First Peoples Fund

We support the cultural, artistic and ancestral practices of American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian artists, families and communities, helping them to thrive, heal and carry forward Indigenous creative expression, teachings and lifeways.

Art and cultural expression connect Indigenous Peoples to our history, our relationship to Grandmother Earth and each other. At First Peoples Fund (FPF), we know art and culture are essential to life. Art embodies Native peoples’ understanding of who we are, where we come from and where we are going. Art also provides essential income and jobs to support economic resilience, particularly where little economic generation exists.

Our work includes: 

Grants and Awards

We invest in the success and development of our FPF family of artists and culture bearers. Through financial grants and awards directly to artists and organizations, FPF supports the sustainability of their work and deepens their impact.

Mentorship and Training Programs

FPF offers coaching, training and technical assistance opportunities to artists to help strengthen their knowledge and capacity to thrive in their practice.  It is critical that artists and culture bearers have access to tools, mentors and professional development opportunities that help them achieve their goals.

Community and Youth Development Programs

Our community and youth development programs support Indigenous Arts Ecology by supporting young people beginning to explore and learn art and cultural expressions and supporting community members in learning and carrying on their art forms.  Through our programs, we work with community partners and local community members to teach cultural and entrepreneurial practices, deepen artistic and cultural identity and increase their access to financial resources in their communities.

National Research and Initiatives

First Peoples Fund initiates and conducts critical research projects to help advance knowledge and understanding of Native artists and culture bearers within the broader field.  Indigenous methods and approaches to artistic expression and practice are extremely valuable. However, the mainstream art sector has not historically embraced much of this knowledge and practice. We aim to further advance our Indigenous artists and culture bearers as national change makers, catalyzers of positive social change and essential knowledge holders for the world.