Indian Land Tenure Foundation

10/14/2026

🌟Now Accepting Applications – Tribal Land Internship Program Grants for the Summer of 2027

Indian Land Tenure Foundation (ILTF) is offering grants of up to $10,000 per Tribal land office to support paid high school (completed junior or senior year) internships. We are offering 20 Tribal Land Office Internship grants this year.



By hosting interns, your office helps inspire and prepare the next generation of Native land professionals—future leaders who will continue the vital work of protecting and restoring Tribal homelands.

📅Application Deadline: December 11, 2026 @ 5pm Central Time

Apply Here: https://app.trytemelio.com/form/285e8398-1455-484d-a7ef-709a0e33e0f5


For more information on the application process:https://iltf.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Tribal-Land-Internship-Program-Grants-for-2027.pdf

10/12/2026

Happy Indigenous Peoples’ Day from the Indian Land Tenure Foundation!

Today, we honor Indigenous peoples, Tribal nations, and communities and their ongoing work to restore their lands and keep Indian Lands in Indian Hands™.

Celebrate with us by supporting Indian land recovery and management. Your gift helps advance ILTF’s mission to keep culturally significant lands in Indian ownership and management.

Donate today | https://fundraise.givesmart.com/form/sMSlkQ?vid=1sx9jj

10/07/2026

Get Ready — We are offering 20 Tribal Land Internship Program Grants for the Summer of 2027! Applications Open October 14!

Indian Land Tenure Foundation (ILTF) will soon open applications for the 2027 Summer Tribal Land Internship Grants — offering up to $10,000 per Tribal land office to support paid high school internships (completed junior and senior year) in Tribal land management. We are offering 20 Tribal Land Office Internship grants this year.

These internships build skills, strengthen Tribal capacity, and help inspire future leaders in Native land stewardship. Together, shaping the future of Indian Lands in Indian Hands™.


Read about the Summer 2026 Internship work here: https://iltf.org/resources/news-events/

🗓Opens October 14 | Deadline December 11, 2026

Stay tuned for details and application link coming soon!
Learn more at https://iltf.org/grants/
Questions? Contact Nicole Olson | Grants Administrator | [email protected]

10/01/2026

Native youth are gaining hands-on experience in Tribal land offices—and helping shape the future of Tribal land stewardship.

ILTF has awarded more than $180,000 to 18 Tribal land offices for Summer 2026 Land Internships.

Read the announcement: https://iltf.org/resources/news-events/

09/16/2026

Save the Date — Mark your calendars for the Native Land Conference!

March 30-31, 2027

Mystic Lake Casino | Prior Lake, Minnesota

Presented by ILTF, this two-day event will explore land issues in Indian Country through the lenses of Cultural Awareness, Economic Opportunity, Education, and Legal Reform. Expect inspiring sessions, strategic conversations, and community-driven solutions.

Don't miss this opportunity to connect, learn, and lead.

Learn more and sign up for conference updates here https://iltf.org/native-land-conference/

08/18/2026

Data is central to tribal-land reclamation efforts.

Indian Land Tenure Foundation recently participated in the Center for Indian Country Development Data Summit this past June. Check out this article featuring Howard D. Valandra, President of the Indian Land Tenure Foundation.

Thank you to Center for Indian Country Development Data Summit for including Howard’s perspective in its recent data summit. Read the full article:

At the 2026 Center for Indian Country Development Data Summit, tribal leaders explored the interconnected nature of tribal digital sovereignty

07/16/2026

This past week, President Howard Valandra and Program Officer Harold Compton visited tribal partners in Oklahoma, focusing on ILTF’s Estate Planning and Services Program through site visits in the Osage, Pawnee, and Kiowa Nations.

A highlight of the trip was President Howard Valandra’s July 15 visit to Oklahoma City University School of Law, where he met with Emily Eleftherakis, Executive Director of the Tribal Sovereignty Institute. ILTF and the Institute have partnered for 11 years to provide estate planning and will-writing services to Tribal landowners, with continued collaboration ahead.

Estate planning is a key tool to prevent further fractionation of Indian land and ensure it remains in Native ownership. ILTF supports this work through education and legal services for landowners. Learn more: iltf.org

07/14/2026

Donors like you are making a real difference for Native land stewardship in 2026. Your support helps sustain land-based programs and sovereignty initiatives that protect culture, community, and future generations. Our latest Mid-Year Donor Newsletter shares powerful stories of impact in Indian Country. Take a moment to download the 2026 Mid-Year Donor Newsletter and see how your support is protecting land, culture, and community.

🔗 Download the Mid‑Year Newsletter:
https://iltf.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/ILTF-Donor-Letter-July-2026.pdf

04/15/2026

Today at , the Indian Land Tenure Foundation is proud to co-host "100 Years in the Making: The Meriam Centennial Initiative" alongside the American Indian College Fund, the Brookings Institution, and Native Americans in Philanthropy. 🌱

Nearly 100 years ago, the Meriam Report was the first major study to hold federal policy accountable for the economic and social challenges facing Native communities. Now, we're coming together to ask: what has — and hasn't — changed? And how do we move forward?


The Meriam Centennial Initiative is a Native-led, data-driven effort to shape bold, meaningful policy for Indian Country ahead of that 100th anniversary in 2028. We're honored to be part of this work and this community.

03/30/2026

Wópida • Miigwech • Wóphila • Thank you



Thank you for joining us at the Native Land Conference, hosted by the Indian Land Tenure Foundation. It was truly an honor to gather with you in our Native Lands community.

We hope your time at the conference was both memorable and enriching, and that you had the opportunity to connect with fellow attendees committed to strengthening Native land stewardship and sovereignty.

Thank you to all our sponsors, speakers, exhibitors, art vendors, guests, and attendees. It would not have been possible without you. We look forward to seeing you in 2027!