Indian Land Tenure Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $2.5 million (2022)
• Total Assets: $81.3 million (2024)
• Grant Range: $125 - $75,000+
• Decision Time: Varies by program
• Geographic Focus: National (focus on Native American communities)
• Total Grants Awarded (since inception): $12.7 million+

Contact Details

Address:
Indian Land Tenure Foundation
151 County Road B2 East
Little Canada, MN 55117-1523

Phone: 651-766-8999
Fax: 651-766-0012
Email: info@iltf.org
Website: iltf.org

Grants Contact:
Nicole Olson, Grants Administrator
Email: nolson@iltf.org

Overview

Founded in 2002, the Indian Land Tenure Foundation (ILTF) is a national, community-based organization serving American Indian nations and people in the recovery and control of their rightful homelands. With total assets of $81.3 million, ILTF has awarded more than $12.7 million in grants and contracts since inception, alongside $11.7 million in direct program services. The foundation operates under the tagline "Indian Lands in Indian Hands™" and works to promote education, increase cultural awareness, create economic opportunity, and reform the legal and administrative systems that prevent Indian people from owning and controlling reservation lands. ILTF earned a Four-Star rating (98%) from Charity Navigator, reflecting strong financial health and accountability.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Summer Internship Grants

• Amount: Up to $10,000 per Tribal land office
• Purpose: Support paid high school internships in Tribal land management
• Application Method: Annual application cycle (deadline typically mid-January)

Education Grants

• Individual/Multiple Classroom Implementation: $125 - $3,000
• Schoolwide/Districtwide Implementation: $15,000 - $75,000
• Focus: Implementation of "Lessons of Our Land" curriculum and professional development for K-12 teachers
• Application Method: Letter of Inquiry (rolling basis)

Cultural Awareness Grants

• Focus: Activities enhancing cultural and spiritual ties to land; sacred site protection; tribal land histories research
• Application Method: Letter of Inquiry (rolling basis)

Economic Opportunity Grants

• Focus: Projects supporting land acquisition prioritization, productive land use, and direct owner land management
• Examples: Buffalo ranching projects, land information systems, job training programs
• Application Method: Letter of Inquiry (rolling basis)

Legal Reform Grants

• Focus: Estate planning and probate reform, land policy development, landowner associations, engagement with government leaders on tribal land sovereignty
• Application Method: Letter of Inquiry (rolling basis)

Priority Areas

1. Education - Land history and tenure education through curriculum implementation and teacher training
2. Cultural and Spiritual Values - Preserving traditional practices, sacred site protection, and cultural connections to land
3. Economic Development - Creating economic opportunities through improved land use and control
4. Legal Reform - Addressing systemic barriers including fractionated ownership, probate issues, and unjust regulations

Special Initiatives

• National Indian Carbon Coalition - Helps tribes develop carbon sequestration projects and enter environmental commodities markets
• Estate Planning Initiative - Provides education and free estate planning services; over 6,800 tribal leaders and landowners trained
• Land Recovery Funds - Assists tribes with land acquisition (e.g., Bear Butte Land Recovery Fund helped five tribes purchase 270 acres for $1.3 million)
• Meriam Centennial Initiative - Native-led project to reshape policy agenda; will produce "Meriam Centennial Report (2028)"
• Treaty Signers Project - Examines historical land cession treaties (1778-1871)

What They Don't Fund

• Advocacy and lobbying to influence legislation
• Endowments
• Land purchases (except through specific Land Recovery initiatives)
• Fundraising events
• Direct individual scholarships or tuition assistance
• Special events (with limited exceptions)

Governance and Leadership

Board of Directors (11 members)

Key Leadership:

• Linnea Jackson (Board Chair) - Hoopa Valley Tribe member, General Manager of Hoopa Valley Public Utilities District. Jackson stated: "Cris' visionary work has left an indelible mark on Indian Country, fostering the reclamation, stewardship, and sovereignty of tribal lands."
• Russel Zephier (Vice Chair) - Oglala Sioux Tribe attorney with 35 years of experience
• Lea Zeise (Secretary/Treasurer) - Oneida Nation member, focuses on climate resilience and food sovereignty

Notable Board Members:

• Amanda Montoya - Executive Director of Chamiza Foundation, supporting Pueblo Indian Tribes
• Spencer Lyons - Haudenosaunee chief, cultural consultant
• John Sirois - Confederated Tribes of Colville Reservation, Traditional Territory Advisor

Staff Leadership

Howard D. Valandra (President) - Sicangu Lakota, enrolled member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe. Returned to ILTF in 2025 to serve as President, having previously served as Vice President of Grants and Programs from 2002-2009. Valandra stated: "Coming back to Indian Land Tenure Foundation is a great opportunity to provide continued guidance and grounding, and to explore future endeavors with the Board and staff."

