named programs · 5 · from sources
what they call their work
Arizona Indian Festival
An inter-tribal event celebrating Native American culture, traditional arts, crafts, foods, and innovations in cultural tourism, featuring Indian villages, tribal royalty, food vendors, artisans, and main stage entertainment.
Arizona Indigenous Culinary Experience
An event celebrating Native Arizona cuisine, arts, and cultural heritage through tasting stations, live cooking demonstrations, and interactive conversations with Indigenous chefs. It also emphasizes Indigenous agro-tourism.
Arizona Indigenous Food Symposium
An event held in conjunction with the Arizona Indian Festival that brings together Indigenous communities to share knowledge on traditional foods, plants, and medicines, focusing on food sovereignty, environmental justice, and cultural food practices.
Networking Opportunities
Hosts speakers on tourism issues and aids Native American people by providing effective networking opportunities for tribal tourism and marketing professionals.
Tourism Development Assistance and Training
Provides limited eco-tourism development assistance and training, and information on ecological and heritage tourism for the benefit of Indian Country.
activities · 3 clusters
what they do
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Cultural Heritage Festivals & Celebrations 5 activities
- Host culinary and food knowledge events celebrating Indigenous heritageOrganizes the Arizona Indigenous Culinary Experience and the Arizona Indigenous Food Symposium to highlight Native Arizona cuisine, traditional foods, plants, and medicines, as part of Native American Heritage Month celebrations and broader cultural programming.
- Organize cultural festivals to promote Arizona Native American tribesHosts large-scale public festivals, including the annual Arizona Indian Festival and the Arizona Indigenous Culinary Experience, to promote tourism and celebrate the cultural heritage of Arizona’s 22 Native American tribes. Events are held in key locations such as Scottsdale Civic Center and scheduled annually, with recent and upcoming editions in 2025 and 2026.
- Organizing the Arizona Indian FestivalOrganizes and hosts the annual Arizona Indian Festival to promote the 22 Native American tribes in Arizona and increase tourism in Indian Country. The festival is scheduled for January 31 to February 1, 2026, at the Scottsdale Civic Center.
- Organizing the Arizona Indigenous Culinary ExperienceOrganizes and hosts the Arizona Indigenous Culinary Experience, an event celebrating Native Arizona cuisine, arts, and cultural heritage, typically held in November to celebrate Native American Heritage Month.
- Organizing the Arizona Indigenous Food SymposiumOrganizes the Arizona Indigenous Food Symposium, which brings together indigenous communities to share knowledge on traditional foods, plants, and medicines.
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Indigenous Economic Summit & Networking 2 activities
- Facilitate tourism networking and knowledge exchange for Native communitiesHosts speakers on tourism-related topics and creates networking opportunities for Native American people to support professional development and collaboration in the tourism sector.
- Hosting Tourism Speakers and Networking EventsHosts speakers on tourism issues and provides networking opportunities for Native American people involved in tourism.
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Indigenous Seed Sovereignty & Rematriation 2 activities
- Provide eco-tourism development training and resourcesOffers limited eco-tourism development assistance, training, and informational resources to support ecological and heritage tourism initiatives in Indian Country, aimed at building sustainable tourism capacity within Native American communities.
- Providing Eco-Tourism Development Assistance and TrainingProvides limited eco-tourism development assistance and training, along with information, to support ecological and heritage tourism in Indian Country.
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financials · form 990 · fy2022
the money
revenue
Total revenue$263K
Contributions & grants$00%
Program service revenue$262K100%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$677
expenses
Total expenses$171K
Program expenses83%
Admin / overhead5%
Fundraising13%
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineOther
balance sheet
Total assets$135K
Cash$135K
Investments$0
Liabilities$139
Net assets$135K
Liquid reserves9.5 mo
2 years on record · 2020–2022 · YoY revenue +25.9%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2022
who runs it
board members · 11
- CARRIE HOOD — BOARD MEMBER
- DAWN MELVIN — BOARD MEMBER
- DOROTHY DENETSOSIE GISHIE — BOARD MEMBER
- GERI HONGEVA — BOARD MEMBER
- ISAAC CURLY — BOARD MEMBER
- LEIAH BAPTISTO — BOARD MEMBER
- ROANN PRESTON — BOARD MEMBER
- ROBERT BLACK — BOARD MEMBER
- SANDRA BLACK — BOARD MEMBER
- SHERRY HENRY — BOARD MEMBER
- VIRGIL JAMES — BOARD MEMBER
relationships · 24
who they work with
- American Indian Alaskan Native Tourism Association Network — Recognized by the American Indian Alaskan Native Tourism Association with the Best Cultural Heritage Experience Event 2020 Award.
- American Indian Alaskan Native Tourism Association Partner — Awarded AAITA the Best Cultural Heritage Experience Event in 2020.
- Bobby Martin Partner — Individual member from Navajo Tourism
- Carrie Nelson Partner — Individual member from Discover Flagstaff
- City of Scottsdale Partner — Treasurer Steve Geiogamah is the Tourism Development Manager for the City of Scottsdale.
- Dawn Melvin Partner — Individual member from Hopi Navajo
- Discover Salt River Partner — Vice President Rebecca Thomas is associated with Discover Salt River.
- Dorothy Gishie Partner — Individual member from Native Americans for Community Action
- Flagstaff Convention & Visitors Bureau Partner — Secretary Carrie Nelson is associated with the Flagstaff Convention & Visitors Bureau.
- Geri Hongeva Partner — Individual member from Navajo Nation
- Kim Secakaku Partner — Individual member from Hopi
- Long Feather Fox Partner — Individual member from Hualapai Mohave Education
- Lonny Gibson Partner — Individual member from New West Lending
- Native Americans for Community Action, Inc. Partner — Board Member Dorothy Denetsosie Gishie is a Program Manager at Native Americans for Community Action, Inc.
- Patti Whitethorne Partner — Individual member from Navajo Nation
- Rebecca Thomas Partner — Individual member from Discover Salt River
- Robert Black Partner — Individual member from Shonto Community
- Rory Majenty Partner — Individual member from Hualapia Community
- Sandra Black Partner — Individual member from Shonto Community
- Steve Geiogamah Partner — Individual member from City of Scottsdale
- Tony Skrelunas Partner — Individual member from Navajo Economic Development
- Virgil James Partner — Individual member from Hopi/Navajo
- Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West Partner — Location for the Arizona Indigenous Culinary Experience.
- Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West Partner — Venue sponsor for the Arizona Indigenous Culinary Experience.