Native youth, ages 18-30, can apply in partnership with the “Mentor Organization” of their choice, to receive $20,000 to pursue their dream of uplifting their communities, and creating sustainable positive change for generations to come. The Dreamstarter program was created in 2015, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Billy Mills’ Olympic win, designed to uplift Native communities by investing in the dreams of the youth. Since 2015, Running Strong has cultivated a network of 100 Native youth leaders and invested $1,550,000 into their dreams- so far.
2026 marks the 40th Anniversary of Running Strong for American Indian Youth. In 1986 Billy Mills co-founded Running Strong with a dream to give back to his community and uplift the next generation of Native youth. What started out as digging wells and planting gardens on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation has flourished into nationwide programming across all program areas that impacts dozens of tribal communities each year.
1.You must identify a non-profit organization to apply with. Applicants must apply in partnership with a registered 501©3 or 7871 nonprofit organization, known as the Mentor Organization. Mentor Organizations should be schools, non-profits, or tribal organizations working in Indian Country and to which the Applicant has a personal connection. Each Mentor Organization will designate an authorized representative, known as the Dreamstarter Mentor, to apply with the applicant, attend Dreamstarter Academy, and oversee the grant year. This Mentor should be an individual with whom the Applicant has a good personal or professional relationship. Dreamstarter Applicants and Dreamstarter Mentors will need to fill out this application together, as there are sections of this application for both individually.
2.You must be enrolled in a state or federally recognized tribal nation. Applicants should be prepared to submit documentation with the Application. If you have any questions, please email Dreamstarter@IndianYouth.org.
3.You must be between the ages of 18 and 30 at the time of application.
4.Your proposed project must give back to or uplift your community. Have an idea that you aren’t sure is eligible? Email us at Dreamstarter@IndianYouth.org
5.Dreamstarter Grantees and Mentors are required to attend Dreamstarter Academy from April 9-12, 2026. Failure to confirm availability will result in rejection of the application and failure to attend will result in revocation of grant if awarded.
August 22, 2025: Applications OPEN.
January 03, 2026: Applications are DUE by 11:59 pm EST.
February 28, 2026: Successful applicants notified, Social media Announcement.
April 9-12, 2026: Dreamstarter Academy with all Dreamstarters & Mentors (attendance required) in Sacramento, CA.
May 15, 2026: First half of grant funding disbursed.
November 15, 2026: Program Update DUE. Second half of grant funding dispersed upon submission of update reporting.
July 15, 2027: Grant period ENDS and all grant monies must be spent. Grant Report DUE.
Please make sure to have the following items available when you’re filling out the application. The following attachments are required for application submission and review. To download templates for the attachments visit https://bit.ly/DSAPPattachments
PLEASE NOTE: The photo and video attachments you provide will be shared to Running Strong website and social media. Please provide large, good quality images. Headshots of Dreamstarter Applicants should have entire face visible, with a background that is not busy or distracting.
In video, please be sure to present yourself nicely, speak clearly, and film in 9:16 aspect ratio (vertical phone video). You can access the video script here: https://bit.ly/DSAPPattachments
Videos should be submitted via link on the Application form OR emailed to Dreamstarter@IndianYouth.org via cloud based delivery, like google drive. Please make sure your setting allows for downloads. No Youtube links will be accepted.
Native Youth, ages 18-30, can apply to receive $20,000.00 to pursue their dream of uplifting their communities and honoring the Seventh Generation!
To honor the 40th Anniversary of Running Strong, we are getting back to our roots: Food. Since 2002 when Running Strong built the Eagle Butte Food Pantry on the Cheyenne River Reservation in South Dakota, Running Strong has supported the food programming of tribal nations. With the communities taking the lead and over two decades, Running Strong has built three food pantries and one school pantry, distributed over 4,000,000lbs pounds of food through emergency food box distribution, tilled hundreds of family gardens and harvested 360,000lbs of produce through our Medicine Root Garden Program, granted over $2,000,000 for gardening and food sovereignty projects, served 150,000 meals through our Summer Youth Feeding Program, and eaten hundreds of homecooked meals with relatives across the country. We remain committed to ensuring tribal communities meet both their urgent, critical needs and foster cultural identity development through traditional food ways, community, sovereignty, and environmental connectedness.
2026 Dreamstarter Projects will focus on Food Sovereignty. Food Sovereignty aims to restore power to tribal communities to grow, gather, and eat foods that are healthy, culturally meaningful, and produced in ways that care for the land and water. Reclaiming food sovereignty ensures that future generations of Native Youth can carry on traditional foodways, preserve and strengthen cultural connections, steward their lands, and promote health in their communities.
Food Sovereignty Projects may include:
Have an idea for a project? Email us at Dreamstarter@IndianYouth.org