262 2025-08-19 2024 2025-03-06 01:10:19Z See Schedule O JOSHUA ARCE 16415 Addison Road Suite 200 Addison TX 75001 30781931 false X http://www.nativepartnership.org/ X 2015 TX MISSION AND VISION: SERVING IMMEDIATE NEEDS, SUPPORTING LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS FOR STRONG, SELF-SUFFICIENT NATIVE AMERICAN COMMUNITIES. (To learn more, See Schedule O) 9 9 74 142 0 22712618 26874658 308245 149512 192284 395430 204570 81450 23417717 27501050 7745058 9700331 0 4676074 4874403 211680 177840 5750559 10704668 8859867 23337480 23612441 80237 3888609 29485624 32958600 1533785 1118152 27951839 31840448 X SERVING IMMEDIATE NEEDS, SUPPORTING LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS FOR STRONG, SELF-SUFFICIENT NATIVE AMERICAN COMMUNITIES. WE ADDRESS NUTRITION, HEALTH, EDUCATION, EMERGENCY SERVICES, HOLIDAY SUPPORT, AND ANIMAL WELFARE. TO LEARN MORE, SEE SCHEDULE O AND WWW.NATIVEPARTNERSHIP.ORG. false false 7283219 4974690 HEALTH: PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM: To support preventative care and health education initiatives of reservation programs serving Tribal citizens, and to help them motivate involvement in healthy lifestyles and community service SITUATION: A legacy of healthcare disparities and high disease rates persists across Native America. For instance, Native adults are nearly 300% more likely to have diabetes and 50% more likely to have obesity than non-Hispanic whites. Yet medical care is inadequate and limited to the Indian Health Service (I.H.S.). There are only 500 of these federally run I.H.S. clinics to serve 574 recognized tribes (less than 1 per reservation), and transportation for the long trek to them is an issue for many residents. Despite CARES Act funding, I.H.S. remains ill-situated to respond to a healthcare crisis, and 19% of Native Americans lack any form of health insurance for outside care. Thus, Tribal health and wellness programs often take the lead on preventive health care, as well as efforts to support healthier diets. PWNA RESPONSE: Through new initiatives in 2024, PWNA helped address the need for winter warmth on #GivingTuesday, raising funds to provide blankets, coats, scarves, and mittens for Native children and Elders. Meanwhile, PWNA continued supporting Tribal programs that offer preventative care, home visits, and health screenings, helping 336 health and wellness partners address diabetes at epidemic levels, obesity even for youth, tuberculosis seven times higher than for Whites, and more cancer-related disparities than any minority group in the U.S. Through these partners, we supported healthy lifestyle programs and education for approximately 47,960 people, including pre- and post-natal care, parenting and behavioral health, screenings and education for diabetes, high blood pressure, TB, cancer, and heart health, suicide awareness and prevention, immunizations, medication monitoring, and care for the homebound or others unable to access services. PWNA helped Tribal partners boost participation by providing incentive items such as soap, cleaning supplies, toilet paper, and personal hygiene kits, with the support of Tegna. In addition, 71 of these and other partners focused on adult and youth development, such as suicide prevention and language/culture preservation through community events. On the healthy nutrition front, the modern diet is detrimental - especially in the face of poverty and limited food access. Through our Train the Trainer (T3) service, PWNA conducts healthy food demonstrations and food tastings on the reservations we serve, utilizing Native chefs to ensure cultural relevance. Former T3 and 4D leadership training graduates often help us cook, serve, and conduct food demos. While T3 was inactive in 2024, we have graduated a total of 1,144 people who each have the knowledge to train others and impact 6 people with the healthier meals they prepare. We look forward to offering new cohorts going forward when grant funding is available. *DBA programs of PWNA for Health services: Southwest Reservation Aid (SWRA), Northern Plains Reservation Aid (NRPA), Navajo Relief Fund (NRF), Sioux Nation Relief Fund (SNRF) and Native American Aid (NAA ). 4941787 2871797 EMERGENCY SERVICES: PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM: To provide winter warmth, seasonal services, shelter supplies, and disaster relief, and to support Tribal readiness to respond when disaster strikes SITUATION: With climate change driving more frequent and damaging disasters such as flooding, forest fires, blizzards, and tornadoes, PWNA is a critical first responder for the reservations. We also equip Native communities to plan, train, and respond to such events when they strike locally. Winter warmth is always a concern for the Elders, too. Homelessness is rising disproportionately among Tribal citizens. Native Americans face overcrowding 8 times more often than Whites. 