CNAY Named Recipient of Historic Grant to Address Mental Health

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Jamie Levitt, jamie.levitt@aspeninstitute.org

Center for Native American Youth Named Recipient of Historic Grant to Address Mental Health
34 organizations received a combined $5.07 million from the Decolonizing Wealth Project’s Youth Mental Health Fund

WASHINGTON – November 25, 2025 – The Center for Native American Youth (CNAY) at the Aspen Institute (CNAY) is humbled to announce it is one of the inaugural recipients of the Decolonizing Wealth Project’s (DWP) newly launched Youth Mental Health Fund (YMHF). The 34 grantees – including nonprofit organizations and Tribes – will receive a total of $5.07 million to help improve the mental health and wellbeing of young people across the United States.

YMHF aims to break down financial, social and institutional barriers that have historically limited access to mental health care, especially in Tribal communities. The fund supports organizations whose work advances the wellbeing of BIPOC, queer and youth at the intersection of these identities, while building an ecosystem where all individuals have unfettered access to culturally competent care. 

Too often, decisions about youth mental health are made in rooms where young people aren’t even present. Just as CNAY does in its work, DWP seeks to change that dynamic: An intergenerational advisory committee – comprised of youth leaders and mental health experts alike – made the final funding decisions for the grants. This significant youth representation reflects our shared commitment to centering young voices in decisions that directly affect them.

‍”The CNAY team extends our deep gratitude to the Decolonizing Wealth Project for recognizing and investing in our Native youth,” said Tracy Canard Goodluck (Oneida Nation of Wisconsin & Mvskoke Creek), Executive Director of CNAY. “This grant will support our longstanding leadership work, rooted in culture and grounded from a lens of sovereignty and self-determination.”

“This inaugural group of grantees embodies the culturally grounded, creative and strategic approaches that define true youth mental health care,” said Rich Havard, Director of the YMHF at DWP. “These organizations care for young people in ways that honor their struggles and strengths. Through the [fund], we are investing not only in youth themselves, but in their stories, their healing and their futures…”

In advancing culturally responsive care, YMHF strengthens an ecosystem of organizations that deliver mental health support rooted in cultural identity, language, values, traditions, spiritual practices and lived experiences. Rather than forcing communities to fit into existing programs, this approach empowers organizations like CNAY to design culturally responsive frameworks that best serve their communities.

Research indicates culturally responsive care isn’t just a feel-good approach; it is an effective one that speaks for itself. According to Center Us (2024): A Native Youth Survey Report, Native youth across the U.S. are hesitant to visit non-tribal care facilities – despite only 42% having access to culturally-competent care – because of discrimination and the lack of culturally- appropriate resources. On the other hand, Native youth who feel culturally educated are four times more likely to see themselves as capable of making a difference.

‍”Our cultures teach us that when we walk in balance, with respect for our ancestors, reverence for the land and belief in our youth, we create a future worthy of the next seven generations,” continued Goodluck. “Our work is dedicated to creating spaces and places where youth feel seen, heard and respected. Yaw^ko and Mvto (thank you) for believing in our mission and standing alongside us as we support our youth.”

Native youth face unique and intersecting challenges which demand urgent, culturally responsive care, greater access to affirming spaces and competent mental health support. CNAY is proud to work with partners like the DWP who rise to meet the moment.

To connect with a CNAY leader and learn more about the impact of this grant, please contact Jamie Levitt (jamie.levitt@aspeninstitute.org). For a full list of grantee partners and to learn more about the YMHF, visit: www.decolonizingwealth.com/initiatives/youth-mental-health-fund 

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About CNAY: The Center for Native American Youth (CNAY) at the Aspen Institute is a national organization that works alongside Native youth – ages 24 and under – on reservations, in rural villages and urban spaces across the country to improve their health, safety, and overall well- being. Rooted in culture, our vision is for all Native American youth to lead full and healthy lives, be honored for the leaders they are, and have the resources and agency to create the world Native youth are worthy of and deserve. Learn more: www.cnay.org 

About DWP: Decolonizing Wealth Project’s (DWP) mission is to transform wealth into collective wellbeing. Established in 2018 and led by Edgar Villanueva, an Indigenous, award-winning author and expert on wealth, spirituality, and social justice, DWP operates through three key strategies: sector transformation, storytelling and culture, and reparative giving. DWP’s work has radically transformed the philanthropic sector, facilitating the distribution of nearly $1 billion for social justice efforts. Through Liberated Capital, DWP’s fund and donor community, it has granted over $23 million to support economic solidarity, wellbeing, and earth and climate efforts primarily led by Black and Indigenous communities. Learn more: www.decolonizingwealth.com