Since the 1980s, the tribe has donated more than $400 million to tribal communities, local governments, and various causes and provided $500 million in low-interest loans to help other tribes work toward financial stability and self-sufficiency.
Highlights of this work include
$6 million
to IndigeFit Kids, a three-year philanthropic campaign to improve the physical fitness and mental wellness of Native youth in Minnesota.
$14.5 million
to fund scholarships, Huntington Bank Stadium, and the Minnesota Tribal Nations Plaza at the University of Minnesota.
$11 million
through its Seeds of Native Health campaign to improve Native nutrition nationwide.
$5 million
through its Understand Native Minnesota campaign to improve the Native American narrative in Minnesota schools.
$3 million
to the American Indian College Fund to help Native youth achieve higher education.
Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community (SMSC)
Endowed Scholarship
The SMSC Endowed Scholarship was established through a $2.5 million gift from the SMSC. The University of Minnesota matches the interest earned on this endowment fund with proceeds dedicated to providing scholarships for qualified American Indian students. The University’s Office for Equity and Diversity administers the scholarship.
The primary goal of the SMSC Endowed Scholarship is to recruit and retain University of Minnesota students who demonstrate financial need. For undergraduates, scholarships are renewable for up to four years or until graduation (whichever comes first), contingent upon academic performance. For graduate and professional students, the length of funding is contingent upon the school of enrollment, academic performance, and degree program, and is determined on a case-by-case basis.
For more information, please reach out to oed@umn.edu.
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