40% of Native Americans live in substandard homes, and on any given night, more than 21,000 are homeless (sheltered, unsheltered). In addition, lack of access to clean drinking water is an issue. 75% of Hopi residents rely on water contaminated with arsenic, and 30% of Navajo families haul water due to 521 abandoned uranium mines. In a 2023 case, the Supreme Court ruled that "Tribes have rights to as much water as they need to establish a permanent homeland, and those rights stretch back at least as long as any given reservation has existed." Yet they ruled there is no promise or obligation on the part of the U.S. government to aid tribes in securing water access. So, while clean drinking water is a basic human right, water access remains a hardship for 48% of homes on the reservations. PWNA RESPONSE: PWNA cannot predict every emergency, so we give seasonal aid to help prepare for them. In 2024, this included year-round aid to 66 shelters for the aged, homeless, disabled, and domestic abuse victims, aiding approximately 8,549 people. We also provided firewood, coal, or winter fuel vouchers to Sisseton Wahpeton and Navajo Elders, as well as winter and/or summer emergency boxes to 26 partners on 10 reservations. These emergency kits equipped Native Elders with supplies such as blankets, batteries, candles, water, nonperishable foods, and other items helpful during winter storms, and water, sunscreen, bug spray, fire extinguishers, and other items helpful during the summer heat, storms, and outages. PWNA rotates its seasonal readiness services to different Tribal communities each year to avoid creating dependency, but the level of need suggests increasing these services as funding permits. Life on the reservation often means less access to outside aid when disaster strikes - and it struck 10 times for the Northern Cheyenne, Navajo, Mescalero Apache, and San Carlos Apache in 2024. The Watch fire on San Carlos Apache lands and the South Fork and Salt fires on Mescalero Apache lands burned more than 19,000 acres of Native lands and displaced thousands of their citizens. PWNA provided disaster relief for wildfires in 3 communities, a water shortage, a winter storm, flooding, and COVID relief in 4 communities, delivering 509,850 pounds of staple foods, bottled water, hygiene kits, diapers, blankets, PPE, and other essentials to assist about 2,750 households. PWNA also invests in emergency planning and training with Tribal communities. With support from Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies, Feeding America, and Pathward, we supported a Tribal Emergency Management Summit and facilitated training on mental health, life-saving skills, mass fatality management, First Aid/CPR, CERT, FEMA Tribal courses, and other first responder skills. This planning and training benefited Tribal participants representing Blackfeet, Cheyenne River, Crow, Crow Creek, Navajo, Fort Peck, Lower Brule, Northern Cheyenne, Omaha, Pine Ridge, Rosebud, Santee, Lake Traverse, Standing Rock, Winnebago, Yakima, and Yankton reservations in the Northern Plains and Fort Apache, Kaibab, Quechan, and San Carlos reservations in the Southwest. With additional support from Feeding America, PWNA extended their support of the Natives Prepared project as the Sisseton Wahpeton and Hualapai initiated their implementation of food access and preparedness plans developed in the 2023 phase. AT&T also assisted with cots for the Mescalero wildfire response. Altogether, 479 Tribal citizens across 23 reservations trained and/or engaged around disaster readiness in 2024. *DBA programs of PWNA for Emergency services: Southwest Reservation Aid (SWRA), Northern Plains Reservation Aid (NRPA), Southwest Indian Relief Council (SWIRC), Navajo Relief Fund (NRF), Sioux Nation Relief Fund (SNRF), and Native American Aid (NAA). 