Four Bands Community Fund Inc

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $1.2 million (through Good Relatives Collaborative)
• Success Rate: Not publicly available
• Decision Time: 2-3 months
• Grant Range: $50,000 - $100,000 (unrestricted)
• Geographic Focus: Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota (Native-led organizations)

Contact Details

Main Office:
412 South Main Street
Eagle Butte, SD 57625
Phone: (605) 964-3687
Email: info@fourbands.org
Website: https://fourbands.org

Good Relatives Collaborative Grants:
Website: https://www.goodrelativescollaborative.org

Overview

Four Bands Community Fund, established in 2000, is a Native-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit and certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) serving the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation and South Dakota. Named after the four bands of Lakota people on the reservation—Mnicoujou, Oohenumpa, Itazipco, and Siha Sapa—the organization primarily operates as a lending institution. Since 2022, Four Bands has become a grant-making organization through its partnership in the Good Relatives Collaborative, a Bush Foundation initiative distributing $1.2 million annually in unrestricted grants to Native-led organizations across Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota. Led by Executive Director Lakota Vogel since 2015, Four Bands has earned a 4-star Charity Navigator rating and recognition for its innovative, culturally-responsive approach to economic development in Native communities.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

• Good Relatives Collaborative Grants: $50,000 - $100,000 unrestricted grants
  • Eight grants of $50,000 annually
  • Eight grants of $100,000 annually
  • Application window: May 16 - June 16 annually (online portal)
  • Trust-based, unrestricted funding model

Priority Areas

• Community leadership development in Native communities
• Community healing initiatives
• Cultural revitalization projects
• Capacity building through cooperation, collaboration, and reciprocity
• Support for Native-led organizations with operating budgets under $2.5 million

What They Don't Fund

• Organizations with operating budgets over $2.5 million
• Non-Native-led organizations
• Organizations outside Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota
• Organizations that have already received $50,000 or more cumulatively from the collaborative

Governance and Leadership

Executive Director: Lakota Vogel (since 2015) - A member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, Vogel has led Four Bands' expansion into grant-making and strengthened its role as a regional leader in Native economic development.

Good Relatives Collaborative Partners:

• Four Bands Community Fund (South Dakota)
• Sacred Pipe Resource Center (North Dakota)
• Minnesota Indigenous Business Alliance (Minnesota)
• Native American Community Development Institute

The collaborative operates with a Native lens, emphasizing trust-based philanthropy and cultural responsiveness in all grant-making decisions.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Applications are accepted annually through the Good Relatives Collaborative online portal at www.goodrelativescollaborative.org. The application window typically runs from mid-May to mid-June (specifically May 16 to June 16 for 2025). Applications open at 8am MT/9am CT and close at 5pm MT/6pm CT.

Decision Timeline

Grant decisions are typically made within 2-3 months of the application deadline, with funds distributed by early fall. Recipients are notified directly and invited to the annual 2-day convening.

Success Rates

Specific success rates are not publicly available. With 16 grants awarded annually from the applicant pool across three states, competition is expected to be significant.

Reapplication Policy

Organizations can reapply if they have received less than $49,999 cumulatively from the Good Relatives Collaborative. Organizations that have received $50,000 or more in total are not eligible to reapply.

Application Success Factors

The Good Relatives Collaborative emphasizes trust-based philanthropy with minimal reporting requirements. Successful applications demonstrate:

• Clear articulation of how unrestricted funding will strengthen organizational capacity
• Alignment with Native values of cooperation, collaboration, and reciprocity
• Community-rooted approaches to leadership, healing, or cultural revitalization
• Authentic Native leadership and community connection
• Understanding that funding comes with only one requirement: participating in a verbal share-out at the annual convening rather than written reports

The collaborative specifically encourages smaller, grassroots Native-led organizations to apply, recognizing that traditional grant applications often create barriers for these groups.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• This is unrestricted, trust-based funding—emphasize organizational vision and community impact rather than specific project outcomes
• The collaborative values cooperation over competition—highlight partnerships and collaborative approaches
• No written final reports required—only participation in annual convening for verbal sharing
• Organizations with budgets under $2.5 million are prioritized—smaller organizations should not be deterred by capacity concerns
• The application window is short (one month) and has specific times—prepare materials in advance
• Previous recipients under $50,000 total can reapply—track cumulative funding carefully
• Cultural alignment and Native leadership are essential—non-Native-led organizations need not apply

References

• Four Bands Community Fund Official Website. https://fourbands.org (Accessed March 2024)
• Good Relatives Collaborative Grant Portal. https://www.goodrelativescollaborative.org (Accessed March 2024)
• Bush Foundation Partner Profile: Four Bands Community Fund. https://www.bushfoundation.org/organizations/four-bands-community-fund/ (Accessed March 2024)
• Charity Navigator Rating for Four Bands Community Fund. https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/460456528 (Accessed March 2024)
• ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer: Four Bands Community Fund Form 990s. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/460456528 (Accessed March 2024)
• CDFI Fund Case Statement: Four Bands Community Fund. https://www.cdfifund.gov/system/files/documents/(26)-native-example-of-case-statement-by-four-bands.pdf (Accessed March 2024)
• Sweet Grass Consulting Feature: Four Bands Community Fund Uses Data to Transform Indigenous Finance. https://sweetgrassconsulting.net/blog/four-bands-community-fund-uses-data-to-transform-indigenous-finance (Accessed March 2024)