American Indian College Fund
The Tribal College National Study
The American Indian College Fund provides scholarships for American Indian college students and supports America's tribally controlled colleges and universities. They help create better lives for generations of Native American students, their families, and their communities. The Fund is based in Denver, Colorado.
Need
In 2003, the Fund commissioned Harder+Company to conduct a national study. The purpose of the study was two fold: 1) to build on a previous research project Harder+Company conducted that studied the social, cultural, and economic impact of tribal colleges on alumni; and 2) to document the impact of The Fund's recent Capital Campaign, which provided over $1 million dollars in badly needed infrastructure support to tribal colleges.
What We Did
Harder+Company developed a national survey with Fund staff members asking targeted questions about how the tribal college experience is different than mainstream colleges and how this experience effects the long-term success of alumni. We also visited six tribal colleges to conduct interviews with staff and students, observe tribal college events, and provide context to the national survey.
Results
Our report, enhanced by a graphic designer, was distributed to key members of Congress, other national decision makers and funders to demonstrate the positive impact of tribal colleges. Subsequently, The Fund used the report as a fund raising and public awareness tool.
Staff
For more information on Harder + Company, please contact us at 415-522-5400.
The Black Feet Tribe in Montana were able to build this with a contribution from the Fund.
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The Fund was so pleased with our experience with Harder+Company that we enlisted the group to conduct a follow-up report including an examination of our capital campaign.”
—American Indian College Fund
