National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO LEAD IN THE PURSUIT OF UNDERSTANDING AND ADDRESSING THE ONGOING TRAUMA CREATED BY THE U.S. INDIAN BOARDING SCHOOL POLICY.
- Income
- $4.0 million
- Spending
- $4.8 million
- Spent on programs
- 84%
- Reserves
- 10.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 57%
- Employees
- 30
- Volunteers
- 8
- Highest pay
- $206,992, chief executive officer
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 78 out of 100. Higher than 58% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 10.8 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 6% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 20% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 59% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1584% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 8 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 258 of 8 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (5)
- $1.7 million spent. ORAL HISTORY PROJECT - IN A COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, NABS CONTINUES ITS HISTORIC ORAL HISTORY PROJECT (OHP) TO GIVE BOARDING SCHOOL SURVIVORS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK THEIR TRUTH ABOUT BOARDING SCHOOL EXPERIENCES AND IMPACTS FOR THE FIRST PERMANENT COLLECTION OF ORAL HISTORIES THAT WILL BE PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE. THE MULTI-YEAR PROJECT IS LED BY THE OHP TEAM ALONG WITH SKY BEAR MEDIA AS THEY TRAVEL TO OVER TWENTY STATES TO MEET AND INTERVIEW BOARDING SCHOOL SURVIVORS. SEVEN WEEK-LONG SITE VISITS WERE COMPLETED DURING THE FISCAL YEAR, INCLUDING TRIPS TO NEW YORK, MICHIGAN, HAWAII, KANSAS, NEVADA, WISCONSIN, AND SOUTH DAKOTA. AS OF SEPTEMBER 2025, 263 ORAL HISTORY INTERVIEWS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED WITH BOARDING SCHOOL SURVIVORS SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE PROJECT.AT EACH SITE VISIT, THE OHP TEAM ENGAGES THE RELATIVES OF THE HOMELAND IN LEADING CEREMONIES, ADVISING ON CULTURAL TRADITIONS, AND GUIDING HEALING SUPPORT FOR EACH SITE VISIT. AN OPENING CEREMONY WAS HELD AT EACH SITE VISIT WHICH ENGAGED 398 GUESTS AND A CLOSING CEREMONY CONCLUDED EACH WEEK THAT ENGAGED 447 GUESTS. MANY HAVE CONVEYED THE IMPORTANCE OF DOCUMENTING THESE HISTORIES AND HAVE UNDERSCORED THE IMPORTANCE FOR THIS WORK TO CONTINUE BEYOND THE CURRENT PROJECT TIMELINE.
- $718,966 spent. HEALING - NABS WORK IS UNIQUE IN THAT IT IS ANCHORED IN TRADITIONAL INDIGENOUS WAYS OF KNOWING AND BEING, WHILE COMPLEMENTED WITH CONTEMPORARY RESOURCES TO ASSIST NATIVE PEOPLES TO HEAL FROM INTERGENERATIONAL TRAUMA. EVERY ASPECT OF THE PROCESS HAS BEEN DEVELOPED TO HONOR AND RESPECT ALL PARTICIPANTS, FOSTER COLLABORATION AT MULTIPLE LEVELS, CENTRALLY POSITION RECIPROCITY, AND TO CULTIVATE KINSHIP RELATIONSHIPS. ONLINE VIRTUAL HEALING CIRCLES WERE HELD MONTHLY FACILITATED BY ONE