$588 raised
24% complete
$2,500 Goal
Wókizi. Ihdúwitayapi. Waúŋspekhiye. Wówaš’ake. Wówakhaŋ.
Heal. Connect. Teach. Strength. Power.
Owámniyomni Okhódayapi is a Dakota-led nonprofit. Our mission is to create a future where Dakota culture has a vital presence and Dakota values – such as mní wičóni, or water is life – are embedded into our communal existence.
We are currently working on the Owámniyomni project - a groundbreaking effort to heal a sacred Dakota site on Ȟaȟa Wakpá (the Mississippi River) that has been desecrated by colonization and industrialization. We are transforming five acres of land on the Minneapolis riverfront into a place of restoration, education, healing and connection. Through this restorative work, we will also reverse the erasure of Dakota people in our ancestral homeland and breathe life into an actively silenced history.
Guided by Dakota values and with the support of Mní Sóta's four Dakota Nations, we are committed to demonstrating a new model of engagement for how nonprofits, municipalities and other entities can respectfully partner with Tribal Nations and honor their inherent sovereignty.
Join us as we reverse the erasure of Dakota people in our ancestral homelands.
Learn More HereAwaŋyaŋkapi / ah-WAHN-yahn-gah-pee /
All Encompassing Care
Awaŋyaŋkapi is a Dakota word that carries deep meaning — to protect, to care for, to keep safe, to maintain. At Owámniyomni Okhódayapi, Awaŋyaŋkapi guides our work and our vision for the future of Owámniyomni. It reminds us that protecting the land, caring for community, and maintaining culture are inseparable. Each lesson that is shared, seed that is planted, and relationship built is an act of Awaŋyaŋkapi.
This season, we honor the many facets of Awaŋyaŋkapi, including protection, care, and cultural maintenance.
When you give to Owámniyomni Okhódayapi, you are a part of a circle of care that protects Dakota land, uplifts Dakota knowledge, and sustains our collective future. Your gift is more than a donation, it’s an act of Awaŋyaŋkapi.
Your support comes at a critical point in our work. We are finalizing the site design and preparing for construction in 2026. We also have a path to transfer ownership of the site from the federal government to Owámniyomni Okhódayapi - a decision that was endorsed by all four Dakota Nations in Mní Sóta.
Amid this success, Native-serving causes receive less than 0.4% of philanthropic dollars.* That's 0.4% of billions of dollars.
We can't do this alone. We need your help.
Your gift makes an impact today. Your ongoing support keeps it growing.
If you would like to continue support to Owámniyomni Okhódayapi, please consider making a small reoccurring monthly gift ($5-$15).
Not able to give today? Share our page widely with your friends, family and community—plus, you can sign up for our newsletter.
Wópida. We are grateful to walk this path with you.
*Source: Investing in Native Communities Report by Native Americans in Philanthropy and Candid
Organization name
Owámniyomni Okhódayapi
other names
Formerly Friends of the Falls, Friends of the Lock & Dam, St. Anthony Falls Lock & Dam Conservancy
Tax id (EIN)
81-1716095
Categories
Arts & Culture , Environment , Community
BIPOC Serving
BIPOC Serving
BIPOC Led
BIPOC Led
Address
400 S 4th Street Suite 401, Box 211