Why We Matter

About Us

Indigenous Media Freedom Alliance is building an alliance of tribal news media. A pathway toward stronger, more independent journalism.

The Indigenous Media Freedom Alliance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit media organization with articles of incorporation in North Dakota. We are creating a news system that can respond to the information gap in American Indian communities in the Great Plains. News and information are critical to economic development and sustainable, thriving communities. We’re dedicated to creating a news environment where citizens can control their destiny by making informed decisions. We express our gratitude to the foundations and donors who support our work, including the Poss Foundation.

For us, journalism is not a commodity, but a sacred trust. It is the thread connecting our past, present, and future—a practice woven from the deep roots of our kinship with the land and each other. We, the Indigenous Media Freedom Alliance, stand for the right of every Native Nation to control its narrative, to wield the power of informed self-determination.

We know the reality: Many tribal news outlets, vital as they are, face constraints that limit their ability to fully serve our communities. We are here to shift that balance. Through collaboration, IMFA builds alliances that empower sovereign nations to reclaim their stories with unwavering independence and depth.

Our work is not simply about 'press freedom,' but about the sacred responsibility to uphold truth, to heal, and to build strong, self-governing communities. This is how we honor our traditions. This is how we ensure our sovereignty.

Donor Transparency Policy

We are committed to transparency in every aspect of funding our organization. Accepting financial support does not mean we endorse donors or their products, services, or opinions. We accept gifts, grants, and sponsorships from individuals, organizations, and foundations to help with our general operations, coverage of specific topics, and special projects. Our news judgments are made independently – not based on or influenced by donors. We do not give supporters the rights to assign, review, or edit content.

We will make public all donors who give $1,000 or more per year. As a nonprofit, we will avoid accepting donations from anonymous sources, and we will not accept donations from government entities, political parties, elected officials, or candidates actively seeking public office. We will not accept donations from sources that, deemed by our board of directors, present a conflict of interest with our work or compromise our independence.

Editorial Independence Policy

We subscribe to standards of editorial independence adopted by the Institute for Nonprofit News:

Our organization retains full authority over editorial content to protect the best journalistic and business interests of our organization. We maintain a firewall between news coverage decisions and sources of all revenue. Acceptance of financial support does not constitute implied or actual endorsement of donors or their products, services, or opinions. We accept gifts, grants, and sponsorships from individuals and organizations for the general support of our activities, but our news judgments are made independently and not on the basis of donor support.

Our organization may consider donations to support the coverage of particular topics, but our organization maintains editorial control of the coverage. We will cede no right of review or influence of editorial content, nor of unauthorized distribution of editorial content.

Our organization will make public all donors who give a total of $1,000 or more per year. We will accept anonymous donations for general support only if it is clear that sufficient safeguards have been put into place that the expenditure of that donation is made independently by our organization and in compliance with INN’s Membership Standards.