Our Mission

The Grinnell Fund has been serving Native Americans throughout the United States for over 16 years. Founded in December 1988, the Grinnell Fund is a non-profit operating foundation.

The aim of all of the Fund’s activities is to honor, celebrate, empower and increase opportunities for American Indian children, adults, families and communities by:

Establishing and sustaining service learning programs not only for students from elementary school through college but also for adults

Designing and disseminating service learning resource guides and programs that can be adapted for tribal specificity for Native schools throughout the country

Providing scholarships to traditional and non-traditional students to support their dreams and goals to obtain an undergraduate or graduate degree

Designing, implementing and disseminating cultural exchange programs between and among native and non-native youth to promote respect, understanding and appreciation for cultural diversity.

George Bird Grinnell’s dedication for maintaining the cultural integrity of American Indian communities serves as the guidepost for all of our services and programs.

Who Was George Bird Grinnell?

An anthropologist, scientist, conservationist, publisher, writer and explorer, George Bird Grinnell (1849 – 1938) was a man of many accomplishments.

Along with other conservationists, George Bird Grinnell helped to: establish the first Audubon Society; preserve and establish Yellowstone as a national park area, keeping it free from private development; establish Glacier National Park; and establish the Boone and Crockett Club.

George Bird Grinnell was a beloved friend of the Cheyenne and Blackfoot nations as well as with several other tribes of Plains Indians, a chronicler of Native American legends.

By living among American Indians and learning their customs and languages, Grinnell earned the respect and trust, and was made an honorary member in the Gros Ventre, Cheyenne, Pawnee and Blackfoot tribes. Dr. Grinnell dedicated his life to American Indians, writing about them and celebrating their unique heritage.

In 1938, George Bird Grinnell died in New York City at the age of 88. His spirit and mission live on through the George Bird Grinnell American Indian Fund, founded in 1988 by his great-nephew Schuyler M. Meyer, Jr. (1918 – 1997).

"The conquering of difficulties is one of the chief joys of life."

- George Bird Grinnell