1384019 885013 HOLIDAY: PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM: To help our reservation partners spread community cheer, engagement, and active involvement at times when families may be experiencing more disenfranchisement and seasonal stress SITUATION: The holidays can be an extra hardship for Native families in our service area. The Elders and children on the reservations PWNA serves are certainly aware of holidays celebrated across the U.S., but so often, families cannot afford holiday gifts or celebrations. Native child poverty rates have consistently exceeded 40% for the past 30 years. In fact, compared to Whites, Native children are over three times as likely to experience deep poverty. About half of Native grandparents are raising grandchildren while living on social security - and Native joblessness is twice that of Whites. The overall rate of impoverishment across the hundreds of Tribal communities PWNA serves ranges from 15% to 54%. PWNA RESPONSE: Happy holidays contribute to overall well-being. During the 2024 holidays, PWNA helped program partners spread holiday cheer by delivering stockings and holiday gift bags filled with practical items. These gifts delighted 15,170 children and Elders across 15 reservations in the Northern Plains and 11 reservations in the Southwest. *DBA programs of PWNA for Holiday support: Southwest Reservation Aid (SWRA), Northern Plains Reservation Aid (NRPA), Southwest Indian Relief Council (SWIRC), Sioux Nation Relief Fund (SNRF), and Native American Aid (NAA ). 16039330 true true false false false false false false false true true false false false true false true false false false true false false true false false false true true true false false false false false false false false false false true false false false false false false false false false true 27 0 true 74 true false false false false false false false false false false false false X 9 9 false false false false false false false true true false false false true true true true true true true true false false CA CO CT DE DC FL GA AL HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME AK MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA AZ RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA AR WA WV WI WY X X X JULIE SOLO 2142172600 16415 ADDISON ROAD STE 200 ADDISON TX 75001 COREY MZHICKTENO CHAIRMAN 2.0 0.0 X X 0 0 0 EMILY MCDONALD SECRETARY 2.0 0.0 X X 0 0 0 MAKENLEY BARTON VICE CHAIRWOMAN 2.0 0.0 X X 0 0 0 MATT HORINEK TREASURER 2.0 0.0 X X 0 0 0 Alissa Old Crow Director 2.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 DR NICOLE BEEN DIRECTOR 2.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 ELWOOD PIPESTEM-OTT Director 2.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 JACLYN JACKIE BLACKBIRD DIRECTOR 2.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 JOE CLAUNCH DIRECTOR 2.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 JOSHUA ARCE PRESIDENT & CEO 55.0 0.0 X 248512 0 27577 MISTY RHODES COO 55.0 0.0 X 177334 0 29141 ANGELA SHARP SR DIRECTOR BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL OPERATIONS 55.0 0.0 X 129363 0 8493 JASEY JONES DIRECTOR MISSION ADVANCEMENT 55.0 0.0 X 110765 0 28144 JULIE SOLO CONTROLLER 55.0 0.0 X 129707 0 5369 795681 0 98724 5 false true false CONCORD LITHO 92 OLD TURNPIKE RD CONCORD NM 03301 DIRECT MAIL 1905934 SOUTHWEST PUBLISHING & MAILING 4000 SE ADAMS STREET TOPEKA KS 66609 PRINTING AND MAILING 1034658 LEGACY MAIL MANAGEMENT 1615 E WASHINGTON ST MOUNT PLEASANT IA 52641 PRINTING AND MAILING 852167 CELCO 8001 FORBES PLACE SUITE 21174 SPRINGFIELD VA 22151 MAILING AND FULFILLMENT SERVICES, DATA MANAGEMENT, PRINTING AND PACKAGING 317213 BEYOND DIRECT 12158 TRYTON WAY RESTON VA 20190 DONOR RESEARCH AND DATA SERVICES 255829 14 26874658 9079393 26874658 Program Service Fees 900099 149512 149512 0 0 0 0 149512 310591 310591 42703 42703 0 0 3285000 80720 3280881 4119 80720 84839 84839 0 Miscellaneous Income 900099 38747 38747 0 0 0 0 38747 27501050 149512 0 476880 45000 45000 9655331 9655331 482564 167863 273665 41036 3604966 1517132 908874 1178960 134125 56654 37535 39936 366139 151044 81999 133096 286609 122167 76764 87678 6667 3750 1139 1778 56754 56754 177840 177840 614895 142954 114257 357684 320981 462 123 320396 2696618 2540545 35465 120608 442882 128912 90228 223742 295609 103288 71164 121157 231932 145719 30688 55525 35437 6467 14479 14491 1989 604 345 1040 416399 388800 5085 22514 200582 158325 15522 26735 Shipping & Gifting Expenses 2263330 410555 888 1851887 Mail House 558551 558551 Donor Research & Data Svcs 399766 399766 Equipment Rental & Maintenance 166178 164393 251 1534 151297 129365 7327 14605 23612441 16039330 1822552 5750559 X 3561977 1346580 2215397 6983251 9020459 5300977 7376561 580544 705846 0 0 0 0 11429866 10686917 319112 322398 11385252 6708477 4567367 4676775 0 0 304507 169644 29485624 32958600 670664 564949 484839 351851 0 0 378282 201352 1533785 1118152 X 27268776 27188939 683063 4651509 27951839 31840448 29485624 32958600 3888609 0 X false true true false X 45144747 29033851 24798755 22712618 26874658 148564629 0 0 45144747 29033851 24798755 22712618 26874658 148564629 2596977 145967652 201114 144605 185970 