Native American Businesses & Organizations in Colorado

Native American Law Students Association is a student organization at the University of Denver - Sturm located in Denver, CO

The Colorado Indian Bar Association (CIBA) is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) professional organization of American Indian lawyers, practitioners of American Indian law, and Native American law students who reside in the State of Colorado. CIBA was founded in 1986 by a small group of lawyers who recognized the need for the interchange of ideas among those associated with Indian law. CIBA promotes the development of Indian Law for the maximum benefit of Indian people; strives toward justice and effective legal representation for all Indian people; provides a forum for Native Americans to become more involved in the local and national issues affecting Indian people; provides networking and support to encourage Native Americans to pursue careers in the law; and promotes the nomination of Native Americans for judicial appointments. CIBA regularly supports events that promote community awareness and education on Native American issues and/or American Indian law.

Spirit of the Sun, Inc. is an incorporated 501(c)(3) nonprofit in the state of Colorado. For over a decade, we have partnered with Native American communities across the nation to develop new opportunities for tribes and Native American individuals. Spirit of the Sun is founded on the belief that effective and sustainable development work recognizes the intersections of culture, community, economy, and health, and that true success is only possible through collaboration. We maintain open and ongoing dialogues with all of our partners to ensure that every project or initiative reflects the unique needs and goals of the Native communities we serve. We reside on the land of the Tséstho’e (Cheyenne), hinono’eino’ biito’owu’ (Arapaho), Núu-agha-tʉvʉ-pʉ̱ (Ute), and Očhéthi Šakówiŋ, as well as 48+ other tribes with ties to this land. Spirit of the Sun’s mission is to work in partnership with Native American communities in urban areas and on reservations to boost the resilience of Native people, especially youth and young adults. Our vision is that the Native youth of today become the next generation of Native leaders, entrepreneurs, and skilled professionals who will help guide their communities toward wellness, prosperity, and cultural revitalization.

Four Winds American Indian Council, as an organization and family, works for the physical, spiritual, political, community, economic, and social liberation of all Indigenous Peoples and lands through community support, political education, grassroots organizing, and advocacy. Four Winds American Indian Council is an American Indian "liberated zone" located in the heart of Denver, Colorado, in the original territories of the Cheyenne, Arapaho and Ute Nations. By "liberated zone" we mean that Four Winds is a facility where indigenous peoples are free to use the buildings for Native empowerment, without apology or explanation to the settler society that now surrounds us. The consequence of over two centuries of US colonizing policy is that nearly 70% of Native people have been displaced from their traditional territories and now live in urban areas, such as Denver, and are in the bottom of every socio-economic indicator in the United States. Four Winds was founded in the 1980s as a breakwater against the flood of assimilation and historical amnesia for indigenous youth and the broader community in Denver. Four Winds is one place in Denver where Native people can speak their languages, participate in their ceremonies, strategize and organize for their liberation, and rebuild an empowered community. Four Winds is based in an old church and parsonage, previously owned and run by the Lutheran Church. We have transformed the church's previous usages of conversion and assimilation to a vision of Indigenous liberation and self-determination. Our efforts are advanced by many projects, including our Indigenous Permaculture Garden Project, and our Homeless Survival Program. We are also the only space in Denver that is available to Indigenous community members free-of-charge for memorials, funerals, and wakes. In addition, our work is supported by a variety of community partnerships and collaborations with Native organizations. progressive non-Native organizations, and educational institutions. For more than 25 years, our community occupied the buildings where we gathered on a rent-free basis in cooperation with the Rocky Mountain Lutheran Church Synod Council. Relationships were built, and respect for each others' histories and cultures developed. In 2015, the decision was made by the Synod Council to return the land where the Native community gathers to Four Winds American Indian Council. This rare return of land to Native Peoples is historic - not only in Denver and in Colorado, but in all of North America. At the ceremony where the official transfer of title took place, the Lutherans acknowledged that "the land had never really belonged to [us] in the first place." Four Winds takes the Native mandate seriously to make decisions today based on "how they will affect the next Seven Generations ." Four Winds continually strives to hold the Seventh Generation Principle at the core of our values, mission, and projects.

The Denver Indian Center Inc. (DICI) is an urban cultural gathering center for the American Indian and Alaska Native community of the Denver Metro area. Incorporated in 1983 to meet the unique needs and challenges facing the of the Native community, the DICI supports our Native youth and community by providing guidance for economic empowerment and self-reliance programs that empower families and honor our elders, and by offering a space where Native culture can be preserved and celebrated. At the Denver Indian Center, our Vision is simple: to be engaging, innovative and transformative, with transparency, as we provide our employees and American Indian Community members with the highest quality programs and services.

ne Nation Walking Together strives to make a positive impact in the lives of Native Americans. A people that are greatly underserved and misrepresented, ONWT is an organization about People helping People—not a cause. By addressing the specific needs of each community, we serve, One Nation can be more than a “dump and run” charity. We deliver the necessities of life to our Native brothers and sisters. Another important aspect of One Nation’s mission is speaking to schools, churches, businesses, and organizations. We appreciate the opportunity to share the mission of One Nation Walking together along with the work we are doing in Indian county and the Pikes Peak Region.

The Native American Fish & Wildlife Society (NAFWS) is a national tribal organization established informally during the early 1980's. NAFWS was incorporated in 1983 to develop a national communications network for the exchange of information and management techniques related to self-determined tribal fish and wildlife management. As a non-profit organization, the Society’s mission is to assist Native American and Alaska Native Tribes with the conservation, protection, and enhancement of their fish and wildlife resources. As a 501(c)(3) public charitable non-profit Colorado corporation, all contributions are tax-deductible in accordance with IRS regulations.