Native American Rights Fund
Native American Rights Fund is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit legal organization founded in 1970 that provides litigation, legal representation, and advocacy on federal Indian law to Tribal Nations, Native American communities, and Indigenous peoples through offices in Boulder, Anchorage, and Washington, D.C.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1970
- HeadquartersBoulder, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Native American Rights Fund does
Native American Rights Fund (NARF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit legal advocacy organization founded in 1970 and headquartered at 250 Arapahoe Ave, Boulder, Colorado, with regional offices in Anchorage, Alaska, and Washington, D.C. Its mission is to hold governments accountable by fighting to protect Native American rights, resources, and lifeways through litigation, legal advocacy, and legal expertise. NARF serves Tribal Nations, Native American individuals and families, and Indigenous communities, with a vertical focus on federal Indian law matters including treaty rights, water rights, voting rights, child welfare (ICWA), land rights, religious freedom, repatriation under NAGPRA, boarding school healing, environmental protection, and tribal sovereignty.
The organization's product surface is a portfolio of legal services and knowledge resources. Core litigation and advocacy are delivered through three offices by 50+ staff attorneys and support staff. Specialized programs include the Tribal Supreme Court Project (a joint initiative with the National Congress of American Indians operating since 2001), the Tribal Water Institute launched in 2024, The Implementation Project (a joint initiative with the University of Colorado Law School advancing the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples), and the Indigenous Peacemaking Initiative. Knowledge resources include the National Indian Law Library (NILL), the Tribal Law Gateway, the weekly Indian Law Bulletins, The Headwaters Report, and the semi-annual NARF Legal Review.
NARF generates revenue entirely through donations, foundation grants, and fundraising; there is no commercial pricing model or product revenue stream. Notable recent funders include the Walton Family Foundation, William + Flora Hewlett Foundation, Gates Family Foundation, Water Foundation, 11th Hour Project, and Conscience Bay Research, which collectively underwrote the Tribal Water Institute for an initial three-year project beginning in 2024. Leadership is by Executive Director John E. Echohawk (Pawnee), with Deputy Director Matthew L. Campbell; CO, AK, and DC Managing Attorneys; CFO Michael Kennedy; and an experienced board. NARF holds Charity Navigator, Candid, and Give.org charity seals.
Native American Rights Fund firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Native American Rights Fund
- Legal name
- Native American Rights Fund
- Website
- https://narf.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1970
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Native American Rights Fund is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit legal organization founded in 1970 that provides litigation, legal representation, and advocacy on federal Indian law to Tribal Nations, Native American communities, and Indigenous peoples through offices in Boulder, Anchorage, and Washington, D.C.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Native American Rights Fund industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Legal Services
- SIC
- Services-Legal Services (8111)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Human Rights, Democracy & Rule of Law IGOs (BPADAAAG)
Keywords
Where Native American Rights Fund is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Boulder
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Native American Rights Fund business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Donations and Fundraising: NARF generates revenue primarily through donations from individuals, foundations, and supporters who contribute to support the organization's mission of protecting Native American rights through litigation and legal advocacy.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels7 records
Native American Rights Fund product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Native American Rights Fund (NARF) is a nonprofit legal organization that provides litigation, legal advocacy, and legal expertise to protect Native American rights, resources, and lifeways. NARF serves Tribal Nations, Native American individuals, and Indigenous communities through direct legal representation, Supreme Court advocacy via the Tribal Supreme Court Project, tribal water law training through the Tribal Water Institute, international advocacy via the Implementation Project, and operates the National Indian Law Library as a federal Indian and Tribal law research resource.
Product overview
Native American Rights Fund (NARF) is a non-profit legal organization offering a portfolio of legal services and resources to protect Native American rights, resources, and lifeways. The core offering consists of litigation and legal advocacy, supported by specialized knowledge resources including the National Indian Law Library (NILL), the Tribal Law Gateway, and the Indian Law Bulletins. Major initiatives include the Tribal Supreme Court Project (joint with NCAI) for Supreme Court case coordination, the Tribal Water Institute (TWI) with its digital publication The Headwaters Report for water law resources, and The Implementation Project (TIP) for UN Declaration advocacy. Additional offerings include the Indigenous Peacemaking Initiative for dispute resolution and the NARF Legal Review for periodic updates. Together, these products form a comprehensive legal advocacy ecosystem serving Tribal Nations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Native American Rights Fund (NARF) Legal Representation A nonprofit legal organization providing litigation, legal advocacy, and legal expertise to Tribal Nations, Native American individuals, and Indigenous communities on treaty rights, water rights, voting rights, child welfare, land rights, sovereignty, and related Indian law issues.
- National Indian Law Library (NILL) A dedicated library for federal Indian and Tribal law that maintains a unique collection of Indian law resources and provides specialized research assistance to both NARF attorneys and the public.
- Tribal Supreme Court Project A joint project of NARF and NCAI staffed by attorneys and supported by more than 300 volunteer attorneys, academics, and Tribal representatives working to improve strategy and coordination in U.S. Supreme Court cases affecting Tribal Nations.
