Boeing Contributes Nearly $2 Million for Indigenous Communities in the U.S. 

In observance of Native American Heritage Month in the U.S., Boeing announced a $1.8 million donation to organizations supporting Indigenous communities in the U.S. The investment package will fund 22 programs working to improve access to clean water, provide resources for those impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, increase natural disaster response and preparation in high-risk communities and support STEM education programs for Native American students and workforce training for veterans.

“We are proud to continue supporting and uplifting Native American and Indigenous communities as we work toward a more equitable future for everyone,” said Marc Allen, Boeing’s chief strategy officer, senior vice president of Strategy and Corporate Development and enterprise executive council champion of the Boeing Native American Network. “These grants will help our partners reach their goals of expanding access to clean water, encouraging more students to pursue STEM, offering professional development and job opportunities to Native American veterans and much more.”

The funding package includes support for the following organizations with a national focus:

• $250,000: Boys & Girls Clubs of America – Funding will support the more than 200 Native Clubs that serve 120,000 Native children and teens in 28 states. Programming will support the development of stronger Native Clubs in the system, increased program quality and collaborative advocacy for Native youth development.
• $100,000: First Americans Museum School Access Program – Funding will support 3,600 students from Title I schools across Oklahoma with the opportunity to visit the First Americans Museum annually for the next five years. Teachers also receive pre- and post-visit curriculum materials, including guidelines for integrating Indigenous perspectives into the classroom.
• $100,000: Oklahoma State University Foundation – Funding will support the Center for Sovereign Nations, which provides employment and academic support for Native American students attending the university. Funding will also support the Native Earth-Sky program, a partnership with NASA to develop a middle school curriculum that blends scientific exploration with traditional Native storytelling.
• $50,000: American Indian College Fund – Funding will provide sponsorship support of Native American Heritage celebration activities during the 2021-2022 academic year and assist Native American students working to create social and economic transformation within their communities.
• $50,000: American Indian Science & Engineering Society (AISES) – Funding will support the Together Towards Tomorrow (T3) Fund which provides emergency resources to Indigenous college students impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• $50,000: First Nations Development Institute – Funding will support twelve Native American tribes’ food banks or food pantries. Additionally, three Native-run food banks or pantries will be selected for intensive technical support, enabling them to scale services and better meet the needs of their communities.

“Research shows that culturally relevant programs and practices that honor Native identity help Native youth thrive,” said Carla Knapp, National Vice President of Native Services, Boys & Girls Clubs of America. “Strengthening Club organizations is vital to ensuring that all Native youth receive a high-quality experience today and well into the future. At BGCA, we believe developing youth into leaders today begins with developing the leaders of our movement. We thank Boeing for their support of our Boys & Girls Clubs in Indian Country.”

Boeing’s contribution will also fund an additional 16 programs providing support across 7 states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Oklahoma, Oregon, Utah and Washington.

• $120,000: Oklahoma State University Foundation DARE Program – Funding will support the expansion of the DARE Program, which provides paid summer internships to Native American high school students and other underrepresented groups at Oklahoma State University’s Unmanned Systems Research Institute.
• $100,000: America’s Warrior Partnership – Funding will support increased outreach and resources to veteran households through the Diné Naazbaa’ Partnership, a community-integrated approach supporting the Navajo Nation’s military veterans, their families and caregivers.
• $100,000: DigDeep – Funding will provide the Navajo Water Project with access to water, training and equipment. This Indigenous-led, locally staffed program develops wells to pump, treat and store clean water which is delivered by trucks to off-grid home water systems.
• $100,000: Partnership With Native Americans (PWNA) – Funding will support tribal self-sufficiency by providing training and equipment to Native American tribes that will help increase effectiveness in preparing for and responding to natural disasters.
• $100,000: The Nature Conservancy – Funding will support the Colorado River Basin Tribal Water Initiative that provides voice, choice and action of Tribal Nations who rely on the Colorado River.
• $100,000: American Indian Services – Funding will support the expansion of the AIS Prep program – a three-year summer STEM program for Native American middle school students at Utah State University-Blanding. Funding will also add an aerospace engineering curriculum unit to each year of the program.
• $100,000: Potlatch Fund – Funding will help expand programs that build community, provide space for Native Americans to celebrate their heritage and help heal Indigenous communities through education, arts and language.
• $85,000: Phoenix Indian Center – Funding will support a new health and wellness program that includes incorporating traditional American Indian games and sports to complement existing academic, substance abuse prevention and college and career readiness programs. Funding will also provide sponsorship support for the 75th anniversary of the Phoenix Indian Center.
• $85,000: Puget Sound Educational Service District – Funding will support the Red Road Project, a culturally infused STEM curriculum led by Native American educators that will reach 300 K-12 Native American students in four Pierce County, Washington school districts. The Puyallup and Muckleshoot Tribes also support this program.
• $60,000: Elements of Education Partners – Funding will support program expansion through a partnership with Chief Leschi Schools and the Puyallup Tribe, strengthening pathways to tribal-industry careers in healthcare, education, natural resources, hospitality, audio and visual technology.
• $60,000: Mentor Washington – Funding will support a trauma-informed, STEM-focused Native American Career Connect STEAM (NACC STEAM) program designed to increase students’ academic performance and fuel their pursuits of STEM education and careers.
• $50,000: Comunidades Indigenas en Liderazgo (CIELO) – Funding will support cultural awareness workshops for community service organizations with the goal of increasing social awareness, service delivery and accessibility for Native populations in California. Funding will also support food distribution events for Indigenous families experiencing food insecurity in Los Angeles.
• $50,000: University of Alaska Foundation – Funding will support the Alaska Native Science & Engineering Project which works to effect systemic change in the hiring of Alaska Natives by placing students on a career path to leadership in the science and engineering fields.
• $45,000: United Indians of All Tribes – Funding will support increased outreach to and engage Native American veterans and their families through the Native Workforce Services Program, which provides job counseling, academic counseling, classroom training and placement services.
• $20,000: Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA) – Funding will provide support for the NAYA Gala and Auction in Portland, Oregon, the largest celebration of national Native American Heritage Month in the Pacific Northwest. NAYA is the cultural hub of Portland’s Native American community, providing culturally-specific services and programming to youth, families and Elders.
• $10,000: First Americans Museum Native Color Guard Demonstration – Funding will support the Museum’s demonstration on Veterans Day 2021, as well as provide free professional development for individuals working with active service members, veterans and military families on the cultural significance of warriors in Native American communities.

“Boeing’s generous donation will help the Navajo Water Project in so many ways. DigDeep cannot do its work on the Navajo Nation without support such as this, which not only helps people get water but also helps them thrive,” said Emma Robbins, executive director, Navajo Water Project.

Over the past three years, Boeing has invested more than $2.6 million in organizations supporting Native American and other Indigenous communities in the U.S. – bringing the company’s global support for Indigenous populations over the same time period to $3.3 million.