For Indigenous communities, the land is more than a physical place—it is a vital connection to culture, language, spirituality, and identity. In Grand Teton National Park, the importance of this connection is reflected in a continued commitment to deepening relationships with tribal nations and creating opportunities for Native youth to experience their ancestral homelands.
Since 2016, Grand Teton National Park Foundation has supported programs that engage Native youth with the park through outdoor experiences, cultural learning, and career development. These efforts are informed by the needs and interests of tribal communities and are grounded in collaboration with Grand Teton.
This work recently reached a meaningful milestone with the establishment of the Original Stewards Endowment: The Fund to Support Tribal Youth Engagement in Grand Teton National Park. This permanent fund was made possible by longtime Foundation friend and supporter, Bill Hudson.
The endowment will provide enduring support for tribal youth programming in the park and will help ensure that Indigenous young people have opportunities to connect with the land of their ancestors—land that continues to hold deep cultural and spiritual significance. In addition to sustaining existing programs, the fund will allow for growth, innovation, and long-term vision in this important area of youth engagement.
“My time spent in Grand Teton has been more important in giving me a sense of being at one with myself and the land than all of the time that I spent living and working elsewhere during my life,” Bill said. “As I reflect on what this personal connection to the land has meant to me, I am overcome by a sense of responsibility to ensure the next generation, specifically those with less access to opportunities, has the same chance to experience this place.”
More than two dozen tribes have ancestral ties to the Teton landscape. Yet, the majority of youth from these communities have never had the opportunity to visit the park. With philanthropic support, Grand Teton’s tribal youth initiative is helping change that narrative—creating inclusive, educational, and memorable experiences for Native youth.
Current tribal youth efforts include Indigenous Ground Leaders, which brings Native teens to the park for immersive, week-long cultural and outdoor experiences; a tribal community engagement fellow, who builds relationships with Indigenous communities and supports programming across the region; and ongoing work to develop additional initiatives that reflect the priorities and values of affiliated tribes.
“We are only recently coming to truly understand and respect the example set by our Native American brethren in their stewardship of the land they so depended on and were connected to,” Bill said. “In helping to start the Original Stewards Endowment, I hope that it will become a vehicle for providing Native youth an experience that will connect them with the land and their ancestral heritage, and provide a foundation and springboard for their future success and happiness as adults, proud of their Native heritage wherever their career paths may take them.”
The Foundation is honored to receive this visionary gift. The Original Stewards Endowment will have a lasting impact on Indigenous youth and their connections to Grand Teton, ensuring that programs continue to grow and evolve for generations.
The Foundation welcomes additional contributions to the Original Stewards Endowment. Contact Dani Bahnsen at 307-732-0629 or dani@gtnpf.org to learn more. Thank you!