Providing Native Youth Summer Camp Grants since 1963!

 2025 Summer Camp Grant applications are CLOSED. 

Connected to Culture

The Association began providing grants to Native Youth Summer Camps in 1963 as a powerful way for the Association to achieve its goals: to protect sovereignty, preserve culture, educate youth and build Native Nation capacity. There is significant research that shows when young Native people are connected to their culture, they fare better mentally and emotionally than those who are not. Healthy and strong Native youth will sustain strong Tribal cultures and protect Native Nation sovereignty for years to come. 

​The small seed grants from the Association to Native Nations and Native-run organizations for their youth summer camps provide language preservation, cultural preservation or diabetes education, youth health and wellness education. ​

Support and Join

Our Summer Camp funding is dependent upon the generosity of our donors. Funding may vary from year to year, therefore funding is not guaranteed. Please consider supporting Native Youth Summer Camps and our Next Generations work by making a donation or by becoming a member for just $25 a year or $500 for a lifetime.​

2025 Native Youth Summer Camp Grants Awarded

We are excited to announce the Native Youth Summer Camps Grant awardees for 2025:
  • Great Futures Summer Day Camp by the Boys & Girls Club of the Seminole Nation in Wewoka, Oklahoma;
  • Camp A'Gin by Tewa Women United in Espanola, New Mexico; 
  • Camp Nikoti Summer Camp by the Absentee Shawnee Tribe in Shawnee, Oklahoma;
  • Culture Camp by the Sitka Tribe of Alaska in Sitka, Alaska;
  • Dot Lake Village Culture Camp by the Dot Lake Village Council in Dot Lake, Alaska;
  • Hongvi'mamant Running Camp (Strong Girls Running Camp) by the Hopi Distance Project in Sedona, Arizona;
  • Last Tetlin Culture and Wellness Camp by the Native Village of Tetlin in Last Tetlin, Alaska;
  • O’odham Camp by the Native American Advancement Foundation in Gu Vo, Arizona
  • Pit River Language Camp by the Pit River Tribe in Burney, California;
  • Shinnecock's Food Sovereignty Camp by the Shinnecock Indian Nation in Shinnecock Indian Nation Territory, Eastern Long Island, New York;
  • Tiwahe Glu Kini Pi Summer Horse Camps by Sinte Gleska University Tiwahe Glu Kini Pi "Bringing the Family Back to Life" in Mission, South Dakota; and
  • Tunica-Biloxi Language & Culture Summer Youth Camp by the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe in Marksville, Louisiana.

Grant Requirements

We provide funding for Tribes and Native-run organizations that use innovative activities which intertwine the old with the new to strengthen traditional cultural knowledge and teach skills to live healthy and productive lifestyle. Applications for funding are based on the following required criteria:
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  • The camp must provide summer programming to Native Youth up to 18 years of age and be inclusive and supportive of LGBTQ2S+ Native youth;
  • The program must include education on diabetes prevention, nutrition, physical fitness and/or other health and wellness topics;
  • The program should include education on culture, language and community advocacy;
  • The program should involve Native Elders and/or have active community involvement; and
  • The camp must follow safety and security protocols and procedures to protect and care for the youth and Elders, including maintaining social distancing and mask wearing when needed, and provide education for hand washing, and how infectious disease can spread. 
Over the past 22 years, with the support of our donors,
we have granted $252,000 to 203 camps!

Impact Report

Our supporters help provide funding for summer camps who are connecting Native youth with cultural experiences as well as providing curriculum on health, wellness and self-care. Read our 2024 report to learn more about how the 2024 Summer Camps reached 370 youth from at least ​43 Tribes, Nations, and communities!