Bryan Van Stippen (Program Director) - Oneida Nation, manages National Indian Carbon Coalition

Peter DeCarlo (Director of Mission Delivery) - Focuses on programs and grantmaking; contact for Meriam Centennial Initiative (pdecarlo@iltf.org)

D'Arcy Bordeaux (Accountant/HR Director) - Sicangu Lakota, joined ILTF in 2003; provides accounting, HR support, and IT oversight

Former President: Cris Stainbrook (Oglala Lakota) - Retired in January 2025 after 23 years as founding President; 35 years experience in philanthropy

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Letter of Inquiry (LOI) Process (for most grant programs):

1. Submit a two-page Letter of Inquiry through the online form at iltf.org/grants
2. LOI should include:
   • Project description and alignment with ILTF mission
   • Sustainability plan (how the project will be sustained)
   • Evidence that tribal or organization leadership has discussed and supports the project
3. ILTF reviews submissions to determine fit with current priorities
4. Successful applicants are invited to submit a full grant proposal

Summer Internship Grants:

• Annual application cycle with specific deadline (typically mid-January)
• Application details available at iltf.org/grants

Decision Timeline

Decision timelines vary by grant program and are not publicly specified. Applicants should expect a response to their Letter of Inquiry indicating whether they will be invited to submit a full proposal.

Success Rates

Specific success rates are not publicly available. In 2022, the foundation made 12 awards totaling $2,463,256.

Reapplication Policy

Reapplication policies are not explicitly stated. Unsuccessful applicants should contact the Grants Administrator to discuss whether reapplication is appropriate.

Application Success Factors

Alignment with Mission: Applications should demonstrate clear alignment with ILTF's mission: "Indian Lands in Indian Hands™" - specifically addressing land recovery, control, and beneficial use by Native peoples.

Tribal Support: Applications must show evidence that tribal or organizational leadership has discussed and supports the proposed project. This is explicitly required in the LOI.

Sustainability: Projects must include a clear sustainability plan explaining how the work will continue beyond the grant period.

Eligible Applicants:

• Tribal, local, and state governments
• Nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) designation
• Educational institutions

Funded Project Examples:

• Koahnic Broadcasting Corporation - $25,000 grant to produce "Our Sacred Spaces," a four-part series on sacred lands and resources
• Rock Creek Buffalo Project (Standing Rock Reservation) - Established community buffalo herd, provided resources for ranch fencing, created job training and youth engagement programs
• Village Earth Lakota Lands Recovery Project - Developed Pine Ridge Land Information System (PRLIS) to help the Tribe access information about lands and resources
• Pe' Sla Purchase (2014) - Four Tribes of the Oceti Sakowin purchased 437 acres of sacred mountain prairie in the Black Hills
• Bear Butte Land Recovery (2016) - Assisted five tribes in purchasing 270 acres at auction for $1.3 million

Focus on Replicability: Projects that can be replicated on other reservations throughout Indian Country are particularly valued, especially in the economic development category.

Strategic Approach: ILTF operates through four primary strategies - ensure your project clearly fits within Education, Cultural Awareness, Economic Opportunity, or Legal Reform.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Start with a concise two-page Letter of Inquiry - This is the gateway to funding for most programs; make it count by clearly demonstrating alignment with ILTF's mission and showing tribal leadership support
• Emphasize land connection - Every project should clearly connect to Native land recovery, control, or beneficial use; the tagline "Indian Lands in Indian Hands™" captures their core focus
• Demonstrate sustainability - Show how your project will continue beyond the grant period; this is explicitly required in the LOI
• Secure tribal leadership buy-in early - Applications must show that tribal or organizational leadership has discussed and supports the project before applying
• Avoid restricted categories - ILTF does not fund advocacy/lobbying, endowments, fundraising events, or direct individual scholarships; ensure your project doesn't fall into these categories
• Consider replicability - Projects that can serve as models for other reservations are particularly valued
• Leverage ILTF resources - ILTF provides $11.7 million in direct program services including curriculum, estate planning tools, and technical assistance; explore how your organization might benefit from or complement these offerings

References

• Indian Land Tenure Foundation official website: https://iltf.org/ (Accessed January 18, 2026)
• ILTF Grants page: https://iltf.org/grants/ (Accessed January 18, 2026)
• ILTF Leadership page: https://iltf.org/about-us/leadership/ (Accessed January 18, 2026)
• ILTF Education Grants: https://iltf.org/grants/education/ (Accessed January 18, 2026)
• ILTF Cultural Awareness Grants: https://iltf.org/grants/cultural-awareness/ (Accessed January 18, 2026)
• ILTF Economic Opportunity Grants: https://iltf.org/grants/economic-opportunity/ (Accessed January 18, 2026)
• ILTF Legal Reform Grants: https://iltf.org/grants/legal-reform/ (Accessed January 18, 2026)
• ILTF Special Initiatives: https://iltf.org/special-initiatives/ (Accessed January 18, 2026)
• ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Indian Land Tenure Foundation: https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/412014273 (Accessed January 18, 2026)
• Charity Navigator - Indian Land Tenure Foundation rating: https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/412014273 (Accessed January 18, 2026)
• Bush Foundation - Indian Land Tenure Foundation profile: https://www.bushfoundation.org/organizations/indian-land-tenure-foundation/ (Accessed January 18, 2026)
• Candid Foundation Directory: https://fconline.foundationcenter.org/fdo-grantmaker-profile/?collection=grantmakers&activity=result&key=INDI058 (Accessed January 18, 2026)