Walking Shield

What Walking Shield does

Walking Shield, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1986 and headquartered at 3100 Airway Avenue, Suite 118, Costa Mesa, California. Its mission is to improve the quality of life for American Indian families by coordinating programs that provide shelter, healthcare, community development support, educational assistance, employment development, and humanitarian aid. The organization operates nine distinct programs: the American Indian College Access Program (AICAP) scholarships and mentoring; KeepCHA early childhood development; Housing Relocation Program (1,200+ military surplus homes moved to 15 reservations over 30 years); Infrastructure Support Program (950+ miles of roads built with U.S. military branches); Healthcare Support Program (145,000+ American Indians served); OneSight Partnership Program (40,000+ vision exams and glasses, 20+ year partnership); Humanitarian Aid & Holiday Gift Program (40,000+ toys/gifts annually plus school supplies and clothing); Workforce Development & Training; and the CSBG Program for low-income Native Americans in Orange County.

The organization's business model is donation-dependent. Funding sources include individual donations, corporate sponsorships (Wells Fargo Foundation, Hasbro Children's Foundation, California Wellness Foundation, Union Bank Foundation, BNSF Railroad Foundation, Northrup Grumman ECHO, Southern California Edison), federal grants and partnerships (DoD, HHS, Agriculture, Interior, Labor, Forestry, HUD), Combined Federal Campaign giving (#8245), planned giving instruments (charitable remainder trusts, gift annuities, bequests, stock gifts processed via Union Bank Investment Services), and an annual charity golf tournament. Walking Shield leverages its principal-partner status with the U.S. Department of Defense and California National Guard for the Innovative Readiness Training (IRT) program, accessing military construction task forces, medical personnel, and equipment for reservation-based infrastructure and healthcare delivery. It operates with a lean staff of 1-10 employees and serves beneficiaries across 15+ states via relationships with 60+ tribal partners and 50+ tribal governments.

Name

Walking Shield

Legal name

Walking Shield, Inc.

Website

https://walkingshield.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Walking Shield, Inc. is a Costa Mesa-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that coordinates shelter, healthcare, education, infrastructure, humanitarian aid, and workforce programs for American Indian families across 15+ U.S. reservations, partnering with the U.S. Department of Defense, OneSight, and tribal governments.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Costa Mesa

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, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Monetary donations from individuals to support the organization's charitable programs serving American Indian families. As a 501(c)(3) organization, donations are tax-deductible.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Support from corporations that encourage employees to give and often match donations.
3. Foundation Grants: Funding from private foundations including Hasbro Children's Foundation, Wells Fargo Foundation, California Wellness Foundation, and others.
4. Government Grants and Partnerships: Partnerships and funding from U.S. Department of Defense, Health & Human Services, Agriculture, Interior, Labor, Forestry, and HUD.
5. Combined Federal Campaign (CFC): Federal workplace charity campaign participation through CFC #8245.
6. Planned Giving: Various planned giving options including beneficiary designations, bequests through wills/trusts, charitable remainder trusts, charitable lead trusts, charitable gift annuities, and outright gifts of stock, real estate, and personal property.
7. Golf Tournament Fundraiser: Annual charity golf tournament to raise funds for American Indian college students. The 14th Annual tournament scheduled for October 30, 2026 at Soboba Springs Golf Course.

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Walking Shield, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that coordinates and delivers wraparound social service programs for American Indian families, including college scholarships, early childhood development, military surplus housing relocation, infrastructure construction with U.S. military partners, healthcare coordination, vision care via OneSight, humanitarian aid distribution, and workforce development.

Product overview

Walking Shield is a nonprofit charitable organization that offers a coordinated portfolio of social service programs for American Indian families. The organization operates nine distinct programs covering education (AICAP scholarships, KeepCHA early childhood development), housing (Housing Relocation Program), infrastructure (Infrastructure Support Program), healthcare (Healthcare Support Program, OneSight vision care), humanitarian aid (Humanitarian Aid & Holiday Gift Program), workforce development (Workforce Development & Training Program), and emergency services (CSBG Program). Rather than a unified technology product, Walking Shield provides wraparound social services that address shelter, healthcare, community development, educational assistance, employment, and humanitarian aid needs for American Indian communities across more than 15 reservations in the United States.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• American Indian College Access Program (AICAP): Provides scholarships, mentoring and individualized assistance to help American Indian students prepare for and succeed in college.
• KeepCHA - Keeping Curiosity and Hopes Alive for Children 0-5
• Housing Relocation Program
• Infrastructure Support Program
• Healthcare Support Program
• Humanitarian Aid & Holiday Gift Program
• OneSight Partnership Program
• Workforce Development & Training Program
• CSBG Program

