About Us

College graduates at Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute (S.I.P.I.)

The American Indian College Fund's motto is educating the mind and spirit. We achieve this by providing Native students with scholarships and providing financial support for the nation's 34 accredited tribal colleges and universities, which incorporate American Indian culture and language into their curriculum to honor our students' heritage and Native identity.

Established in 1989, the American Indian College Fund is the nation's largest and highest-rated American Indian scholarship organization. Your support helps us to provide:

• scholarships and other support for American Indian students;

• capital support for the nation's tribal colleges, the vast majority of which are located on or near reservations;

• funding for cultural and language preservation courses and activities;

• funding for intellectual capital development at the tribal colleges;

• fellowships for tribal college faculty development;

• early childhood development support based in cultural learning at the tribal colleges; and

• leadership development for Native students.

Every dollar makes a difference to our students.

In 2011-12, the Fund distributed $5,641 million in scholarships and program support, which directly translated into scholarships for more than 4,218 American Indian students.

Scholarship recipients are selected on the basis of academic success, financial need, community involvement, and commitment to their tribal communities.

How we used your gift
79%	Scholarships, Programs, and Public Education
15%	Fundraising
6%	Administrative

Our Commitment to You

The Fund is committed to accountability. We consistently receive top ratings from independent charity evaluators.

• We earned the "Best in America Seal of Excellence" from the Independent Charities of America. Of the one million charities operating in the United States, fewer than 2,000 organizations have been awarded this seal.
• The Fund meets the Standards for Charity Accountability of the Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance.
• The Fund received an A- rating from the American Institute on Philanthropy.
• The Fund received its third consecutive four-star rating from Charity Navigator. Less than 10% of charities nationwide receive this distinction.