MEMBER OF THE HEALING TEAM ALONG WITH TWO NATIVE LICENSED THERAPISTS. AN AVERAGE OF 20 BOARDING SCHOOL SURVIVORS FROM VARIOUS TRIBAL NATIONS ACROSS THE U.S. PARTICIPATED IN THE VIRTUAL CIRCLES. THE FEEDBACK FROM PARTICIPANTS HAS BEEN THAT THEY WANT TO KEEP THE CIRCLE GOING BECAUSE IT HAS HELPED THEM TO FEEL CONNECTED, UNDERSTOOD AND HOPEFUL. NABS ESTABLISHED HEALING INFORMED RESOURCES FOR SELF-CARE & TRAUMA NOW AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSITE AND SHARED WITH PARTICIPANTS.THIS YEAR ALSO FOCUSED ON DEVELOPING MORE SAFE SPACES FOR BOARDING SCHOOL SURVIVORS AND DESCENDANTS TO EXPLORE CULTURE AND ARTISTIC EXPRESSION. WITH THE SUPPORT FROM THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS (NEA), THE HEALING TEAM WAS ABLE TO WORK CLOSELY WITH 5 MASTER NATIVE ARTISTS TO TEACH TRADITIONAL ART FORMS. THE TEAM SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENTED ONLINE CLASSES FOCUSING ON MOCCASIN MAKING AND HEALING THROUGH SONG, WITH A TOTAL OF 45 PARTICIPANTS THUS FAR. THIS PROJECT IS GUIDED BY THE WISDOM OF 5 HEALTH AMBASSADORS: DEDICATED ADVOCATES FOR THE HEALING POWER OF THE ARTS IN OUR COMMUNITIES. NABS HAS LEARNED FROM BOARDING SCHOOL SURVIVORS AND DESCENDANTS THAT RECEIVING A CARE PACKAGE FILLED WITH CULTURALLY RELEVANT AND USEFUL INDIGENOUS-MADE PRODUCTS ENHANCES WELLBEING, REDUCES ISOLATION, AND INCREASES COMMUNITY CONNECTEDNESS. CARE PACKAGES TO SUPPORT ON-GOING HEALING WERE SENT TO 216 ELDERS THIS YEAR, INCLUDING THE SURVIVORS WHO WERE INTERVIEWED FOR THE ORAL HISTORY PROJECT.WITH THE CONTINUED SUPPORT OF NORTHWEST INDIAN COLLEGE OFFERING NABS SPACE AT NO COST FOR A HEALING SITE IN TULALIP, WASHINGTON, NABS HAS DEVELOPED A PLAN TO STRENGTHEN HEALING OPPORTUNITIES FOR BOARDING SCHOOL SURVIVORS AND DESCENDANTS, OFFERING SAFE, CONSISTENT, AND CULTURALLY GROUNDED SERVICES AT THIS LOCATION. TWO STAFF CURRENTLY MAINTAIN THE NW HEALING CENTER, AND WE EXPECT TO HAVE A FULL OFFERING OF HEALING SUPPORT THREE DAYS A WEEK BY MID-2026.
- $674,724 spent. DIGITAL ARCHIVES - THE DIGITAL ARCHIVES TEAM CONTINUES TO EXPAND THE NATIONAL INDIAN BOARDING SCHOOL DIGITAL ARCHIVES (NIBSDA); AN INDIGENOUS-GOVERNED PLATFORM DESIGNED TO DIGITIZE, PRESERVE, AND SHARE BOARDING SCHOOL RECORDS AND SURVIVOR TESTIMONIES. NIBSDA ADDRESSES THE NATIONAL FRAGMENTATION OF ARCHIVAL MATERIALS AND RE-CENTERS CONTROL IN THE HANDS OF NATIVE COMMUNITIES. THE DIGITAL ARCHIVES TEAM MAINTAINED A HIGH LEVEL OF MOMENTUM IN BUILDING NIBSDA THIS PAST YEAR WITH OVER 100,000 PAGES OF RECORDS SCANNED AND PRESERVED.THE INDIGENOUS DIGITAL ARCHIVES PREVIOUSLY MAINTAINED BY THE MUSEUM OF INDIAN ARTS AND CULTURE IN NEW MEXICO HAS BEEN SUCCESSFULLY TRANSFERRED TO NABS, PRESERVING AND EXPANDING ACCESS TO MATERIALS CENTERED ON THE SOUTHWEST REGION OF THE UNITED STATES, PARTICULARLY RECORDS RELATED TO FEDERAL AND CHURCH-OPERATED INDIAN BOARDING SCHOOLS, INDIAN