From the strength of the past, let us build a brighter future...
As an indigenous community the origins and history of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians stem from our relationship with the land and to all who share it. This has shaped our culture, traditions and present lives. Today our Serrano ancestral lands, which include most of present-day San Bernardino County, are shared by many who have not had an opportunity to learn about our deep relationship with these lands.
Since ancient times we have expressed ourselves through a culture of giving. Today, San Manuel is able to answer the call of Yawa' (Serrano word meaning "to act on one's beliefs") through partnerships with charitable organizations. We have drawn upon our history, knowledge, expertise and cultural values to direct our philanthropic giving in our local region, as well as to Native American causes nationwide.
We are proud of the positive impacts that our charitable giving has produced to date. And we look forward to opportunities that the future holds as we partner with outstanding groups that continue to make positive impacts - particularly those focused in the areas of Education, Health, Economic & Community Development and Special Projects.
We invite you to visit Program Areas and Guidelines pages that follow to learn more about our charitable giving program.
To be eligible for special events support, requests or applications must be received by the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians no less than 90 days before the scheduled date of the event. We require no less than 90 days to properly review and process the request or application. Failure to meet this requirement will render the request as “non-responsive” and will not be considered.