HIGHLAND, CA – Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation awarded $13.7 million in grant funding to 173 nonprofit organizations through its 2026 grant cycle. The grants are awarded through San Manuel Cares, the tribe’s annual giving program, and are guided by the Spirit of Yawa’, a Maara’yam (Serrano) value meaning “to act on one’s beliefs.”
“This grant cycle reflects who we are as Yuhaaviatam people and our enduring responsibility to uplift the well-being of others,” said Lynn Valbuena, Chairwoman of Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation. “Our ancestors experienced Yawa’ through acts of compassion, generosity and mutual support during times of hardship. Today, we honor that legacy by extending those same values to organizations serving communities in need, strengthening Indian Country and helping create a brighter future for generations to come.”
Funding supports organizations across the tribe’s four giving pillars: Inspiring Our Future Through Education; Empowering Lives; Reinforcing Healthy & Resilient Communities; and Preserving Cultural Traditions & Empowering Indian Country. Of the 173 organizations receiving grants, 43% serve Indian Country and account for 57% of the total funding awarded.
Recipients include the Indian Law Resource Center, which provides legal advocacy and support to Indigenous peoples through initiatives including its “Safe Women, Strong Nations” campaign; San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools, which will expand apprenticeship pathways for students; St. Mary’s Medical Center in Apple Valley, which will operate a 24/7 Sexual Assault Resiliency program serving High Desert communities; and 4Corners K9 Search and Rescue, an all-volunteer nonprofit that assists in locating missing and lost persons on Native American tribal lands.
Since the early 2000s, Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation has contributed nearly $500 million to nonprofit, educational and community organizations throughout its ancestral territory and Indian Country.