343006 353294 1227989 0 0 0 0 0 0 6560 8544 85853 15600 38747 155304 149947922 484586 0.97346 0.97161 X Schedule A, Part II, Line 10 Other Income DESCRIPTION - MISCELLANEOUS REVENUE, COLUMN A - 6560.0, COLUMN B - 8544.0, COLUMN C - 9640.0, COLUMN D - 15600.0, COLUMN E - 38747.0, COLUMN F - 79091.0; DESCRIPTION - INSURANCE PROCEEDS, COLUMN A - 0.0, COLUMN B - 0.0, COLUMN C - 76213.0, COLUMN D - 0.0, COLUMN E - , COLUMN F - 76213.0; RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED 72133 3352 75485 69082 3051 72133 69082 69082 68507 575 69082 67638 869 68507 0.0 1.0 0.0 false false 341400 657863 999263 5161554 2400681 2760873 473256 177482 295774 3005149 2917918 87231 1746030 1212396 533634 4676775 Federal Income Taxes Lease Liabilities 201352 201352 23986987 454383 0 454383 23532604 3968446 3968446 27501050 24066824 454383 0 454383 23612441 0 0 23612441 Schedule D, Part X, Line 2 ASC 740 FOOTNOTE MANAGEMENT HAS EVALUATED THEIR INCOME TAX POSITIONS UNDER THE GUIDANCE INCLUDED IN ASC 740. BASED ON THEIR REVIEW, MANAGEMENT HAS NOT IDENTIFIED ANY MATERIAL UNCERTAIN TAX POSITIONS TO BE RECORDED OR DISCLOSED IN THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. Schedule D, Part V, Line 4 Intended uses of endowment funds A PERMANENT ENDOWMENT FOR $50,000 WAS ESTABLISHED WITH PROCEEDS TO BE DISTRIBUTED TO SUPPORT NAVAJO ELDERS. ALSO, A PERMANENT ENDOWMENT FOR $15,000 WITH PROCEEDS TO BE DISTRIBUTED TO SUPPORT DIALYSIS THROUGH THE NORTHERN PLAINS RESERVATION AID PROGRAM (FORMERLY AMERICAN INDIAN RELIEF COUNCIL). THE CORPUS OF $65,000 IS INVESTED IN INTEREST-BEARING ACCOUNTS, including U.S. bonds and certificates of deposit (CDs). Schedule D, Part XI, Line 4(b) Other revenues in form 990 not in audited financial statements Increase in Net Assets with Donor restrictions - 3968446 South Asia 0 6 Fundraising FUNDRAISING 78458 0 6 0 0 0 6 78458 0 78458 false false false false false false Schedule F, Part I, Line 3 Method used to account for expenditures on org's financial statements SOUTH ASIA-Accrual X X X X X true CONCORD LITHO GROUP 92 OLD TURNPIKE RD CONCORD NM 03301 DIRECT MAIL false 8255389 177840 8077549 8255389 177840 8077549 AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DE FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY Schedule G, Part I, Line 2b GROSS RECEIPTS FROM ACTIVITY CONCORD PROVIDES CONSULTING AND MODELING SERVICES TO ASSIST WITH PWNA'S DIRECT MAILING EFFORTS. PWNA IS UNABLE TO CALCULATE THE RECEIPTS DIRECTLY RELATED TO CONCORD'S SERVICES, SO WE ARE REPORTING THE TOTAL GROSS RECEIPTS OF $8,255,389 FROM BOTH EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL DIRECT MAILING ACTIVITIES. Schedule G, Part I, Line 2b(ii) Describe the custody or control arrangement. CONCORD LITHO GROUP-NO; true 12 HILLS DOG RESCUE 3175 H AVE WALTHILL NE 68067 453368698 501 (C) (3) 10000 FUNDING FOR BEHAVIOR TRAINING TO HELP "UNADOPTABLE" DOGS BECOME ADOPTABLE AND FOR SUPPLIES TO MAINTAIN KENNEL CLEANLINESS AND COMFORT LAKE TRAVERSE ANIMAL REZCUE 46381 EASTMAN RD SISSETON SD 57262 274582954 501 (C) (3) 10000 FUNDING FOR BEHAVIOR TRAINING TO HELP "UNADOPTABLE" DOGS BECOME ADOPTABLE AND FOR SUPPLIES TO MAINTAIN KENNEL CLEANLINESS AND COMFORT BRO AND TRACY ANIMAL WELFARE PO BOX 404 CORRALES NM 87048 850467886 501 (C) (3) 10000 FUNDING FOR SPAY AND NEUTER ASSISTANCE PROJECT ROSEBUD SIOUX TRIBE ANIMAL CLINIC PO BOX 1222 MISSION SD 57555 460248727 501 (C) (3) 10000 FUNDING FOR SPAY AND NEUTER CLINIC TUBA CITY HUMANE SOCIETY INCORPORATED PO BOX 1016 TUBA CITY AZ 86045 860715785 501(C)(3) 5000 FUNDING FOR BEHAVIOR TRAINING TO HELP "UNADOPTABLE" DOGS BECOME ADOPTABLE AND FOR SUPPLIES TO MAINTAIN KENNEL CLEANLINESS AND COMFORT 5 0 HEALTH 60556 4974690 FMV PT III, LN 4A, P.52 EDUCATION SERVICES 8121 153586 FMV PT III, LN 4C, P.55 HOLIDAY 10575 885013 FMV PT III, LN 4D, P.53 EMERGENCY SERVICES 13680 2871797 FMV PT III, LN 4B, P.53 FOOD AND WATER 26850 715720 FMV PT III, LN 4D, P.54 ANIMAL WELFARE 1092 54525 FMV PT III, LN 4D, P.56 Schedule I, Part I, Line 2 Procedures for monitoring use of grant funds FOR EACH OF OUR GRANTS, WE ACCEPT APPLICATIONS FOR FUNDS ON A STANDARD APPLICATION FORM. THAT FORM OUTLINES THE REPORTING REQUIREMENTS OF THE GRANT FOR WHICH THE ORGANIZATION IS APPLYING. ONCE AN ORGANIZATION IS SELECTED FOR A GRANT, OUR PROGRAM TEAM DEVELOPS A SUPPORT PLAN FOR THE INSTITUTION. THIS PLAN OUTLINES THE SCHEDULE OF FOLLOW-UP CALLS, PERSONAL VISITS, AND EXPECTED DELIVERABLES FROM THE GRANTEE. AT A MINIMUM, A SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT IS REQUIRED FROM EACH GRANTEE. THE REPORT DETAILS HOW THE GRANT FUNDS WERE EXPENDED AND REQUIRES PHYSICAL BACKUP