TIPI RAISERS

What TIPI RAISERS does

TIPI RAISERS (legal name: Ti Ikciya Pa Slata Pi) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2009 as the Buffalo Boy Foundation and renamed in 2012 following a Lakota Inipi (sweat lodge) naming ceremony on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. The organization operates from a Lafayette, Colorado headquarters called "the Hub" (which houses its horse herd and serves as a community gathering space) with a mailing address in Erie, Colorado. TIPI RAISERS is incorporated as a nonprofit in both Colorado and South Dakota (EIN: 61-1595432) and runs a 6-person staff alongside extensive volunteer infrastructure.

The organization's core programming delivers free humanitarian aid — monthly food boxes to 25 Lakota families, year-round firewood distribution, home repair and winterization, and food sovereignty gardens (25+ across served reservations) — alongside a Gen7 Youth leadership program for Native and non-Native young people. Service is concentrated on the Pine Ridge (Oglala Lakota), Hopi, and Navajo (Diné) reservations, with past collaborations extending to the Southern Ute, Ute Mountain Ute, and Cheyenne River nations. All programs are offered free of charge under a "reciprocity model" rooted in Indigenous gift-economy principles; beneficiaries participate in service according to ability rather than paying fees.

Revenue is generated entirely through charitable donations and grants via Givebutter, Colorado Gives, Donor Advised Funds (DAFpay with Fidelity/Schwab/Vanguard), stock donations, vehicle donations, and bequests. From 2023 onward TIPI RAISERS has been developing Vision 2035, a ten-year strategic plan paired with a Social Impact Investment Strategy — managed in partnership with Avidian Wealth Solutions and T.O.S. Advisors — that targets an initial $5 million equity fund to create tribal-led micro-economies in bison herd management, tiny home construction, farms, arts/crafts, horse repopulation, cultural education, and a retreat/education center. The organization has no proprietary technology platform; its tech footprint is limited to standard donation-processing and communication integrations.

Name

TIPI RAISERS

Legal name

The Tipi Raisers / Ti Ikciya Pa Slata Pi

Website

https://thetipiraisers.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

TIPI RAISERS (Ti Ikciya Pa Slata Pi) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2009 that delivers free humanitarian aid, youth programming, and cultural-reconciliation services to Native American communities on the Pine Ridge, Hopi, and Navajo reservations, funded by donations, grants, and a Social Impact Investment Strategy (Vision 2035).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Humanitarian Aid Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Arts, Sports & Recreation-Based Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAJ)

Keywords

• Humanitarian aid services
• Volunteer service trips
• Youth leadership programs
• Indigenous community support
• Nonprofit community programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Lafayette

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: TIPI RAISERS is funded entirely through charitable donations and grants from individuals, foundations, and corporate partners. The organization does not charge for any of its programs or events, operating under a reciprocity model where beneficiaries receive services free of charge and give back according to their ability.
2. Social Impact Investment Strategy: Vision 2035 includes a pioneering Social Impact Investment Strategy in partnership with Avidian Wealth Solutions and T.O.S. Advisors. The strategy aims to establish a $5 million equity fund that provides returns to investors while supporting TIPI RAISERS programs through social impact investing.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Tipi Raisers is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers humanitarian aid (food boxes, firewood, housing repairs, hygiene supplies) and volunteer service programs to Native American communities on the Pine Ridge, Hopi, and Navajo Nation reservations. It runs the Gen7 Youth leadership program, the Vision 2035 ten-year strategic plan with a Social Impact Investment Strategy (a $5 million equity fund partnered with Avidian Wealth Solutions and T.O.S. Advisors), and cultural reconciliation programming. All programs and events are offered free of charge under a reciprocity model, funded by donations, grants, and social impact investing returns.

Product overview

The Tipi Raisers operates as a multi-program nonprofit organization offering volunteer service trips, the Gen7 Youth leadership program, and humanitarian aid initiatives (food distribution, firewood bank, housing repairs, garden support) to Native communities on Pine Ridge, Hopi, and Navajo Nation reservations. Core programming is guided by a Reciprocity Model offering all activities free of charge. The organization is implementing Vision 2035, a ten-year strategic plan to create sustainable tribal-led micro-economies across housing, agriculture, bison management, and cultural education sectors. Programs are funded through a Sustainers Circle recurring giving program and one-time donations processed through Givebutter, Colorado Gives, Stock Donator, and DAFpay integrations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Gen7 Youth: A youth program engaging Native and non-Native young people to bridge cultural gaps, be in service, participate in paid internships and gain experience to understand and bring forth their inherent gifts. Inspired by Crazy Horse's vision.

