Organization
Great Plains Action Society
Not yet reviewed by this nation. What follows comes from public records and research. It does not speak for the nation.
Great Plains Action Society, an Indigenous-led nonprofit in Des Moines, Iowa, grew out of the 2016 pipeline fight and works on land defense.
- Kind
- 501(c)(3) Indigenous-led grassroots nonprofit
- Native-led
- yes-self-described
- Works with
- Indigenous peoples in Iowa and eastern Nebraska
- Region
- Plains; Great Lakes; IA, NE
- Focus
- ReMatriation, land defense, Protect the Sacred, regenerative economy, civic engagement in Iowa and eastern Nebraska
- Registry
- EIN 88-3978480 (own donate page; ProPublica Des Moines IA)
What happened
Great Plains Action Society (GPAS) calls itself an Indigenous-led grassroots nonprofit working across Iowa and eastern Nebraska. Its About page says it became an official nonprofit in 2017, began to form during the Dakota Access Pipeline resistance in 2016, and switched to 501(c)(3) status in 2022. ProPublica lists it in Des Moines under EIN 88-3978480, with tax exemption issued in December 2022.
The About page names Sikowis Nobiss (Nehiyaw/Saulteaux, George Gordon First Nation) as founder and executive director. It lists a board president, Keely Driscoll (Meskwaki and Ho-Chunk).
GPAS describes four initiatives: protecting the sacred, land defense (climate and environment), representation, and civic engagement. Its home page says its mission is to build Indigenous power and presence in Iowa and eastern Nebraska "through reMatriation, healing justice and a regenerative economy." The About page says Iowa "needs to reMatriate prairie."
GPAS lists a land and healing steward and a land defense organizer among its staff. Its tactics include mutual aid, art, education and non-violent direct action. Its documented work is advocacy, organizing and land defense.
Good to know. Its work is advocacy, organizing and land defense; it holds no returned land.
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.
We are are an Indigenous-led grassroots non-profit primarily working across Iowa and Eastern Nebraska.
Great Plains Action Society - HomeSikowis Nobiss, BA, MA Founder and Executive Director
Great Plains Action Society - Aboutthrough reMatriation, healing justice and a regenerative economy
Great Plains Action Society - HomeGPAS became an official non-profit in 2017.
Great Plains Action Society - AboutTax exemption issued: Dec. 2022
ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Great Plains Action Society
Research notes. Self-described Indigenous-led; no land title held or returned was documented. The site and IRS dates differ: the site says it became a nonprofit in 2017 (earlier as a 501(c)(4) under another name) and a 501(c)(3) in 2022, matching ProPublica's 2022 exemption; only recent Form 990s exist. The About page misspells 501(c)(3) as "50(c)3".
Visit the organization’s website or give directly on its own page. This site takes no money.
Connections
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Works in 2
Sources
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The record’s fields
- Vetting notes
- 2026-10-17: ProPublica hit Great Plains Action Society, Des Moines IA, EIN 883978480, matching EIN on own donate page. Own About page says 100% Indigenous led and that it switched to 501(c)(3) status in 2022 (page says "50(c)3"). Founders named but tribal affiliations not read. Early years registered as a 501(c)(4) under a different name; only recent 990s exist. Donation page on own domain. Source: https://www.greatplainsaction.org/about ("we are a 100% Indigenous led organization")
- Kind
- Organization
- Confidence
- Medium
- Nation review
- Not yet reviewed by this nation