Within our stunning range of Pendleton blankets here at Indian Traders, we are very proud to offer several College Fund Blankets. A percentage of every sale of these exclusively designed and produced Native American blankets is donated to the American Indian College Fund.
The American Indian College Fund is a non-profit organization that helps fund educational scholarships for Native American students and supports tribal colleges.
Tribal Colleges and Universities
Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) have provided pathways for Native students in the USA to higher education for more than fifty years. The first of these was Diné College, which was founded by the Navajo Nation in 1969. Today 35 accredited TCUs are offering dynamic higher education opportunities:
- Certificate programs
- Associate Degree programs
- Bachelor’s Degree programs (19 colleges)
- Master’s Degree programs (7 colleges)
There are TCUs and satellite campuses across the continental USA, serving diverse Native American Nations from the Southwest to the Great Plains; the Northern Rockies to the Midwest.
TCUs must be tribally chartered, with a majority Native American Board membership, and the student body must be at least 51% Native American. As such, they also offer higher educational opportunities to non-Native members of their local rural or remote communities.
Alongside education, TCUs and their satellite campuses provide essential community services including:
- Health centers and education
- Libraries
- Childcare
- Fitness facilities
- Computer access
- Student Housing
- Native language instruction
- Indigenous research
- Community centers
- And more
The TCUs strive to strengthen Native education, the environment, health, wellness, culture and language, infrastructure, emerging leadership, and communities overall. Program areas are extremely diverse.
Just a few examples of Tribal Colleges and Universities include:
- Dine College – Tsaile, Arizona
- Navajo Technical University - Crownpoint, New Mexico
- Tohono O'odham Community College - Sells, Arizona
- Institute of American Indian Arts – Santa Fe, New Mexico
- Northwest Indian College – Bellingham, Washington
- Oglala Lakota College – Kyle, South Dakota
- United Tribes Technical College – Bismarck, North Dakota
- Lac Courte Orielles Ojibwe University – Hayward, Wisconsin
- College of the Muscogee Nation, Oklahoma
- Ilisagvik College – Barrow, Alaska
The American Indian College Fund
The American Indian College Fund is the USA’s largest Native-led and serving charity supporting higher education for Native students. Founded in 1989, the Fund invests in American Indian students for higher education to positively transform both individual lives and communities. It remains the USA’s largest charity that supports access to higher education for Native students; both American Indian and Alaska Native students are provided with access to higher education as well as the tools and support required to ensure that they succeed.
The Fund also supports the 35 accredited tribal colleges and universities; the majority of these are located on or near Indian reservations and they are chartered by tribal governments.
The fund currently provides approximately 6,000 scholarships every year for Native American students, as well as providing support for tribal colleges in terms of capital, cultural preservation activities, and more.
Transparent and accountable, The College Fund is regularly evaluated independently and consistently receives top ratings – including being one of fewer than 2,000 out of a million charities to earn the Best in America Seal of Excellence from Independent Charities of America. It is one of the USA’s Top 100 Charities (Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance).
Pendleton College Fund Blankets
Pendleton has an array of AICF Blankets that have been created exclusively for the American India College Fund. Purchasing these directly supports this honorable mission.
Examples of College Fund Blankets we offer at Indian Traders include:
- The Pendleton Hidatsa Earth Blanket
- The Pendleton Earth College Fund Blanket
- The NIKE 7 Generations Blanket
- The Pendleton NIKE 7 Generations Baby Blanket
- The Pendleton Water Blanket
- The Pendleton AICF Courage to Bloom Blanket
Furthermore, L7 Enterprises, which is exclusive to Indian Traders, proudly purchases blankets that contribute to the American Indian College Fund to create some of our apparel and accessories (for example, the Water Tablet Sleeve and the Earth Vest.
To support this important initiative, simply shop online at Indian Traders – this College Fund link will take you right to the beautiful products that contribute!