Owámniyomni Okhódayapi

What Owámniyomni Okhódayapi does

Owámniyomni Okhódayapi is a Dakota-led nonprofit founded in 2016 (formerly Friends of the Falls) headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The organization is restoring Owámniyomni (St. Anthony Falls) by transforming five acres of land into a place of cultural restoration, education, healing, and connection. It centers the collective vision of the four Dakota Nations in Minnesota — Shakopee Mdewakanton (Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community), Tinta Wita (Prairie Island Indian Community), Cansa'yapi (Lower Sioux Indian Community), and Pežutazizi Kapi (Upper Sioux Community) — and operates via a consensus-based, multitribal governance framework currently representing three of four tribes on its board. The site, originally desecrated by colonization and industrialization, is being ecologically restored with oak savanna and prairie habitat supporting up to 80 species; the underlying asset is the land itself, currently being transferred from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to tribal/local control.

The organization delivers its mission through three core programmatic offerings: 60-minute guided interpretive tours led by Program Director Barry Hand; Dakota Lifeways educational programs including workshops, cultural events, and seasonal celebrations; and a newly opened Owámniyomni Engagement Space at 100 Portland Avenue South that serves as a rentable venue for schools, nonprofits, corporations, and government agencies. Its go-to-market is community- and event-led, drawing audiences via festivals (Great Northern Festival, River Days of Action), speaker series (e.g., Minneapolis Club Speaker Series at $41 per ticket), and earned media. With 7 employees and President Shelley Buck at the helm, the organization relies on a multi-channel engagement model including website, social, email newsletters, video assets produced with Bust Out, and direct community partnerships with Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board, Mississippi Watershed Management Organization, and Trust for Public Land.

Owámniyomni Okhódayapi funds operations through a diversified revenue mix including major foundation grants, state appropriations, individual donations, and event-based income. The $60 million Sičké Núŋpa comprehensive campaign — allocated $10M to a permanent endowment, $35M to site transformation (Land and Water Phases 1 and 2), and $15M to relationship-building with the Dakota Nations — has raised approximately $40.5 million (~67.5%) to date, anchored by a $2.625M Bush Foundation Community Innovation grant awarded in April 2024 and additional support from McKnight Foundation, Minneapolis Foundation, and state Outdoor Heritage Fund and Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund dollars. Construction on the site began in 2026, with the Engagement Space opening during the 10th anniversary Spring Equinox Open House on March 21, 2026.

Name

Owámniyomni Okhódayapi

Legal name

Owámniyomni Okhódayapi

Website

https://owamniyomni.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Owámniyomni Okhódayapi is a Dakota-led nonprofit restoring five acres at St. Anthony Falls in Minneapolis for the four Dakota Nations in Minnesota through cultural programming, interpretive tours, and land reclamation funded by foundation grants and a $60M capital campaign.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural and Environmental Restoration Services

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Guided Tours & Interpretive Services (Ranger-Led, Naturalist, Cultural Interpretation) (THAAAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Environmental Interpretation & Ranger-Led Education Programs (Visitor Education) (THAAAOAJ), Sustainability Engagement, Training & Behavior Change Programs (On-site) (BPABALAK)

Keywords

• Cultural restoration services
• Interpretive tour programs
• Land reclamation nonprofit
• Indigenous community education
• Environmental restoration programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Minneapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: The organization raises funds through the Siŋkpé Núŋpa comprehensive campaign targeting $60 million for site transformation, endowment, and relationship building with Dakota Nations. Donations are received through the organization's website donation portal and campaign events.
2. Grant Funding: Major grants from foundations including Bush Foundation ($2.6 million), McKnight Foundation, Minneapolis Foundation, and state funding through Outdoor Heritage Fund and Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund.
3. Event Revenue: Revenue from paid events including speaker series (e.g., Minneapolis Club Speaker Series at $41 per person) and potential rental fees for the Owámniyomni Engagement Space.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Owámniyomni Okhódayapi is a Dakota-led nonprofit organization that runs interpretive tours, Dakota Lifeways educational programs, and community events at Owámniyomni (St. Anthony Falls) in Minneapolis. It is restoring and transforming five acres of land into a place of cultural healing, education, and environmental restoration, operating a rentable Engagement Space and working with the four Dakota Nations in Minnesota.