Products and services

• Volunteer Service Trips On-reservation service experiences where approximately 30 volunteers per trip work alongside Native friends and partners to address poverty conditions, perform home repairs, split firewood, and engage in cross-cultural reconciliation dialogue and Indigenous cultural learning.
• Gen7 Youth Program Youth leadership and development initiative ensuring youth voice in all activities, providing cross-cultural and intergenerational experiences, paid internships, and engagement opportunities for Native and non-Native young people to explore their gifts and contribute to social change. Inspired by Crazy Horse's vision.
• Vision 2035 Strategic Plan Ten-year strategic plan (2025-2035) leveraging a Social Impact Investment Strategy with Avidian Wealth Solutions and T.O.S. Advisors to create sustainable tribal-led micro-economies spanning housing (tiny home construction), agriculture (farms, food sovereignty gardens), bison herd management, arts/crafts outlet, horse repopulation, cultural education, and a retreat/education center at the Hub.
• Bison Rehoming Project Sustainable bison herd initiative aiming to sustain at least 100 head of bison to provide food, sustainable income, and cultural connections for Native communities. Colorado State University Department of Veterinary Medicine partnered to donate bison to tribal lands including Pine Ridge.
• Food Box Distribution Monthly distribution of food boxes and hygiene items to Native families across served reservations including Pine Ridge, Hopi, and Navajo Nation. Reaches 25 Lakota families on Pine Ridge monthly.
• Firewood Bank Year-round firewood collection, splitting, and distribution program providing warmth for Lakota families throughout fall and winter on Pine Ridge Reservation.
• Housing Repair Program Home repair and winterization services including roof repairs, flooring repairs, and building projects for elders on Pine Ridge, Hopi, and Navajo Nation reservations. Volunteers have repaired and winterized hundreds of homes on Pine Ridge.
• Garden Support Program Planting and ongoing support for food sovereignty gardens on Navajo, Hopi, and Pine Ridge reservations, including seedling distribution through partnerships such as MASA Seed Foundation. 25+ gardens planted and maintained across the three reservations.
• Indigenous Wisdom Events Cultural programming including the Indigenous Wisdom Gathering that brings together youth and elders to share traditional knowledge from the Four Directions.
• Sustainers Circle Monthly recurring giving program providing consistent funding to support ongoing operations, wages for tribal members, food and hygiene distribution, and the year-round firewood bank.

Quantifiable outcome

• 25 gardens planted across Navajo, Hopi, and Pine Ridge reservations
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers11 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

Integration8 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and major.

• MASA Seed FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Donated seedlings for food sovereignty gardens on the Hopi and Navajo reservations as part of planting programs.
• Colorado State University (CSU)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024CSU Department of Veterinary Medicine is partnering on the bison rehoming project. CSU donated bison to Native tribes including Pine Ridge. Partnership developed with finance and bison industry experts for Vision 2035.
• National Community Church (Washington D.C.)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2022First organization to send volunteers with TIPI Raisers to Hopi and Navajo Reservations in August 2022. Has participated in four service trips, contributing thousands of hours of service to tribal communities.
• Rocky Mountain School of Expeditionary Learning (RMSEL)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018School partner that takes multiple trips to Pine Ridge Reservation, immersing students in Lakota culture alongside tribal members. Students split firewood after school each Monday for Lakota families.
• Denver Waldorf SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Students have split firewood and learned about Lakota horsemanship at the TIPI Raisers Hub in Lafayette.
• Dawson SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudents helped load construction materials for homes on Hopi and Navajo reservations.
• St. Anne's Episcopal SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerElementary students shared presentations with classmates about their experiences visiting Pine Ridge.
• Mackintosh Academy-BoulderminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudents spent time packing food boxes with care for Native families.
• Basil Brave Heart (Lakota Elder)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormer Board President and spiritual teacher. Owns the land where TIPI Raisers' bison herd will roam. Provides wisdom and guidance rooted in Indigenous teachings.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• IllumiNative: Native-led nonprofit amplifying contemporary Indigenous voices through media and advocacy. Complementary rather than competing; relevant as ecosystem participant for cultural visibility and narrative change.
• Seeding Sovereignty: Indigenous-led nonprofit focused on food sovereignty and youth organizing. Comparable focus on food sovereignty gardens and Native youth empowerment, though smaller and more advocacy-oriented.
• Real Rent Duwamish: Indigenous-led nonprofit focused on tribal recognition and reciprocity. Smaller-scale model of Indigenous-led community engagement with similar reciprocity principles, though regionally focused on the Duwamish people.

Broad incumbents

• Native American Rights Fund: Largest national Native American legal advocacy organization serving all tribes. Adjacent but broader scope; relevant as ecosystem participant rather than direct service provider.

Direct peers

• Honor the Earth: Native-led environmental and cultural nonprofit supporting Indigenous communities. Overlapping focus on food sovereignty, cultural preservation, and community-driven economic development on reservations.
• First Nations Development Institute: Native-led nonprofit focused on strengthening tribal communities through economic development, food sovereignty, and cultural asset-building. Directly comparable on Vision 2035 priorities of sustainable micro-economies and tribal-led initiatives.
• American Indian College Fund: National nonprofit providing scholarships and support for Native American students. Comparable youth-development mission and multi-tribal reach, though focused on higher education rather than reservations.
• Running Strong for American Indian Youth: Nonprofit supporting Native American youth through community-based programs including youth development, cultural preservation, and basic needs assistance. Comparable youth-centered programming and reservation-based service model.
• Center for Native American Youth: Native youth-focused organization advocating for and supporting Native American young people through leadership development and policy work. Comparable youth-centered mission and intergenerational engagement model.
• Partnership With Native Americans (PWNA): Established nonprofit providing humanitarian aid, youth development, and community support to Native American communities across multiple reservations. Directly comparable mission of poverty alleviation and youth engagement on tribal lands.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/tipiraisers
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tipi-raisers

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about TIPI RAISERS