Generation Indigenous Ways
Generations Indigenous Ways is a 501(c)(3) Native nonprofit on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation providing K-12 STEM education enhanced by Oglala Lakota cultural values through seasonal camps, afterschool programs, and community seminars for American Indian youth, elders, and families.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersDakota, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Generation Indigenous Ways does
Generations Indigenous Ways is a 501(c)(3) Native nonprofit organization that provides year-round K-12 STEM education enhanced by Oglala Lakota cultural values and Indigenous Sciences to American Indian youth, with a primary operational base near the community of Lost Dog on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. The organization is fiscally sponsored as an affiliate of the Seventh Generation Fund for Indigenous Peoples Inc., and serves a beneficiary base that includes K-12 students across the Seven Council Fires territory, Oglala Lakota elders (3,500+ served through the Indigenous Response initiative), and community members.
The core product is an Indigenous Science curriculum derived from the Medicine Wheel Model established at the Hopa Mountain and Blackfeet Reservation Native Science Field Centers, which integrates Oglala Lakota traditional knowledge with Western STEM disciplines. The program portfolio is organized into four streams: the Lakota Summer Science Field Institute (flagship seasonal camp series including Winter Astronomy, Lakota Physics Bow Camp, Journey to the Center of the Earth, Children's Healing Camp, and Fall Buffalo Sciences), the Itancan Kagapi afterschool program delivered at Crazy Horse School in Wanblee, Community Informal Science Seminars (geology, Lakota Star Knowledge, water rights, renewable energy), and a Food Sustainability Initiative encompassing community gardens, traditional foods gathering, and food sovereignty. GPS/GIS technology training is integrated into the Lakota Geology curriculum. Programs are delivered at unique outdoor classroom settings on the reservation including Badlands geological sites, wetlands, and Black Hills sacred sites.
The business model is a donation- and grant-funded nonprofit with all programs provided free of charge to participants. Revenue streams include individual donations routed through the Seventh Generation Fund fiscal sponsor, foundation and corporate grants, and in-kind donations of program supplies. The team is small, led by co-founder and Executive Director Helene Gaddie, with one documented institutional grant of $40,000 from the REI Cooperative Action Fund in May 2024. The go-to-market is community-led, relying on direct engagement with schools, community buildings, traditional networks, word-of-mouth, and earned media (MSNBC, Lakota Times).
Generation Indigenous Ways firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Generation Indigenous Ways
- Legal name
- Generations Indigenous Ways
- Website
- https://giways.org
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Generations Indigenous Ways is a 501(c)(3) Native nonprofit on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation providing K-12 STEM education enhanced by Oglala Lakota cultural values through seasonal camps, afterschool programs, and community seminars for American Indian youth, elders, and families.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Generation Indigenous Ways industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Indigenous STEM Education
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Indigenous, Ethnic & Folk Arts/Heritage Organizations (BPAGAHAI)
Keywords
Where Generation Indigenous Ways is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Dakota
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Generation Indigenous Ways business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Contributions: Individual donations through online giving platforms (bit.ly/47QiIl5) and mailed checks payable to Seventh Generation Fund for Indigenous Peoples Inc. (memo: Generations Indigenous Ways).
- Foundation and Corporate Grants: Support from foundations and corporations to fund projects including environmental awareness, Indigenous science camps, community gardens, culture camps, afterschool programs, and climate change initiatives.
- In-Kind Donations: Physical donations of supplies for elder kits and program materials sent to Generations Indigenous Ways, 20750 BIA 2, Interior, SD 57750.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
Generation Indigenous Ways product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Generations Indigenous Ways is a 501(c)(3) Native nonprofit that delivers year-round K-12 Indigenous Science education integrating Oglala Lakota cultural knowledge with Western STEM, primarily to American Indian youth on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. The organization's offerings include seasonal science camps, an afterschool STEM program at Crazy Horse School in Wanblee, community informal science seminars, a food sovereignty and community gardens initiative, and an elder support program. All programs are provided free of charge to participants and are funded through donations, grants, and in-kind contributions.
Product overview
Generations Indigenous Ways operates as a single unified educational program portfolio rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. The organization offers year-round K-12th grade Indigenous Science curriculum that incorporates Oglala Lakota Culture and Western Sciences, derived from the Medicine Wheel Model. The core programs include the Lakota Summer Science Field Institute (LSSFI) as the flagship summer initiative, the Itancan Kagapi afterschool program, Community Informal Science Seminars, and Food Sustainability Initiative. Seasonal camps include Winter (Astronomy & Geology), Spring (Lakota Physics/Bow Camp), Summer (Journey to the Center of the Earth and Children's Healing Camp), and Fall (Buffalo Sciences & Harvesting). Technology training in GPS/GIS is integrated throughout the curriculum. Programs are delivered at various locations on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation including the Crazy Horse School in Wanblee.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Lakota Summer Science Field Institute (LSSFI)
- Itancan Kagapi Lakota Science Afterschool Program
- Community Informal Science Seminars
- Food Sustainability Initiative
- Seasonal Indigenous Science Camps
- Indigenous Response (Elder Support)
Quantifiable outcome
- Year-round educational programming serving youth from K-12th grade across the Seven Council Fires territory
Companies that use Generation Indigenous Ways
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Generation Indigenous Ways technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Generation Indigenous Ways partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.