AGENCIES, AND TRIBAL LAND GOVERNANCE. THE DIGITAL ARCHIVES TEAM SUPPORTED A SIGNIFICANT RESEARCH TRIP TO MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY THAT BROUGHT TOGETHER OGLALA SIOUX TRIBAL MEMBERS, MAPYA LTA REPRESENTATIVES, AND COMMUNITY ADVISORS TO ENGAGE DIRECTLY WITH ARCHIVAL COLLECTIONS DOCUMENTING HOLY ROSARY MISSION AND RED CLOUD INDIAN SCHOOL. MORE THAN 120 BOXES OF HOLY ROSARY RECORDS AND 22 BOXES OF RED CLOUD SCHOOL MATERIALS DATING FROM THE LATE 19TH CENTURY WERE REVIEWED. DURING THE SENECA INDIAN SCHOOL ANNUAL ALUMNI MEETING IN JUNE 2025, THE DIGITAL ARCHIVES TEAM COLLABORATED WITH THE WYANDOTTE NATION TO IMPLEMENT THE COMMUNITY VOICES PROJECT. PARTNERING WITH SKY BEAR MEDIA, EIGHT IN-DEPTH ORAL HISTORIES WERE RECORDED WITH SENECA INDIAN SCHOOL ALUMNI AND DESCENDANTS, CAPTURING PERSONAL ACCOUNTS OF BOARDING SCHOOL EXPERIENCES AND THEIR INTERGENERATIONAL IMPACTS. THESE INTERVIEWS HAVE BEEN EDITED AND ARE IN QUEUE FOR PRESERVATION IN NIBSDA. NABS' DIGITAL ARCHIVES TEAM HAS ALSO HOSTED AND ATTENDED TRIBAL CONSULTATIONS AND LISTENING SESSIONS IN MINNESOTA, GATHERING FEEDBACK TO INFORM ONGOING WORK AT PIPESTONE NATIONAL MONUMENT. AS A RESULT, NABS HAS RECEIVED A GRANT TO PURSUE THE DIGITIZATION OF ALL RECORD RELATED TO THE PIPESTONE INDIAN SCHOOL.NEGOTIATIONS WITH HAVERFORD AND SWARTHMORE COLLEGES RESULTED IN THE IDENTIFICATION AND COLLECTION OF QUAKER-RELATED BOARDING SCHOOL DOCUMENTS, BRINGING THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PAGES DIGITIZED TO 24,317, WITH MORE THAN HALF NOW PROCESSED AND CATALOGED.
- $580,486 spent. ADVOCACY - IN THE CURRENT POLITICAL CLIMATE, NABS HAS CONTINUED TO LEAD THE CALL TO ACTION ADVOCATING FOR A TRUTH AND HEALING COMMISSION ON INDIAN BOARDING SCHOOL POLICIES, TO: 1) FORMERLY INVESTIGATE, DOCUMENT, AND REPORT ON THE HISTORIES OF INDIAN BOARDING SCHOOLS, INDIAN BOARDING SCHOOL POLICIES, AND THE SYSTEMATIC AND LONG-TERM EFFECTS ON NATIVE AMERICAN PEOPLES, 2) TO DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FEDERAL ACTION BASED ON THE FINDINGS OF THE COMMISSION, AND 3) TO PROMOTE HEALING FOR SURVIVORS OF INDIAN BOARDING SCHOOLS, THE DESCENDANTS OF THOSE SURVIVORS, AND THE COMMUNITIES OF THOSE SURVIVORS.NABS CONTINUED TO BUILD A BROAD COALITION, GROWING TO 1,815 INDIVIDUALS AND 74 TRIBES AND ALLY ORGANIZATIONS TO ENGAGE IN ADVOCACY EFFORTS. OF THE TOTAL INDIVIDUALS, 64% ARE TRIBAL ENROLLED CITIZENS.IN SUPPORT OF THE TRUTH AND HEALING COMMISSION ON INDIAN BOARDING SCHOOL POLICIES ACT, NABS HAS GARNERED THE ENDORSEMENT OF 52 TRIBES AND ORGANIZATIONS, AND HAS RECEIVED SUPPORT THROUGH 76 RESOLUTIONS AND PETITIONS FROM INTERNATIONAL, NATIONAL, AND REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, TRIBES, CHURCHES, TRIBAL COLLEGES, AND CITIES. ADDITIONALLY, THE ADVOCACY TEAM'S TAKE ACTION CAMPAIGN SAW SIGNIFICANT ENGAGEMENT, WITH 3,053 ADVOCATES USING THE "CONTACT YOUR