Native American Agriculture Fund

Private foundation · EIN 83-1326044 · since 2019nativeamericanagriculturefund.org·United States·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$15.4M

Annual giving, 2024 tax year

From the Form 990-PF filing

Open to applications

Fixed application deadlines · unsolicited applications welcome

Key takeaways

This is a national funder: its geographic focus is the United States, and it supports organisations serving Native American farmers and ranchers, including Tribal Nations, educational institutions, CDFIs and nonprofit organisations, working in business assistance, agricultural education, technical support or advocacy services.
Make sure any proposal directly benefits Native farmers and ranchers, is based in the United States, and, if it involves research or curriculum, applies that work to producers' success or brings new approaches or Tribal knowledge rather than stopping at research or curriculum development alone.
No grant range is stated, so size any request to fit sensibly within your own organisation's overall budget, since the foundation says it looks at how the requested amount fits that budget.
Apply through NAAF's online application process and watch for the fixed deadline attached to each RFA cycle, as there is no rolling or informal route in.
The foundation says it weighs the scope of your prior services and proposed services, your steps to ensure funds are used as proposed, whether you are based in and serving the Native community concerned, and it prioritises projects addressing access to capital, so be explicit about community accountability and Native leadership in your application; it does not fund litigation, lobbying, political activity or influencing legislation as the IRS defines it, or any use of funds outside charitable and educational purposes under Section 170(c)(2)(B), so organisations proposing those activities should not apply.

Overview

Native American Agriculture Fund is a US private foundation based in Bismarck, ND.

What they fund

Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.

Priority Areas

The Native American Agriculture Fund makes grants to eligible organisations serving Native American farmers and ranchers, including Tribal Nations, educational institutions, CDFIs and nonprofit organisations. Its four core areas are business assistance, agricultural education, technical support and advocacy services. Applicants must base their work in the United States and propose projects that directly benefit Native farmers and ranchers. It favours practical work that applies research or curriculum to producers’ success over projects limited to research or curriculum development, unless the curriculum brings new approaches or Tribal knowledge. It also values community accountability, Native leadership and work based in the Native community served, and is interested in projects that improve access to capital.

Themes

Business assistance
Agricultural education
Technical support
Advocacy services

Geographic Focus

United States.

What They Don't Fund

Use of funds that are not restricted exclusively to charitable and educational purposes described in IRS Section 170(c)(2)(B)
Use of funds for litigation
Use of funds for lobbying, political activity or influencing legislation as defined by the IRS (other forms of public issues education and public issues advocacy may be eligible activities)

How to apply

Eligible organisations submit applications through NAAF’s online application process.

Deadlines: A deadline applies to each RFA cycle.

Application success factors

What the foundation says:

The foundation considers the scope and nature of applicants’ prior services and the services proposed with its award.
It considers how the requested award amount fits within the organisation’s overall budget.
It values work that integrates community accountability and Native leadership.
It considers the steps applicants will take to ensure funds are used for the purposes in their proposals.
It considers whether an organisation is based in the Native community it serves and provides services to Native farmers and ranchers there.
It prioritises projects that address access-to-capital issues facing Native farmers and ranchers.

Officers and directors

Ross Racine — Trustee
Kristin Kipp — Trustee
Garrett Jackson — Trustee
Charles Graham — Trustee
Tyler Pearson — Committee Chair
H Porter Holder — Committee Chair
Aja Decoteau — Committee Chair
Sybil Bullard — Board Vice Chair
Michelle Fox — Board Secretary
Stacy Leeds — Board Chair
Elsie Meeks — Trustee
Claryca Mandan — Trustee
Joe Hiller — Board Chair
Pat Gwin — Committee Chair

From the latest Form 990-PF filing

3 years of tax filings

Year	Total expenses	Grants paid	Assets	Filing document
2022 tax year	$29,751,988	$11,121,458	$208,146,210	Filing for 2022 tax year
2023 tax year	$18,412,704	$10,881,305	$194,099,344	Filing for 2023 tax year
2024 tax year	$16,716,337	$15,410,671	$180,139,078	Filing for 2024 tax year

Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.