Product overview

Owámniyomni Okhódayapi is a Dakota-led nonprofit organization (formerly Friends of the Falls) offering interpretive tours, community events, and cultural programming at Owámniyomni (St. Anthony Falls) in Minneapolis. The organization's core offerings include 60-minute guided interpretive tours led by staff, a rentable Engagement Space for community gatherings and private bookings, and Dakota Lifeways educational programs including workshops, cultural events, and seasonal celebrations. The organization is working to transform 5 acres of land into a place of restoration, education, healing and connection for Dakota culture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Interpretive Tours

Quantifiable outcome

• Conservation outcomes for up to 80 species through oak savanna and prairie restoration
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux CommunitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of the four Dakota Nations in Minnesota shaping the vision for Owámniyomni. Three of four tribes represented on the organization's board. The tribe has resolutions of support for the land reclamation effort.
• Tinta Wita (Prairie Island Indian Community)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of the four Dakota Nations in Minnesota. Representatives embedded in the community. The tribe has resolutions of support for the land reclamation effort. Rylee Hince, Director of Natural Resources and Land Planning, serves as panelist for organization events.
• Cansa'yapi (Lower Sioux Indian Community)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of the four Dakota Nations in Minnesota shaping the vision for Owámniyomni. The organization aims to add representation from this tribe on its board.
• Pežutazizi Kapi (Upper Sioux Community)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of the four Dakota Nations in Minnesota shaping the vision for Owámniyomni. The organization aims to add representation from this tribe on its board.
• Minneapolis Park & Recreation BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAl Bangoura, Superintendent, stated the Owámniyomni project 'tells a more complete story of this riverfront.' MPRB and Owámniyomni Okhódayapi are aligning the project with Water Works Phase 2 and Mill Ruins Park into a shared vision for the riverfront.
• Mississippi Watershed Management OrganizationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKevin Reich, Executive Director, stated support for the project based on mission rooted in science, partnership, and improvement of land and water. MWMO conducts water-quality studies and monitoring, and is helping with infrastructure adjustments for river restoration.
• Trust for Public LandmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresenting and sponsoring the Water, Land and Relatives Panel at The Great Northern Festival 2026. Dr. Ken Lucero serves as panelist. Organization supports land-back initiatives and public-private partnerships for land reclamation.
• GGN (Landscape Architecture Firm)majorTechnology or IntegrationDesign firm developing renderings for the Owámniyomni Project. David Malda, principal landscape architect at GGN, participates in speaking engagements about the land transformation.
• Native Americans in PhilanthropysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Bush Foundation grant announcement was celebrated at the NAP 2024 Annual Conference in Minneapolis. Organization participated in Food, Water, and Land Learning Tour as part of the conference.
• Great Northern FestivalsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization hosted Water, Land and Relatives Panel at The Great Northern Festival 2026, discussing land reclamation, public-private partnerships, and Indigenous visibility.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• NDN Collective: Indigenous-led nonprofit focused on land reclamation, community development, and cultural resurgence. Directly comparable to Owámniyomni's Indigenous-led, land-back-oriented mission and grant-funded operating model.
• Indigenous Environmental Network: Indigenous-led environmental advocacy organization working on tribal sovereignty, land protection, and environmental justice. Closely comparable to Owámniyomni's environmental restoration and Indigenous-advocacy activities.
• First Nations Development Institute: Indigenous-led nonprofit strengthening Native economies, language, and cultural preservation. Directly comparable as an Indigenous-led organization running grant-funded cultural and community programming at similar scale.
• IllumiNative: Indigenous-led nonprofit focused on increasing Native visibility, narrative change, and cultural representation. Comparable as a similarly sized Indigenous-led nonprofit working on cultural revitalization and education through community-driven programming.
• Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission: Inter-tribal natural resource management organization exercising off-reservation treaty rights. Comparable to Owámniyomni's multitribal governance model and environmental stewardship mandate on culturally significant lands.

Broad incumbents

• Trust for Public Land: National land conservation nonprofit that works on public-private partnerships and tribal land access. A current Owámniyomni partner; comparable as a broader-incumbent conservation organization with greater scale and broader portfolio.
• National Trust for Historic Preservation: National nonprofit focused on historic site preservation, interpretation, and educational programming. Comparable to Owámniyomni's interpretive tours and historic-cultural restoration, but operating at much larger national scale.
• National Park Foundation: National nonprofit supporting National Park Service sites, including interpretive and educational programming. Comparable to Owámniyomni's interpretive-tour model at a culturally significant natural site, but operating at vastly larger national scale.
• Land Trust Alliance: National membership organization supporting land trusts and conservation transactions across the U.S. Comparable as a broader-incumbent in the land-conservation sector that facilitates land transfers similar to Owámniyomni's federal-to-tribal process.

Others

• Native Americans in Philanthropy: Sector-support organization advancing Indigenous-led philanthropy. A current Owámniyomni partner at the NAP 2024 conference; thematically related as an ecosystem participant rather than a direct operational competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@owamniyomni
• Facebookfacebook.com/owamniyomni
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/owamniyomni-okhodayapi
• Instagraminstagram.com/owamniyomni

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Owámniyomni Okhódayapi