CONGRESSIONAL MEMBERS" FORM ON NABS' WEBSITE TO SEND 8,704 EMAILS AND PHONE CALLS TO SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES IN SUPPORT OF THE LEGISLATION.IN APRIL 2025, NABS TEAMED UP WITH THE NATIVE AMERICAN RIGHTS FUND (NARF), NATIONAL CONGRESS OF AMERICAN INDIANS (NCAI), AND THE ASSOCIATION ON AMERICAN INDIAN AFFAIRS (AAIA), TO SUCCESSFULLY EDUCATE THE U.S. SUPREME COURT ON BOARDING SCHOOL HISTORY AND THE CULTURAL GENOCIDE.IN SEPTEMBER, THE ADVOCACY TEAM LED A NATIONAL DAY OF REMEMBRANCE IN WASHINGTON, D.C. WITH 60 SUPPORTERS AND KEY PARTNERS, INCLUDING STAFF FROM U.S. REPRESENTATIVE TOM COLE'S OFFICE AND TRIBAL LEADERS. THE EVENT AMPLIFIED NATIONAL AWARENESS AND ENERGIZED STAKEHOLDERS. PROCLAMATIONS IN VARIOUS STATES ACKNOWLEDGED THE DAY OF REMEMBRANCE INCLUDING KANSAS, MINNESOTA, MICHIGAN, AND NEW MEXICO.
- $303,584 spent. EDUCATION - NABS RESEARCH AND EDUCATION TEAM CONTINUED TO ADVANCE OUR MISSION THROUGH COLLABORATION, RESEARCH, THE DEVELOPMENT OF EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES FOR PUBLIC ACCESSIBILITY, AND PRESENTATIONS ACROSS THE U.S. DURING THE YEAR, NABS ONLINE RESOURCE DATABASE HAS WELCOMED 8,182 VISITORS, REFLECTING STRONG AND GROWING ENGAGEMENT. THE DATABASE HAS DRAWN 122,487 VISITORS SINCE ITS RELEASE IN 2020.AS PEOPLE SEEK TO UNDERSTAND THE HORRIFIC HISTORY OF INDIAN BOARDING SCHOOLS, THE RESEARCH AND EDUCATION TEAM IS DILIGENTLY PREPARING WRITTEN NARRATIVES FOR EACH KNOWN BOARDING SCHOOL. THE TEAM COMPLETED AND FINALIZED 10 NEW NARRATIVES THIS YEAR, BRINGING THE TOTAL TO 282 FINALIZED NARRATIVES OUT OF 526 IDENTIFIED BOARDING SCHOOL INSTITUTIONS. THE TEAM HOSTED A RESEARCH WEBINAR ON APRIL 29TH TITLED "A DIFFICULT STORY: UNDERSTANDING INDIAN BOARDING SCHOOLS IN MICHIGAN" BY ERIC HEMENWAY, WHICH DREW MORE THAN 250 PARTICIPANTS NATIONWIDE. CONTRIBUTING TO ORAL HISTORY PRESERVATION, THE RESEARCH AND EDUCATION TEAM CONDUCTED SIX INTERVIEWS WITH BOARDING SCHOOL SURVIVORS CONNECTED TO MINNESOTA. THE PROJECT, MODELED AFTER NABS ORAL HISTORY PROJECT, CONTRIBUTES TO THE "UNDERSTAND NATIVE MINNESOTA" INITIATIVE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA AND FUNDING BY THE MDEWAKANTON SIOUX TRIBE IN SHAKOPEE, HELPING EDUCATE MINNESOTANS ABOUT NATIVE HISTORY.THE TEAM COMPLETED VOLUME 2 OF THE TRUTH AND HEALING CURRICULUM ALIGNED WITH FIVE STATES' EDUCATION STANDARDS - MINNESOTA, MICHIGAN, OREGON, WASHINGTON, AND NEW MEXICO. THIS HIGH SCHOOL CURRICULUM OFFERS A COMPREHENSIVE FRAMEWORK FOR TEACHING INDIAN BOARDING SCHOOL HISTORY AND WILL BE RELEASED BY THE END OF 2025.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated November 6, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending September 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since March 2014.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated November 4, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.