Celebrating another year of great results at Tanka Fund!
Celebrating another year of great results at Tanka Fund!
We are so happy to share that the focus on our mission to RETURN BUFFALO TO THE LANDS, LIVES AND ECONOMIES of Native American people yielded another year of great results.
With the help of our donors, funders, and partners in 2024, Tanka Fund:
RETURNED 246 BUFFALO to their Native homelands. Tanka Fund’s work to restore Buffalo to tribal lands and caretakers fosters a revival of community, economic and land balance, supporting Native health and spiritual renewal. In addition to our partnership with The Nature Conservancy, Tanka Fund also worked with the Minnesota Zoo and private ranchers to acquire Buffalo for our caretaker partners. Tanka Fund is the only organization that works solely with and financially funds private Native American family- and community-owned Buffalo ranches.
ADDED MORE RANCHER PARTNERS for a total of 24 NATIVE RANCHERS in the Tanka Fund family. We now partner with Native Buffalo ranchers in 8 states. There are currently 9 more Native ranchers in the process of becoming Tanka partners. Buffalo need caretakers, and we are focused on helping expand existing Native herds and giving new ranchers the assistance and animals they need.
PROVIDED $937,813 in grants, Buffalo, equipment, fencing, and technical services to our rancher partners.
2024 direct donations set new Tanka Fund record
We want to say THANK YOU to all of our direct donors who helped us raise $256,794 in 2024! Our 2024 direct donor campaign results set a new record for Tanka Fund. Because of your partnership in our cause, we were also able to raise funds this year to complete a special fencing project that enabled one of our partners to begin the conversion of his ranch from cattle to Buffalo.
Tanka Fund’s Native rancher partners now represent more than 2,500 head of Buffalo over 100,000 acres of land.
Pilamaye. We could not do this work without you.
Tanka Fund’s bison commodities program enrolls 12 ranchers in 2024
Tanka Fund’s beef and bison commodities program, now in its second year, supports long-term land management practices for Buffalo and cattle ranchers. As of Jan. 13, 2025, the program has enrolled 12 ranchers, including 11 Buffalo caretakers and 1 cattle rancher—representing 3,628 Buffalo across six states (CO, TX, WY, MN, ND, SD) and 80 cattle in Kansas.
Nine of the ranchers are from historically underserved populations, including four veterans, and six Tribes are involved: Modoc, Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Creek/Seminole, Lipan Apache, Oglala Lakota, and Standing Rock Sioux.
Our Rancher Partners: Virgil Two Eagle, Sr.
Virgil Two Eagle, Sr., of Black Feather Buffalo Project on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota is one of Tanka Fund’s longtime rancher partners.
Virgil, who took over his uncle’s ranch in 2017, has about 73 Buffalo on the land, which spans more than 3,600 acres.
Virgil focuses on the connection between community, land, and legacies and emphasizes the importance of preserving traditions for future generations.
Dawn Sherman inducted to ITBC, represents Delaware Tribe
Executive Director Dawn Sherman was officially inducted into the InterTribal Buffalo Council during the recent IAC Annual Conference. Representing her tribe, the Delaware Tribe of Indians of Bartlesville, she joins the Council as part of its newly added member tribes.
She is pictured above with Ervin Carlson, president of ITBC.
"I am humbled to represent our people and our commitment to supporting the return of Buffalo to Native lands, lives, and economies," she said.
Board member Nick Hernandez recognized as Rural Innovator
Earlier this month, Tanka Fund Board Member Nick Hernandez participated in the White House Rural Innovators Fellowship recognition event in Washington, D.C., hosted by the USDA Rural Development Office. This inaugural cohort celebrated 14 outstanding individuals chosen from hundreds of applicants across the United States and its Territories.
Nick is president and CEO of Makoce Agriculture Development, located on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, which is a Native-led organization with a mission to develop Indigenous agriculture and food systems.
Makoce Agriculture Development is a partner with Tanka Fund and Wambli Ska Okolakiciye in the Sacred Storm Buffalo plant.
Tanka Fund team gathers for strategic planning
The Tanka team met recently to begin work on a strategic plan for the growing organization. In the first of several sessions, staff and board members gathered in Rapid City, SD, and on Zoom to map out goals and milestones for the coming years.
Audrey Fallis and Anya Piotrowski of Emergence LLC facilitated the meeting.
Mental health resources for ranchers, farmers and veterans
There are a number of organizations that provide assistance for ranchers, farmers and veterans. You can find a link to resources below.
Tanka Fund builds relationships and community at IAC and NBA conferences
Our Tanka Fund team recently attended and participated in two significant conferences—the IAC Annual Conference and the National Bison Association’s 30th Anniversary Winter Conference. Each one gave us an opportunity to network, learn, and reinforce our mission to return Buffalo to Native lands, lives, and economies.
Tanka Fund to attend Dakota Buffalo Territory Association Conference
The Tanka team will be attending the Dakota Buffalo Territory Association Conference, Feb. 7-8, Rapid City, SD. We will not be exhibiting at this year’s conference, but please take a moment to say hello if you spot one of our team members!
Funder Spotlight: Vadon Foundation
Tanka Fund funding partner Vadon Foundation supports innovative community-based initiatives working to ensure that every successive generation of Indigenous people will face an increasingly brighter future of healthy self-determination and autonomy.
Recognizing that multi-generational problems require multi-generational solutions, the foundation believes that developing and supporting visionary changemakers within Native communities provides the most proven path for fostering long-term progress.
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