Products and services

• American Indian College Access Program (AICAP) Provides scholarships, mentoring, and individualized assistance to help American Indian students prepare for and succeed in college. Has awarded more than $2.1 million in scholarships and wraparound services.
• KeepCHA - Keeping Curiosity and Hope Alive for Children 0-5 Provides education, resources, and activities supporting child development and the health and wellbeing of American Indian families with children ages 0-5.
• Housing Relocation Program Coordinates the relocation of military surplus homes to American Indian families on reservations. Over 30 years has relocated more than 1,200 homes to 15 reservations.
• Infrastructure Support Program Works with U.S. military branches to construct roads, drill water wells, install utility lines, construct homes, and build community facilities on Indian reservations. Has constructed over 950 miles of roads.
• Healthcare Support Program Partners with U.S. Military branches to coordinate delivery of healthcare services including doctors, dentists, and nurses at Indian clinics. Has provided healthcare to over 145,000 American Indians.
• Humanitarian Aid & Holiday Gift Program Distributes school supplies, clothing, hygiene products, blankets, and toys to American Indian children and families. Has distributed over 40,000 new toys and gifts each year.
• OneSight Partnership Program Partners with OneSight to coordinate free comprehensive eye exams and glasses for American Indian people. Has provided vision care to over 40,000 American Indians at 33 locations over 20+ years.
• Workforce Development & Training Program Provides American Indian job seekers in Orange County with employment training, support services, and education to succeed in the competitive job market.
• CSBG Program (Community Services Block Grant) Provides emergency and supportive services to low-income Native American, Alaskan Native, and Native Hawaiian individuals and families residing in Orange County.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,200 military surplus homes relocated to Indian families on 15 reservations
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

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

• U.S. Department of DefensecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrincipal partner for Innovative Readiness Training (IRT) program. Military construction task forces including Army Combat Engineers, Navy Seabees, Air Force Civil Engineers, and National Guard Units deliver skills, experience, and equipment to build roads, housing, water delivery systems and provide critical health programs to American Indian reservations.
• U.S. Department of Health & Human ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partner supporting healthcare programs for American Indian communities.
• OneSightcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner20+ year partnership coordinating free comprehensive eye exams and glasses to over 40,000 American Indian people at 33 Indian reservation and off-reservation locations. OneSight provides vision care expertise and resources.
• California National GuardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for IRT program to produce mission-ready forces through military training opportunities that provide key services for American Indian communities.
• Toys for Tots / Native American Toys for Tots ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration distributing hundreds of thousands of toys and gifts to American Indian children and families annually.
• American Indian Graduate CentermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit partner supporting American Indian students in pursuing higher education.
• United American Indian InvolvementmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit partner serving American Indian communities.
• Barona Band of Mission IndiansmajorOthersTribal partner supporting Walking Shield programs.
• San Manuel Band of Mission IndiansmajorOthersTribal partner supporting Walking Shield programs.
• Soboba Band of Luiseño IndiansmajorOthersHost location for annual charity golf tournament at Soboba Springs Golf Course.
• Combined Federal Campaign of Greater Southern CaliforniasupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCFC #8245 enables federal employees to donate to Walking Shield through workplace giving.
• University of California, IrvinesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner supporting educational programs and student scholarships.
• Karuk TribemajorOthersRecent vision clinic partner. Chairman Russell Attebery has praised the OneSight partnership providing eye exams and glasses to tribal members.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Indian Health Council: Indian Health Council is a Southern California tribal consortium operating healthcare services for nine North San Diego County tribes. It is regionally adjacent to Walking Shield's Costa Mesa headquarters and overlaps with the OneSight partnership and Healthcare Support Program scope.
• American Indian Health & Family Services: AIHFS is a Detroit-area nonprofit providing integrated health, wellness, and family services to American Indians in Michigan. It offers a comparable integration of health and human services for AI communities but operates in a different region and is more clinically focused.
• California Rural Indian Health Board: CRIHB is a nonprofit consortium of tribal health programs serving California and adjacent rural American Indian communities through member tribal programs. It overlaps directly with Walking Shield's Healthcare Support Program and OneSight vision partnership within California.

Direct peers

• American Indian College Fund: The American Indian College Fund is the nation's largest nonprofit scholarship provider for Native Americans, having awarded hundreds of millions of dollars since inception. It is directly comparable to Walking Shield's American Indian College Access Program (AICAP) in serving AI college students with scholarships and wraparound support.
• American Indian Graduate Center: AIGC is a national nonprofit providing fellowships and scholarships to American Indian and Alaska Native graduate students. Walking Shield has explicitly listed AIGC as a strategic nonprofit partner, indicating overlapping scholarship missions and AI beneficiary populations.
• American Indian Science and Engineering Society: AISES is a national nonprofit supporting STEM education and career pathways for American Indians and Alaska Natives. While narrower (STEM-specific), it overlaps with Walking Shield's AICAP scholarship and KeepCHA programs in targeting AI educational advancement and career development.
• First Nations Development Institute: First Nations is a national 501(c)(3) that strengthens Native American economic development, educational achievement, and community capacity through grantmaking and direct programs. Its multi-domain service model and Native American focus make it directly comparable to Walking Shield's wraparound portfolio (education, community development, capacity-building).
• National Indian Education Association: NIEA is the nation's oldest and largest American Indian education organization, advocating for Native students and supporting culturally based education. Both NIEA and Walking Shield's AICAP and KeepCHA programs focus on educational advancement and persistence for AI children and youth.
• Native American Youth and Family Center: NAYA is a Portland-based nonprofit providing wraparound services to Native American youth and families, including education, health, and cultural programming. Like Walking Shield, it operates a multi-program service model serving AI children, students, and families with comparable scope.

Broad incumbents

• Native American Connections: Native American Connections is a Phoenix-based nonprofit providing behavioral health, housing, and community services to urban American Indians. As a larger organization with broader urban focus, it overlaps with Walking Shield's housing and family services, but serves a different geographic market and a more clinically-oriented population.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/walking_shield
• Facebookfacebook.com/WalkingShield
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/walking-shield-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Walking Shield