Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation Awards $13.7 Million in Grants to Support 173 Nonprofit Organizations

2026 grant cycle advances education, health, culture and community programs across California and Indian Country

HIGHLAND, Calif., Oct. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation announced that $13.7 million in grant funding was awarded to 173 nonprofit organizations through its 2026 grant cycle, reflecting the Tribe's enduring commitment to strengthening communities throughout California and Indian Country. Guided by the Spirit of Yawa', a Maara'yam (Serrano) value meaning "to act on one's beliefs," the Tribe's annual giving program, San Manuel Cares, supports initiatives that improve lives, expand opportunity and create lasting community impact.

"This grant cycle reflects who we are as Yuhaaviatam people and our enduring responsibility to uplift the well-being of others," said Lynn Valbuena, Chairwoman of Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation. "Our ancestors experienced Yawa' through acts of compassion, generosity and mutual support during times of hardship. Today, we honor that legacy by extending those same values to organizations serving communities in need, strengthening Indian Country and helping create a brighter future for generations to come."

Funding awarded through the 2026 grant cycle supports organizations advancing the Tribe's four giving pillars of Inspiring Our Future Through Education, Empowering Lives, Reinforcing Healthy & Resilient Communities, and Preserving Cultural Traditions & Empowering Indian Country. Of the 173 organizations receiving grants this year, 43% serve Indian Country and collectively account for 57% of total funding awarded, underscoring the Tribe's continued investment in Native communities and Indigenous-led initiatives.

Among the recipients are the Indian Law Resource Center, which provides legal advocacy and support to Indigenous peoples worldwide through initiatives such as its "Safe Women, Strong Nations" campaign; San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools, which will expand apprenticeship pathways for students throughout the region; St. Mary's Medical Center in Apple Valley, which will operate a 24/7 Sexual Assault Resiliency program serving High Desert communities; and 4Corners K9 Search and Rescue, an all-volunteer nonprofit that assists in locating missing and lost persons on Native American Tribal lands.

The 2026 grant cycle reflects a broader commitment to philanthropy and community partnership by Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation. Since the early 2000s, the Tribe has contributed nearly $500 million to nonprofit, educational and community organizations, supporting programs and services that create meaningful, lasting change throughout its ancestral territory and Indian Country.

About Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation
Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation is a federally recognized Native American tribe located on the San Manuel Indian Reservation near Highland, California. Formerly known as the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, the Tribe reclaimed its ancestral name, Yuhaaviatam (pronounced "yu-HAH-vee-ah-tahm"), meaning "People of the Pines," to honor its deep-rooted heritage and enduring legacy.

Exercising its inherent sovereign right to self-governance, Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation is committed to providing essential services to its citizens through infrastructure development, civil services and programs that promote social, economic and cultural well-being.

As the Indigenous people of the San Bernardino highlands, passes, valleys, mountains, and high deserts, the Yuhaaviatam have called this region home since time immemorial and remain committed to being a productive partner in the San Bernardino region. For more information, visit http://www.sanmanuel-nsn.gov.

SOURCE Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation