Denver, Colo., Oct. 01, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As part of its Reclaim Native Democracy campaign, the American Indian College Fund (College Fund) is providing nine tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) with voter education and engagement micro-grants to promote awareness of the upcoming midterm elections in their communities.These micro-grants support student and community-led activities such as registering to vote, understanding what will be on the ballot, providing access to the polls through transportation assistance and ridesharing coordination, and civic engagement lunch-and-learns on TCU campuses. Each participating TCU received Reclaim Native Democracy branded t-shirts, buttons, and stickers to raise awareness and increase voter turnout.
Reclaim Native Democracy is a multi-year campaign focusing on civic education and engagement across TCU communities. The goal is to inspire a better future by supporting tribal community outreach and dialogue around the importance of voting for the betterment of one’s people. As part of the campaign, the College Fund is asking current TCU students and Full Circle scholars to share their thoughts on voting, democracy, and the future of Native communities. The theme is, “Our ancestors carried the wisdom. We carry the responsibility. Future generations carry the promise.” Students may submit multiple entries, with their first automatically qualifying them for a $25 gift card and all students whose submissions are accepted will be entered into a $500 cash prize raffle. Complete rules and the submission portal can be found at collegefund.org/vote.
The partnering TCUs are:
- Chief Dull Knife College - Lame Deer, Mont.
- College of Menominee Nation - Keshena, Wis.
- Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe University - Hayward, Wis.
- Leech Lake Tribal College - Cass Lake, Minn.
- Little Big Horn College - Crow Agency, Mont.
- Nebraska Indian Community College - Macy, Neb.
- Salish Kootenai College - Pablo, Mont.
- Stone Child College - Box Elder, Mont.
- Tohono O’odham Community College - Sells, Ariz.
Whether a tribal college student, a tribal community member, or an ally, the College Fund encourages all Americans to exercise their right to vote in elections. Information about registering to vote can use this state-by-state guide at collegefund.org/vote/register/.
About the American Indian College Fund — The American Indian College Fund has been the nation’s largest charity supporting Native higher education for 37 years. The College Fund believes “Education is the answer” and provided more than $24 million in scholarships and other student support for higher education in 2025-26. Since its founding in 1989 the College Fund has provided more than $434 million in scholarships, programs, community, and tribal college support. The College Fund also supports a variety of programs at the nation’s 35 accredited tribal colleges and universities, which are located on or near Indian reservations, ensuring students have the tools to graduate and succeed in their careers. The College Fund consistently receives top ratings from independent charity evaluators. It earned a four-star rating from Charity Navigator, a Platinum Seal of Transparency from Candid (Guidestar), and the “Best in America Seal of Excellence” from the Independent Charities of America. The College Fund was also named as one of the nation’s top 100 charities to the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance. For more information about the American Indian College Fund, please visit collegefund.org.
Journalists—The American Indian College Fund does not use the acronym AICF. On second reference, please use the College Fund.
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Dina Horwedel American Indian College Fund 303-430-5350 dhorwedel@collegefund.org Colleen R. Billiot American Indian College Fund 720-214-2569 cbilliot@collegefund.org