FOR VERIFICATION OF EXPENDITURES. IN ADDITION TO DETAILING THE EXPENDITURES, THE GRANTEE DETAILS ACCOMPLISHMENTS, AND PROGRESS TOWARD GOALS ON THE PROJECTS THE GRANT WAS INTENDED TO SUPPORT. PWNA WORKS DIRECTLY WITH EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS TO MONITOR STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS ENROLLMENT STATUS. X X X X false false false false false false false false false JOSHUA ARCE PRESIDENT & CEO 222512 0 26000 0 0 0 10197 0 17380 0 276089 0 0 0 MISTY RHODES COO 177334 0 0 0 0 0 7400 0 21741 0 206475 0 0 0 X 3477212 Market value 5 116980 Market value 1 341400 Market value 32 797219 Market value 41 4106222 Market value X SUPPLIES 22 240360 Market value 0 false true false Schedule M, Part I OTHER INFORMATION ON DONORS: PWNA RECEIVED PRODUCTS FROM 13 DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS (NOT DIFFERENT INDIVIDUALS). Schedule M, Part I Column B NUMBER OF CONTRIBUTIONS OR ITEMS CONTRIBUTED: THE NUMBER DISCLOSED IN THIS COLUMN REFLECTS THE NUMBER OF CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED. Schedule M, Part I Explanations of reporting method for number of contributions Real estate - Other - Land Held for Sale Form 990, Part I, Line 1 & Part III, Line 1 ORGANIZATION'S MISSION: PWNA'S DUAL ROLE AND HUMANITARIAN SERVICE STRATEGY: PWNA is a trusted resource and intermediary for philanthropic solutions in Indigenous communities. Entrusted by Native partners and funders alike, PWNA is one of the largest Native-led nonprofits in the U.S. A 501(c)(3) founded in 1990, PWNA invests in the most geographically isolated and impoverished Tribal communities, reaching Navajo, Pine Ridge, Rosebud and more to champion hope for a brighter future. For over three decades, we have achieved our mission by respecting the self-determined goals of the tribes, connecting them with outside resources, and partnering with Native professionals who can drive social change in Tribal communities. We address immediate needs by providing food, water, school supplies, and other critical materials. To sustainably address the core symptoms of poverty and support self-sufficiency, PWNA takes an asset-based community development (ABCD) approach, bringing together individuals, Tribal programs, and outside collaborators to increase material aid, capacity building, and community investment. The severities created by colonization, the reservation system, broken treaty promises, and racial and systemic bias are not easily surmountable. However, 2024 brought more Native representation through accurate stories in TV and film, the Indian Boarding School investigation and apology by President Biden, increased funding for MMIW and public safety programs, and the impact of late President Jimmy Carter who enacted the Indian Child Welfare Act and the Tribally Controlled Community College Assistance Act. Within PWNA's service area, remote Tribal communities made advances too. Even as inflation stacked on top of longstanding poverty, they made significant advances in emergency preparedness and its integral link to food security. Both issues are top priorities for tribes across the country. In addition, while the 2024 news cycles focused heavily on climate-driven disasters, war, and politics, caring people here in the U.S. remembered Native Americans. This allowed us to bring immediate relief and support long-term solutions such as food security, higher education, and emergency preparedness planning and training. We know that none of our work would be possible without our partners and the generosity of individual and organizational donors who believe in our mission. Form 990, Part III, Line 4a-4c Description of program services (Expenses $ 1,332,646 including grants of $ 715,720)(Revenue $ 149,512) FOOD & WATER: PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM: To ease food insecurity by increasing the local food supply for Native American Elders, children, and families, and supporting food sovereignty through gardening and local access to healthy foods on the reservations we serve SITUATION: Food on the table is a basic human right, but it's not that simple for the people PWNA serves. With more Americans now experiencing food insecurity and food hardship, they are realizing for the first time what Native Americans have been up against since the reservations began in 1851. Low food security - defined as insufficient food quality or variety for dietary health - has impacted reservations for decades, fueling high rates of nutrition-related diseases such as diabetes and obesity because less expensive foods tend to have more fat and carbohydrates. The U.S. Department