Organization
Apache Stronghold
Apache Stronghold, a San Carlos, Arizona nonprofit, is fighting a congressional land exchange that would transfer Oak Flat to a mining company.
- Kind
- Nonprofit (existence only)
- Native-led
- unverified
- Works with
- Western Apache; Oak Flat (Chi'chil Bildagoteel)
- Region
- San Carlos, AZ
- Focus
- Defense of Oak Flat sacred site against copper mining
- Registry
- EIN 47-4032813 (ProPublica listing only)
What happened
Apache Stronghold describes itself as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community organization based in San Carlos, Arizona. Its website says it connects Apaches and other Native and non-Native allies to defend holy sites and freedom of religion. ProPublica's Nonprofit Explorer lists it under EIN 47-4032813 with tax exemption issued in December 2020.
This group does land defense, not land return. Its central cause is Oak Flat, which it calls Chi'chil Bildagoteel, federal land inside the Tonto National Forest. Apache Stronghold says a land-exchange rider attached to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 became law on December 19, 2014. It says the exchange gives the area to Resolution Copper for a large copper mine. The group says it is fighting to repeal the exchange.
Apache Stronghold's own press page records the legal fight. It lists a May 27, 2025 post headed "Supreme Court refuses plea to protect Oak Flat" and a separate post that includes the dissents of Justice Gorsuch and Justice Thomas. Its posts also record a federal judge blocking the land exchange in May and August 2025 and an October 6, 2025 post saying the Supreme Court took no action.
All of this is the organization's account of events.
Good to know. This group defends Oak Flat; it does not return land. Descriptions of the court fight are the organization's own and stop at October 2025.
Summarized with AI assistance from 4 sources and checked against their words; not yet reviewed by historians or by the nations. Report an error
What the sources say, and how this was checked
Supported by the sources below; some details rest on one source.
Apache Stronghold, San Carlos, Arizona, is a 501(c)3 nonprofit community organization
Apache Stronghold - About UsWe are fighting to repeal this land exchange.
Apache Stronghold - Oak Flat backgroundBREAKING: Supreme Court refuses plea to protect Oak Flat
Apache Stronghold - 2025 press releasesTax exemption issued: Dec. 2020
ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Apache Stronghold
Research notes. Case status after October 2025 was not checked against court records; litigation descriptions are the organization's own. The group's leadership was not stated on the pages read (Wendsler Nosie Sr. is quoted on its About page as a long-time opponent of the exchange and former San Carlos Apache chairman). The vetting note says hold for manual review. A donate link exists on its site, but the payee was not checked. Revenue on ProPublica for FY2024 is about $292,000, all contributions.
We have not verified this organization well enough to link to it. See our donation integrity policy.
Connections
These links were matched automatically by name or date and have not yet been reviewed by a person.
Works in 1
Works with 1
Sources
No source is linked to this record yet. That is a gap we are working to close.
The record’s fields
- Vetting notes
- Only existence checked (ProPublica). Website, donation page, case status in 2026 not checked. Land defense rather than land return. Hold for manual review.
- Kind
- Organization
- Confidence
- Low