Organization
Nanticoke Indian Association
Not yet reviewed by this nation. What follows comes from public records and research. It does not speak for the nation.
The Nanticoke Indian Association took ownership of a 31-acre ancestral parcel near Millsboro, Delaware in 2021 after The Conservation Fund bought and donated it.
- Kind
- Tribal nonprofit (501(c)(3)) of the state-recognized Nanticoke Indian Tribe
- Native-led
- tribal-government
- Works with
- Nanticoke Indian Tribe (Delaware)
- Region
- Northeast; DE
- Focus
- Preservation, conservation, education and cultural awareness programs; tribal center and museum (not primarily land return)
- Registry
- EIN 51-0261316 (ProPublica: Nanticoke Indian Association Inc, Millsboro DE)
What happened
The Nanticoke Indian Association is the nonprofit of the Nanticoke Indian Tribe in Delaware. ProPublica lists it in Millsboro under EIN 51-0261316, with tax exemption issued in June 1987. Its mission statement says it aims to enhance and promote the welfare of the Nanticoke Indian community and to preserve the tribe through conservation, education and cultural awareness programs. Its leadership page lists Chief Avery "Leaving Tracks" Johnson and Assistant Chief Farrah Norwood-Stigall.
The tribe's website carries an article excerpt, by Jon Hurdle of Delaware Public Media and dated November 24, 2021, about a land return. It says a 31-acre cornfield on the edge of Millsboro is the first ancestral parcel the community has ever owned. The tribe took ownership in October 2021 after The Conservation Fund, a land-preservation nonprofit, bought the land and donated it. The parcel adjoins the Nanticoke Indian Center, where the tribe's existing parcel is about one acre.
According to the article, the Fund declined to say how much it paid but said the price was less than the $999,000 listing. Mount Cuba Center and the Delaware Open Space Council provided funding. The sellers, the Harmon and Draine families, accepted a slightly lower bid than a competing one because they wanted to protect the land by transferring it to the tribe.
A State of Delaware easement allows tribal activities but permanently prevents residential development.
Good to know. The Nanticoke are recognized by the State of Delaware. Donate buttons go to PayPal, so check the payee there.
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.
The tribe took ownership of the land in October after it was purchased by The Conservation Fund
Nanticoke Indian Tribe - Nanticoke Indian Tribe acquires land of their ancestorsFunding was provided by Mount Cuba Center
Nanticoke Indian Tribe - Nanticoke Indian Tribe acquires land of their ancestorsChief Avery “Leaving Tracks” Johnson
Nanticoke Indian Tribe - LeadershipThe mission of the Nanticoke Indian Association (NIA) is to enhance and promote the welfare of the Nanticoke Indian Community
Nanticoke Indian Tribe - HomeTax exemption issued: June 1987
ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Nanticoke Indian Association Inc
Research notes. The land return is described in a news article reposted on the tribe's site; the original Delaware Public Media piece was not opened. The state-recognized tribe's status was not checked here. Tribal nonprofit: donate buttons go to PayPal hosted buttons; payee not confirmed. The vetting note said no land-return program was found; this page shows one.
We have not verified this organization well enough to link to it. See our donation integrity policy.
Connections
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Works in 1
Sources
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The record’s fields
- Vetting notes
- 2026-10-17: ProPublica match Millsboro DE; site Leadership page names Chief Avery Johnson and council; donate buttons on the site link PayPal hosted button (payee not confirmed); no land-return program found, included as low-priority record. Source: https://www.nanticokeindians.org/leadership ("Leadership Chief Avery “Leaving Tracks” Johnson Assistant Chief Farrah Norwood-Stigall")
- Kind
- Organization
- Confidence
- Low
- Nation review
- Not yet reviewed by this nation