The Walton Family Foundation has made a $6 million commitment to the Tribal Nations Conservation Pledge, which supports the conservation efforts of tribes, inter-tribal organizations, and tribal consortia.
Fifteen funders have committed more than $100 million over the next five years to support those efforts.
The commitments come amid a megadrought in the American West that has disproportionately affected tribal communities, the nonprofit said in a news release. Native households, which are more likely than white households to lack indoor plumbing, face devastating water shortages.
Helping to support the work of tribes so they can help lead on water conservation is an outstanding way to do that.
“Historically, tribal nations have not been included in decision-making on water management. That has been both unjust and unwise,” Moira Mcdonald, director of the nonprofit’s Environment Program, said in the release. “Greater collaboration with tribes will help lead to better decisions. Together, we can find solutions to the water crisis so that nature and people can thrive together.
“We believe it is our role as a foundation to work in partnership with tribes to support their interests in water resilience. We respect the sovereignty and self-determination of all tribes. As such, we seek only to provide support to enable tribal nations to advance their interests.”
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