of Agriculture designates many Tribal communities as "food deserts" devoid of fresh fruits and vegetables, and 51% of Native residents travel off-reservation for grocery shopping. Food hardship - the inability to afford enough food for yourself and your family - has increased in families with children, according to a 2018 study by the Food & Action Center. Native Americans are 400% more likely than non-Hispanic Whites to report not having enough to eat, and 23% of Native families face food insecurity (compared to 16-19% nationwide). Today, rather than an emergency solution, food aid has become a long-term solution with more families consistently needing aid. This is certainly the case for many families and food banks in the communities PWNA serves, along with another hardship - contaminated drinking water. Nearly half (48%) of homes on Native American reservations lack access to safe, clean, and drinkable water year-round. PWNA RESPONSE: Areas with high poverty rates and minority populations are more likely to be food deserts. Accordingly, we provided fresh produce to 1,650 households across the Cheyenne River, Pine Ridge, Navajo, and Fort Apache reservations. We provided emergency food boxes to 3,700 people, helping Elders worried about bills and gas for the grocery store that is often an hour away, with support from General Motors, Kroger, and the Jim Foote Foundation. PWNA also provided staple foods to 100 food banks and/or senior centers for 30,533 people, with support from Kroger and the Jim Foote, Koinonia, and Benston foundations. In addition, we provided 22,715 Thanksgiving and Christmas meals, and Rosebud Elders picked up 1,342 bags of breakfast groceries, with support from the TJX, Bentson, and PepsiCo foundations. We also provided more than 243,000 bottles of water to communities with unsafe drinking water. Our drivers traversed 147,362 miles to deliver this food, water, and other basics in 2024. We also won a $50,000 grant competition sponsored by Newman's Own Foundation to kick off food sovereignty initiatives with Native youth in 2025. *DBA programs of PWNA for Food services: Southwest Reservation Aid (SWRA), Northern Plains Reservation Aid (NRPA), Southwest Indian Relief Council (SWIRC), Navajo Relief Fund (NRF), Sioux Nation Relief Fund (SNRF) and Native American Aid (NAA). Form 990, Part III, Line 4a-4c Description of program services (Expenses $ 944,844 including grants of $ 153,585) EDUCATION SERVICES: PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM: To increase resources for Native American education, support access and retention of Native students from pre-kindergarten through college, and support leadership development SITUATION: Education is a cornerstone of economic mobility. However, due to systemic failures and unrealized treaty promises, half of Native American students are not finishing high school. About 8% of Native students attend reservation schools operated by the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) or operated by tribes with BIE funding. Like the Indian Health Service, federally run BIE schools are understaffed and underfunded, leaving students with the lowest reading scores in America. Native students who graduate high school then face barriers to higher education, such as poverty and racial discrimination - even while the public believes college is free for Native Americans. Only 19% of Native Americans aged 18-24 start college, and only 16% of Native Americans hold a college degree (compared to 40% of whites). The digital divide is also a barrier, as 65% of all jobs in the economy require post-secondary education or training beyond high school, including technology, and soft skills. PWNA RESPONSE: In 2024, PWNA's American Indian Education Fund (AIEF) program invested in Native students from cradle to college and career. Approximately 14,620 K-12 students at 54 partners received school supplies and backpacks, with support from the Brad Lemons Foundation, Santa Fe Tobacco, and PepsiCo Foundation. On the college front, Native students need equitable access to resources for a 21st-century education, from school supplies to laptops, software, and internet access. So, PWNA's strength-based services help fuel self-sufficiency. PWNA awarded $370,500 in undergraduate and graduate scholarships, prioritizing scholars in the middle range of the academic ranking who other providers might not consider despite their serious drive. The academic-year completion rate for students who receive our scholarships is 90-95%, much higher than the national average. PWNA credits this success to individualized mentoring provided by the Synchrony Native