- Tribal Water Institute (TWI) An initiative launched in 2024 that trains early-career attorneys in Tribal water law issues, develops policy and legal reform concepts, and helps educate Indian Country on water law and policy.
- The Implementation Project (TIP) A joint initiative of NARF and the University of Colorado Law School that advances the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples through education and advocacy in international, domestic, and tribal forums.
- Indigenous Peacemaking Initiative An initiative focused on Indigenous methods for dispute resolution, supporting Native communities with peacemaking resources and approaches rooted in Indigenous traditions.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 25 years, the Tribal Supreme Court Project has helped Tribal Nations win 70% of their cases in the last decade, compared to losing 80% before the project's founding
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Native American Rights Fund
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Native American Rights Fund technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Native American Rights Fund partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- National Congress of American Indians (NCAI)coreNARF and NCAI jointly operate the Tribal Supreme Court Project, which has worked for 25 years to improve strategy and promote greater coordination in U.S. Supreme Court cases affecting Tribal Nations. The project is staffed by attorneys from both organizations and consists of more than 300 volunteer attorneys, academics, and Tribal representatives.
- University of Colorado Law SchoolcoreNARF and University of Colorado Law School jointly operate The Implementation Project (TIP), which advances the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples through education and advocacy. TIP works closely with Indigenous Peoples including American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian leaders in international, domestic, and tribal forums.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Native American Rights Fund competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Indian Law Resource Center: Nonprofit legal organization providing legal advocacy and resource center services to Indigenous peoples, similar to NARF in mission, structure, and donor-funded legal-services model.
- Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation: Nonprofit legal services organization serving Native Hawaiian communities; NARF and NHLC jointly filed intervention motions in cases like the Papa Ola Lōkahi matter, illustrating peer-level collaboration on Indigenous rights advocacy.
- National Congress of American Indians: The largest and oldest national organization representing Tribal Nations and Alaska Native villages; co-staffs the Tribal Supreme Court Project with NARF and shares federal Indian law policy work.
Broad incumbents
- Earthjustice: Large nonprofit environmental law firm that has historically worked with Tribal Nations on environmental matters (including former NARF TWI lead Daniel Cordalis); comparable to NARF in advocacy-driven legal services but broader in mission scope.
- Hobbs, Straus, Dean & Walker, LLP: Private law firm specializing in federal Indian law and tribal representation; collaborates with NARF on matters like the Papa Ola Lōkahi motion to intervene, providing a comparable but fee-based alternative to NARF's pro bono model.
- American Civil Liberties Union: Large national legal advocacy nonprofit that litigates civil rights cases including those affecting Native voters (e.g., amicus involvement in voting rights cases alongside NARF); comparable in donor-funded litigation model but vastly broader scope.
Emerging players
- First Nations Development Institute: Native-led nonprofit focused on economic development, advocacy, and capacity-building for Native communities; adjacent to NARF's mission but emphasizes economic rather than legal advocacy.
- National Indian Education Association: Native-led nonprofit advocating for educational equity and culturally-based education for Native students; overlaps with NARF in advocacy audience but is education rather than legal services focused.
- Cultural Survival: Indigenous-led nonprofit advocating for Indigenous peoples' rights at the UN and in international forums; comparable to NARF's Implementation Project international advocacy work and donor-supported legal/policy advocacy model.
Others
- Center for Indian Country Development: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis initiative focused on economic policy research and advocacy in Indian Country; relevant ecosystem partner and donor ecosystem comparable to NARF's foundation relationships, though not a legal services provider.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Native American Rights Fund social profiles
Digital presenceNative American Rights Fund financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Native American Rights Fund leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Native American Rights Fund subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries4 records
Native American Rights Fund funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Native American Rights Fund 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 Native American Rights Fund
What does Native American Rights Fund do?
The Native American Rights Fund (NARF) is a nonprofit legal organization that provides litigation, legal advocacy, and legal expertise to protect Native American rights, resources, and lifeways. NARF serves Tribal Nations, Native American individuals, and Indigenous communities through direct legal representation, Supreme Court advocacy via the Tribal Supreme Court Project, tribal water law training through the Tribal Water Institute, international advocacy via the Implementation Project, and operates the National Indian Law Library as a federal Indian and Tribal law research resource.
Is Native American Rights Fund a public or private company?
Native American Rights Fund is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Native American Rights Fund founded?
Native American Rights Fund was founded in 1970. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Native American Rights Fund based?
Native American Rights Fund is headquartered in Boulder, United States, in the North America region.
How does Native American Rights Fund make money?
One revenue line is on record: donations and Fundraising.
Who are Native American Rights Fund's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Indian Law Resource Center, Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation and National Congress of American Indians. Broad incumbents are Earthjustice, Hobbs, Straus, Dean & Walker, LLP and American Civil Liberties Union. Emerging players are First Nations Development Institute, National Indian Education Association and Cultural Survival. Center for Indian Country Development is listed as an others.
Does Native American Rights Fund have an API?
No public API is recorded for Native American Rights Fund.
What industry is Native American Rights Fund in?
Native American Rights Fund's product category is Legal Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPADAAAG, Human Rights, Democracy & Rule of Law IGOs. Its SIC code is 8111.