Nia Tero is a US-based nonprofit organization established in 2017 to directly support Indigenous Peoples’ guardianship and elevate the role and influence of Indigenous Peoples as essential to ensuring planetary health and habitability. We do not speak for Indigenous Peoples – instead we support Indigenous Peoples and their leaders in ways that flow directly from Indigenous worldviews. This mission is reflected in our board and staff makeup. More than half of our board members identify as Indigenous; most of our staff identifies as Black, Indigenous, and as other People of Color, with one third identifying as Indigenous.
Nia Tero’s founding partners include the MacArthur Foundation, the Mulago Foundation and the Emerson Collective. We also receive funding from other individuals and organizations committed to Indigenous Peoples' guardianship.
Nia Tero supports Indigenous organizations and their trusted allies to secure Indigenous Peoples' guardianship in the Northern Amazon, the Pacific Islands, and North America. We also work on policy and storytelling at regional and global levels. Learn more about where we work.
Nia Tero provides grants to Indigenous organizations to implement their territorial protection and cultural plans to manage their own territories and maintain thriving cultures. In connection with our support, we provide trainings for Indigenous Peoples on leadership, policy, and storytelling. We connect Indigenous organizations with experts, NGOs, funders, and policy makers. Read more about our grantmaking.