Launched in early 2023, the Center for Indigenous Health’s Willow Fund was created to strengthen and sustain the Center’s core work—investing in the next generation of Indigenous public health leaders, seeding early-stage innovations through pilot projects, and supporting community-based research and training sites.
As demand for the Center’s proven programs has grown – and as early-career Indigenous scientists needed more flexible, timely funding – the Willow Fund emerged as a vital catalyst. Willow Fund contributions are gifts of $100,000 or more annually and provide the Center with the freedom to plan and grow in true partnership with Tribal communities, upholding best practices of community-engaged research and moving boldly toward new ideas and approaches. The Fund not only enables critical support for early-career Indigenous faculty, it also creates meaningful opportunities for donors to connect more deeply with the Center’s people, programs, and community research sites.
Since its inception, the Willow Fund has generated $4 million in revenue and pledge commitments. Most importantly, it has unlocked new creativity – powering the development and expansion of programs that advance Indigenous health through innovation, partnership, and shared purpose.
