The Association of Tribal Archives, Libraries, and Museums (ATALM) received a grant of $200,000 from the Henry Luce Foundation to support the “Going Home Fund: Returning Material Culture to Indigenous Communities” program.
The Going Home Fund was founded in 2022 for the purpose of creating a sustainable program that includes raising public awareness about the importance of returning culturally significant items to Indigenous communities, building relationships between tribal museums and non-Native collections institutions and individual collectors, and building the capacity of tribal museums to seek loans and gifts of culturally significant items. It also provides financial support to cover the actual cost of returns, including packing, shipping, insurance, and other expenses necessary to ensure the restoration of material culture to descendant communities.
“We are incredibly grateful to the Henry Luce Foundation for its generous support,” said Rick West, Chairman of the Going Home Fund. “This grant will enable us to expand our scope to include international returns and support the generous spirit of giving demonstrated by collecting institutions and individuals seeking to do the right thing.”
“The Henry Luce Foundation is proud to support ATALM’s efforts to raise public awareness about the importance of repatriation and to accelerate the return of Indigenous cultural property,” said Ray Foxworth, Program Director for the Indigenous Knowledge Initiative at the Henry Luce Foundation.
Additional support for the fund is provided by the Andrew Mellon Foundation and the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, as well as many individual donors.
To seek support, return an item, or learn more about the Going Home Fund, visit https://www.atalm.org/node/571
About Association of Tribal Archives, Libraries, and Museums
The Association of Tribal Archives, Libraries, and Museums (ATALM) is an international association dedicated to preserving and advancing the language, history, culture, and lifeways of Indigenous peoples. Founded in 2010, ATALM maintains a network of support for Indigenous cultural programs, provides professional development training, enables collaboration among tribal and non-tribal cultural institutions, and advocates for programs and funding to sustain the cultural sovereignty of Native Nations. To learn more, visit www.atalm.org
About the Henry Luce Foundation
The Henry Luce Foundation seeks to deepen knowledge and understanding in pursuit of a more democratic and just world. Established in 1936 by Henry R. Luce, the co-founder and editor-in-chief of Time, Inc., the Luce Foundation advances its mission by nurturing knowledge communities and institutions, fostering dialogue across divides, enriching public discourse, amplifying diverse voices, and investing in leadership development.