Over time, the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians has become a self-sufficient entity in the community with an established economic and social outlook. The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians is active in donating funds for a variety of projects in neighboring areas. Nearby cities and towns receive support from the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians in the way of monetary and bottled water donations for cultural, social, and economic projects to benefit the common good of the communities in which they live and work.

Descendents of the Serrano Indians, the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians roamed a territory that spanned the San Bernardino Mountains and valley and adjoining desert lands. In their native language, they call themselves Yuhaviatam, or People of the Pines. They believe that from the day the creator placed them on Mother Earth, they have lived in harmony with all living things and the spirit world - their connection to the Great Mystery.

Despite their long history and rich cultural traditions, the San Manuel reservation was not established until 1891 and at this time was recognized as a sovereign nation. The reservation is named after Santos Manuel, a great tribal leader, and is located in California, in the foothills of the San Bernardino Mountain region, just north of the city of Highland. It consists of just over 800 acres of mostly mountainous land and is home to Indian Springs, which date back to the earliest records of California's rich history.

In the mid-1980s, the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians invested in a high-stakes bingo operation, and San Manuel Indian Bingo was born. The gaming facility expanded in 1994 to include a card room and additional space for video machines. Encompassing gaming and other enterprises, the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians is one of the largest employers in the Inland Empire area and employs over 2000 people.

In December 2000, the San Manuel Bottled Water Group was founded as part of a federal charter granted to the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians in their pursuit of tribal business diversification. Committed to providing Southern California with the purest water available, the tribe embarked on their mission to share the same water that the Native American people have enjoyed for centuries.

The San Manuel reservation, like other tribal lands in the United States, is a sovereign nation with its own system of government and ordinances. Tribal government consists of two governing bodies: a seven-member Tribal Council which acts as the Business Committee and a General Council comprised of all adults 21 or older. The Tribal Council has a Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, and three Business Committee members who are elected by the General Council for two-year terms. As elected officials, the Tribal Council is responsible for enforcing by-laws, establishing policies, protecting business interests and preserving the sovereignty of the tribe.