- Hopa MountaincoreThe Indigenous Science curriculum is derived from the Medicine Wheel Model established by the Native Science Field Centers, including the program at Hopa Mountain. This partnership provides the foundational educational framework for Generations Indigenous Ways' K-12 programming.
- Blackfeet Reservation (Native Science Field Center)coreThe Indigenous Science curriculum draws from the Medicine Wheel Model established by Native Science Field Centers, including the Blackfeet Reservation program. This provided the proven educational framework adapted for the Oglala Lakota context.
- Crazy Horse School (Wanblee, SD)majorThe afterschool program 'Itancan Wapaksika Kagapi' (Creating Leaders in STEM) is currently located at the Crazy Horse School in Wanblee, SD, providing in-school STEM education opportunities.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves2 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Generation Indigenous Ways competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Native Forward (formerly AISES): The largest nonprofit dedicated to increasing representation of Indigenous peoples in STEM fields, providing scholarships, educational programming, and career pathways. Highly comparable focus on Indigenous STEM education for K-12 and college students.
- NDN Collective: An Indigenous-led nonprofit organization operating across multiple issue areas including youth programming, community organizing, and cultural preservation on Pine Ridge and across tribal nations. Directly comparable as a Native-led nonprofit building community infrastructure on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.
- American Indian College Fund: A national nonprofit providing scholarships and educational support to American Indian students with a strong STEM and tribal college focus. Comparable as an Indigenous education nonprofit supporting Native student success and STEM access.
- Seeding Sovereignty: An Indigenous youth-led organization focused on cultural revitalization, leadership development, and educational programming for Native youth. Comparable as an Indigenous nonprofit targeting youth with culturally grounded educational content.
- Thunder Valley Community Development Corporation: A Lakota-led community development organization on Pine Ridge Reservation running youth programs, food sovereignty initiatives, and cultural education. Operates in the same geography and target population with overlapping program areas including Indigenous youth and community development.
Broad incumbents
- IllumiNative: A national Native-led nonprofit focused on narrative change, education, and movement building for Indigenous communities. Broader in scope than GIWays, but operates as an Indigenous-led nonprofit supporting youth education and cultural visibility.
Others
- Seventh Generation Fund for Indigenous Peoples: GIWays' fiscal sponsor and parent 501(c)(3), a Native-led nonprofit supporting Indigenous community-based organizations across the Americas. Operates as an ecosystem partner rather than a direct competitor, providing back-office and grant infrastructure.
- Hopa Mountain: A Montana-based Indigenous-serving nonprofit whose Native Science Field Centers program provided the foundational Medicine Wheel Model used in GIWays' curriculum. Functions as an upstream curriculum/pedagogy partner and adjacent peer in Indigenous STEM education.
- Crazy Horse School (BIE-funded K-12 school): The Wanblee, SD K-12 school where GIWays runs its afterschool STEM program. Listed as a customer/partner rather than a peer; included to illustrate the on-reservation educational ecosystem in which GIWays operates.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Generation Indigenous Ways social profiles
Digital presenceGeneration Indigenous Ways compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Generation Indigenous Ways financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Generation Indigenous Ways leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Generation Indigenous Ways funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Generation Indigenous Ways M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Generation Indigenous Ways
What does Generation Indigenous Ways do?
Generations Indigenous Ways is a 501(c)(3) Native nonprofit that delivers year-round K-12 Indigenous Science education integrating Oglala Lakota cultural knowledge with Western STEM, primarily to American Indian youth on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. The organization's offerings include seasonal science camps, an afterschool STEM program at Crazy Horse School in Wanblee, community informal science seminars, a food sovereignty and community gardens initiative, and an elder support program. All programs are provided free of charge to participants and are funded through donations, grants, and in-kind contributions.
Is Generation Indigenous Ways a public or private company?
Generation Indigenous Ways is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Generation Indigenous Ways founded?
Generation Indigenous Ways was founded in -1.
Where is Generation Indigenous Ways based?
Generation Indigenous Ways is headquartered in Dakota, United States, in the North America region.
How does Generation Indigenous Ways make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Donations and Contributions are the primary driver. The others are foundation and Corporate Grants and in-Kind Donations.
Who are Generation Indigenous Ways's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Native Forward (formerly AISES), NDN Collective, American Indian College Fund, Seeding Sovereignty and Thunder Valley Community Development Corporation. IllumiNative is listed as a broad incumbent. Others are Seventh Generation Fund for Indigenous Peoples, Hopa Mountain and Crazy Horse School (BIE-funded K-12 school).
Does Generation Indigenous Ways have an API?
No public API is recorded for Generation Indigenous Ways.
What industry is Generation Indigenous Ways in?
Generation Indigenous Ways's product category is Indigenous STEM Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAHAI, Indigenous, Ethnic & Folk Arts/Heritage Organizations. Its SIC code is 8200.