Pandemic reveals immense need – Potlatch Fund commits to raising additional $7 million for its Resiliency Fund

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 18, 2021 Pandemic reveals immense needs and continued inequities affecting Native American communities: Potlatch Fund commits to raising additional $7 million for its Resiliency Fund SEATTLE, October, 18 2021 – When COVID-19 began circulating throughout the population in March last year, many philanthropic foundations suspended their usual grantmaking programs and streamlined their processes to offer emergency funding. Potlatch Fund, a Seattle-based Native-led foundation serving Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana, also suspended its usual grant programs to offer COVID relief funding to grantee partners. Then, as the pandemic continued and the foundation planned for the future, it decided to make some permanent changes in the way it disbursed grant funding. The result of that planning was the

Native-led Potlatch Fund is asking the Native community to “Bring us your dreams.”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEJuly 27, 2021 “If you can dream it, we are seeking to fund it.”Native-led Potlatch Fund seeks grant applicants for Resiliency Fund grant opportunity. SEATTLE, July 27, 2021 – Native-led Potlatch Fund is asking the Native community to “Bring us your dreams.” by applying for this new funding opportunity to address evolving community needs and long-term impacts of COVID-19. The Resiliency Fund is open to applicants serving Native communities in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana and is available to Tribal departments and organizations for both programs and general operations, and to individual Native artists, both traditional and contemporary–visual, performing and multi-media. So far, two rounds of grants have been awarded to individual Native artists and organizations serving Native

Paul G. Allen Family Foundation Funding

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 1, 2021 Two Local Native American Organizations Receive Paul G. Allen Family Foundation Funding To Boost COVID-19 Relief Efforts in Struggling Pacific NW Communities SEATTLE, February 1, 2021 – Potlatch Fund and Na’ah Illahee Fund—two Seattle-based nonprofit organizations serving Indigenous communities across the Pacific Northwest with programs and funding—are pleased to announce new funding from the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation which will help both organizations provide vital support to Native communities during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. Both Potlatch Fund and Na’ah Illahee Fund have disbursed emergency funding to individuals and communities since the COVID-19 pandemic began last March. For Potlatch Fund, this funding took the form of Critical Response Grants after staff members reached out

Amber Schulz-Oliver, Board President Welcomes New Executive Director

Dear Friends, I don’t have to tell you that we are living in strange, unprecedented times. We all experience the COVID-19 crisis differently, and yet we are all in it together.  Daily, we are inspired by and grateful for all of the people risking their health and their lives to combat this disease. At Potlatch Fund, we are responding to COVID-19 by stepping up our support of the Native nonprofit organizations that are crucial to maintaining our way of life. I’ll share more about how we’ll be doing that later in this letter. But right now, I am elated to welcome Cleora Hill-Scott (Crow/ Sioux/ Pawnee) as the new, permanent Executive Director of Potlatch Fund.  We are fortunate to have a strong,