Better Way Foundation

04/13/2026

We're hosting a small, immersive funder gathering in Santa Fe during the 104th Annual Santa Fe Indian Market—designed to mobilize funders to start or deepen their support of Indigenous communities.

We’re now collecting expressions of interest.

This will be a highly relational, cohort-based experience limited to 50 participants, with a particular focus on funders not yet investing in Indigenous communities—or those who have made modest investments and are ready to do more. We welcome private and community foundation leaders, DAF holders, and individual donors.

In partnership with the Southwestern Association for Indian Arts, participants will step into one of the most vibrant Indigenous cultural events in the country—paired with candid dialogue and action-oriented sessions featuring leaders like Erik Stegman, Edgar Villanueva, Sarah Eagle Heart, Regis Pecos, and Sam Torres. Together, we’ll explore topics ranging from food sovereignty and Native-led funds to boarding school healing, language revitalization, and more.

This isn’t just about learning—it’s about action. Participants will leave with clear commitments, supported by facilitated sessions with partners like The Collective, Magic Cabinet, and the Decolonizing Wealth Project.

Less than 0.5% of philanthropic dollars support Native-led organizations. There is a significant opportunity to do more—together.

If this resonates, we invite you to submit your interest via the Santa Fe Funder Gathering landing page:

https://santafefundergathering.org/

01/20/2026

We’re hiring!

Better Way is excited to welcome our first Organizational Assistant. We’re looking for a highly organized administrative professional to support the foundation’s core operations. This role is ideal for someone who enjoys managing details, juggling multiple priorities, and working collaboratively—especially if you’re interested in philanthropy and nonprofit partnerships.

Role highlights:
• Full-time or 0.75 FTE (flexible for the right candidate)
• Hybrid role
• Twin Cities–based candidates required
• Opportunity to join a foundation that does philanthropy differently—through long-term partnerships, trust-based practices, and impact investing

Learn more and apply today:

At the Better Way Foundation, we focus on early education and positive child development because they are cornerstones of educational success, lifelong health, strong families and communities, and the well-being of the next generation.

10/01/2025

We’re hiring an Associate Program Officer to join our team. If you’re passionate about early childhood education, Indigenous communities, and impact-driven philanthropy, check out the posting and apply today!

A bit about us—we commit to 9-year partnerships, 100% of our grantmaking supports Indigenous communities, and we’ve shifted nearly 40% of our assets into impact investments. We approach philanthropy differently, and we’re striving to be good allies.

Please note: We are accepting applications from U.S.-based candidates (including Tribal nations within the U.S.).

If this resonates with you, we’d love to hear from you!

https://lnkd.in/g68UYb-n

03/18/2025

The Tohono O’odham Nation has signed a co-stewardship agreement with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management to protect federal lands with deep cultural and religious ties. This collaboration focuses on the Baboquivari and Coyote Mountains, allowing the tribe to play an active role in conservation and management efforts.

“This agreement will ensure that the Nation has a voice and an active role in protecting these ancestral lands that are so important to our people,” said Chairman Verlon Jose.

The Tohono O’odham Nation signed a co-stewardship agreement with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management for federal lands with deep cultural and religious ties for the tribal nation.

03/13/2025

A Washington Post investigation uncovered over 3,100 Native American student deaths at U.S. boarding schools—three times the previously reported number. In Minnesota, 76 deaths were found, underscoring the tragic legacy of these institutions. As a foundation investing in Indian Country, we recognize the lasting harm of Native catholic boarding schools and are committed to partnering with Indigenous leaders and organizations whose efforts acknowledge this painful history and create educational environments that honor Native students, families, and cultures.

A national investigation of former government-run boarding schools found new data on deaths there of Native students, including at Minnesota schools. The Washington Post reports 3,104 Native American students died at the institutions — triple the number previously reported by the federal governmen...

03/05/2025

Dannah Nephew, an Ojibwe from the White Earth Nation and a third-year medical student at the University of Minnesota, is creating beautiful ribbon skirts for incoming Native American medical students. Funded by the John Song Student Awards, her project aims to help students reconnect with their cultural identity and feel welcomed in the medical field. These traditional skirts symbolize resilience and community, offering a meaningful start to their medical journey.

Dannah Nephew, a member of the White Earth Nation, is working on a project to make ribbon skirts for incoming Native medical students at the University of Minnesota.

02/25/2025

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa are discussing the reintroduction of elk to northeastern Minnesota. This project, over a decade in the making, aims to restore elk populations to the Fond du Lac Reservation and surrounding areas. The initiative highlights the importance of collaboration between state and tribal entities to ensure the successful reintroduction and management of the elk herd.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa are hosting a public meeting on Feb. 13 to outline a new management plan to restore elk to the northeast.

01/23/2025

Keres Children's Learning Center is hiring a Director of Indigenous Montessori Institute. This is a full-time, exempt position with a salary of $80K. The work is performed primarily at KCLC's offices in Cochiti Pueblo, N.M.

Check it out and share with your networks!

01/17/2025

We thank St. Mary's Mission School for their gracious and warm welcome during our recent visit. It was wonderful to be in community and hear directly from teachers about the great progress being made at the school.

Thank you to American Indian Catholic Schools Network as well for coordinating this visit.

01/01/2025

Happy New Year!

We are deeply grateful for the incredible partners, communities, and changemakers we’ve had the privilege of working alongside this past year. Together, they have planted seeds of strength and hope through their impactful early childhood development efforts to revitalize and preserve Indigenous languages and cultural heritages. We’re excited to see these vital efforts continue to thrive and flourish in 2025.

Here's to a year of dreaming boldly, acting courageously, and thriving together.

11/28/2024

Thanksgiving holds different meanings for everyone. For many Native communities, this day is referred to as National Day of Mourning, and is a time to honor their history, cultures, and perseverance in the face of generational harm.

Today, we are reflecting on the history and meaning of Thanksgiving—not just the traditions many of us know, but also the truths about the land we gather on and the resilience of Indigenous Peoples. As a foundation striving to be a good ally to our Native partners, we are committed to listening and learning and invite you to join us in seeking out and amplifying Indigenous perspectives.

Check out this article from First Nations Development Institute for more information:

Understanding Thanksgiving from Our Side of the Table   Native communities have their own diverse practices to celebrate family, resilience, community and giving thanks. And giving thanks doesn’t just happen around this holiday we call Thanksgiving. We hope this year, you will take this time t...