Living Law,
Living LandSupport land rights

Organization

Cherokee Preservation Foundation

The Cherokee Preservation Foundation, funded by Eastern Band of Cherokee gaming revenue, makes grants for culture, environment and economic development in western North Carolina.

Kind
Independent 501(c)(3) foundation funded by Eastern Band of Cherokee gaming revenue
Native-led
unverified
Works with
Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians
Region
Southeast; NC
Focus
Funder of cultural preservation, language and environment projects of the EBCI; accepts grant applications, no public donation program
Registry
EIN 56-2272253 (ProPublica: Cherokee Preservation Foundation Inc, Cherokee NC; ruling 2002-08; 990s FY2022-2023)

What happened

The Cherokee Preservation Foundation is an independent nonprofit foundation based in Cherokee, North Carolina. Its site says it was established as part of the Second Amendment to the Tribal-State Compact between the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) and the State of North Carolina. It says it is funded by gaming revenues generated by the Tribe and is not associated with any for-profit gaming entity. ProPublica lists it under EIN 56-2272253, with tax exemption issued in August 2002. Bobby Raines is listed as executive director.

The foundation states its mission as preserving Cherokee culture, protecting the natural environment, and creating economic opportunities for the EBCI and neighbors in western North Carolina. It makes grants rather than holding or returning land.

Land-related work appears in its environmental preservation programs. One is Revitalization of Traditional Cherokee Artisan Resources (RTCAR), which it describes as a grantmaking program helping the EBCI restore the traditional balance in using natural resources such as river cane, white oak and clay. Another is Generations Qualla, a program on sustainability and stewardship.

The foundation's Impact Report lists dollar totals awarded by category, including more than $54 million in cultural preservation and more than $10 million in environmental preservation. These are the foundation's own figures.

Good to know. A grantmaker funded by Eastern Band of Cherokee gaming revenue, not a land-return group or a typical place to donate. Dollar totals are the foundation's own.

Summarized with AI assistance from 5 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.

  1. We are an independent nonprofit foundation funded by gaming revenues generated by the Tribe.Cherokee Preservation Foundation - Home
  2. The Foundation was established as part of the Second Amendment to the Tribal-State Compact between the EBCI and the State of North Carolina.Cherokee Preservation Foundation - Home
  3. a grantmaking program whose purpose is to assist the Eastern Band of Cherokee IndiansCherokee Preservation Foundation - Environmental Preservation
  4. Bobby Raines EXECUTIVE DIRECTORCherokee Preservation Foundation - Our Staff
  5. Tax exemption issued: Aug. 2002ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Cherokee Preservation Foundation Inc

Research notes. This is a grantmaker, not a land-return organization; no land acquisition by the foundation was found. The board makeup and whether it is tribally controlled were not read. No donation page was found; it is funded by tribal gaming revenue, so it is not a typical donor destination. Dollar totals are the foundation's own.

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
2026-10-17: ProPublica match; site says it was established under the EBCI-State compact and is funded by tribal gaming revenue; no donate page found, so information only; board makeup not read. Source: https://cherokeepreservation.org/ ("We are an independent nonprofit foundation funded by gaming revenues generated by the Tribe.")
Kind
Organization
Confidence
Low

Correct this record