American employee workforce group and selecting candidates with a likelihood of overcoming the first-year challenges unique to Native students. Support of the Tom Russell Foundation, Wold Foundation, Synchrony Foundation, and Pathward made this award level possible. We provided laptops to first-year students and assisted with classroom supplies and certification fees, thanks to the support of Tom Russell and Synchrony foundations and a prior-year grant from the Grow With Google Indigenous Career Readiness Program . We also provided student care packs and holiday gifts to scholars and their family members. Our Four Directions Development Program (4D) trains emerging leaders who want to make a greater impact on their Tribal communities. The curriculum for a six-month cohort of experiential learning may encompass CPR and self-defense, healthy ancestral food as medicine, leadership development, personal branding, and more. While 4D was inactive in 2024, we look forward to offering new cohorts going forward when grant funding becomes available. In the meantime, across the Northern Plains and Southwest, we have graduated 209 4D participants since inception. *DBA programs of PWNA for Education: American Indian Education Fund (AIEF) Form 990, Part III, Line 4a-4c Description of program services (Expenses $ 152,815 including grants of $ 99,526) ANIMAL WELFARE: PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM: To support programs concerned with animal welfare and related human health risks in remote, underserved Tribal communities SITUATION: Indigenous peoples have a long history of relationship with animals; more than just pets, they are regarded as relatives in Native cultures. But today, as families struggle with poverty, so too do the animals, and the problems arising from strays and overpopulation are immense for some reservations. PETA cites that, in just 6 years, one female dog and her offspring can produce 67,000 pups; in just 7 years, one female cat and her offspring can produce 370,000 kittens. The reservations we serve are unable to care for that many animals, so some partners hold spay/neuter clinics monthly. Still, about 88% of pets living in underserved communities have not been spayed/neutered, and 69% have never seen a veterinarian. On top of this, reservation shelters are congested because people who adopted during the pandemic brought the dogs back when they returned to work. Our reservation partners still hope to find homes for each one. PWNA RESPONSE: PWNA's Reservation Animal Rescue (RAR) program supports groups that rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome animals, ensuring they have what they need for quality of life. Supporting potential foster families is often a key to rehoming, so we supplied more than 20,000 pounds of supplies to our animal welfare partners on the Cheyenne River, Omaha, Navajo, Fort Apache, and Zuni reservations. With your support, RAR also awarded 6 new grants in 2024, providing $50,000 in support for spay/neuter, vaccination, parasite prevention, emergency care, and transport that benefited 546 animals across 5 reservations. *DBA programs of PWNA for Animal Welfare: Reservation Animal Rescue (RAR) Form 990, Part III, Line 4a-4c Description of program services (Expenses $ including grants of $) PUBLIC EDUCATION: PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM: To provide accurate information about Native American history, modern-day life on the reservations, and PWNA programs and impact, while addressing persistent misconceptions that hinder opportunity and equity for Native peoples SITUATION: The need for America to become more NativeAware has never been greater. Harmful stereotypes and lack of accurate information about Native people, history, issues, and funding contribute to racial/social inequity and inadequate support for Tribal communities. Many Americans believe Native Americans receive free housing and healthcare, go to college for free or receive a government check every month just for being Native. So, for all the billions given for philanthropy in the United States, less than one-half of 1 percent is aiding Native American causes. Meanwhile, Tribal nations face challenges that stem directly from broken treaties, a Census undercount that limits federal funding to tribes, and systemic failures in the education system that are detrimental to Native students. Amidst the rich culture and unity of Tribal communities, Americans quickly forget the spotlight that COVID-19 shined on food and water insecurity, lack of health care and housing, and education and technology barriers - challenges that have persisted for decades. And now inflation is stacked on top of all these needs. PWNA RESPONSE: Increasing public education to help individuals and organizations in the U.S. become more NativeAware is a crucial step toward positive change. PWNA reached a potential reading, listening, and viewing audience of about 827.1 million people with news media about current challenges and realities on the reservations. We achieved this through 51 news articles, 5 press releases, social media engagement, fresh content on our website, and timely original content on our blog. In addition, our president & CEO continued public education through these and other efforts in 2024: -Earning accreditation with the UN Economic & Social Council (ECOSOC), as one of just a few Native organizations with Special Consultative Status -Training on emergency preparedness with the Salvation Army, Center for Disaster Philanthropy and the Funder's Network Philanthropic Preparedness, Resiliency and Emergency Partnership teams -Winning a $50,000 grant competition to kick off food sovereignty initiatives with Native youth in 2025 -Speaking at more than a dozen organizations such as InstaCart, BNSF Railway, and more -Serving at 4 major social impact conferences, including: -Social Innovation Summit (moderator and panelist) -National Diversity & Leadership Conference (panelist) -Social Impact Entertainment Conference (panelist) -Molina Healthcare Tribal Health Symposium (keynote speaker) Form 990, Part VI, Line 11b Review of form 990 by governing body THE ORGANIZATION WORKS WITH AN INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTING FIRM TO PREPARE THE 990. ONCE PREPARED, THE SR. DIRECTOR BUSINESS & FINANCIAL OPERATIONS, COO, AND CEO, REVIEW THE FORM, AFTER WHICH IT IS SUBMITTED TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE FOR REVIEW AND APPROVAL. THE FORM 990 IS THEN PRESENTED TO THE FULL BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR FINAL REVIEW AND APPROVAL. Form 990, Part VI, Line 12c Conflict of interest policy THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, THE CEO AND ALL SENIOR EMPLOYEES AND OTHER EMPLOYEES SIGN CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENTS ANNUALLY. ADDITIONALLY, OUR EMPLOYEE REFERENCE GUIDE HAS A SECTION ON OUR CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY AND NEW EMPLOYEES RECEIVE AND SIGN AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THE POLICY AND COMPLETED QUESTIONNAIRE UPON HIRE. CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, IF ANY, ARE RESOLVED AS THEY ARISE. IF ANY DIRECTOR DISCLOSES A CONFLICT OF INTEREST, THEY ARE ALSO ASKED TO ABSTAIN FROM VOTING ON MATTERS RELATED TO THE POTENTIAL CONFLICT. Form 990, Part VI, Line 15a Process to establish compensation of top management official THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS ANNUALLY CONDUCTS A FORMAL PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL OF THE CEO, INCLUDING THE CEO'S COMPENSATION. EVERY 2-3 YEARS COMPENSATION DATA FOR CEO'S OF SIMILARLY SIZED NON-PROFITS IS GATHERED AND COMPARED WITH THE COMPENSATION PROVIDED TO THE ORGANIZATION'S CEO. THE FINAL PERFORMANCE REVIEW IS PRESENTED TO THE BOARD AND ANY COMPENSATION ADJUSTMENTS ARE DOCUMENTED IN THE MINUTES. Form 990, Part VI, Line 15b Process to establish compensation of other employees AN EXTERNAL CONSULTING FIRM CONCLUDED AN ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE COMPENSATION REVIEW TO INCLUDE ALL OTHER OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES' JOB FUNCTIONS AND COMPENSATION, INCLUDING COMPARISONS TO SIMILAR ORGANIZATIONS IN SIZE AND FUNCTION. THE COMPENSATION STUDY WAS REVIEWED BY THE BOARD AND EACH EMPLOYEE RECEIVED INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR ROLE WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THE STUDY. THE STUDY IS UPDATED TO ADD NEW POSITIONS OR MODIFY EXISTING POSITIONS THAT HAVE CHANGED. Form 990, Part VI, Line 19 Required documents available to the public AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, 990'S, AND ANNUAL REPORTS ARE AVAILABLE ON PWNA'S WEBSITE. THE ORGANIZATION PRESENTLY DOES NOT PUBLISH ITS GOVERNING DOCUMENTS OR CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY BUT WILL PROVIDE THEM UPON REQUEST. ITEM C DOING BUSINESS AS: AMERICAN INDIAN RELIEF COUNCIL (AIRC), COUNCIL OF INDIAN NATIONS (CIN), AMERICAN INDIAN EDUCATION FUND (AIEF), SOUTHWEST INDIAN RELIEF COUNCIL (SWIRC), SIOUX NATION RELIEF FUND (SNRF), NAVAJO RELIEF FUND (NRF), NATIVE AMERICAN AID (NAA), NATIONAL RELIEF CHARITIES (NRC), RESERVATION ANIMAL RESCUE (RAR), NORTHERN PLAINS RESERVATION AID (NPRA) & SOUTHWEST RESERVATION AID (SWRA).