Youth from the Warm Springs Tribes in Oregon attended the White House Tribal Youth Gathering last month. Photo from Warm Springs Youth Council / Facebook

The N7 Fund is expanding grant opportunities to Native youth.

The organization, a non-profit arm of Nike, has already been funding health, wellness and sports programs in Indian Country. Through a partnership with the Center for Native American Youth, young Native Americans will be able to secure money for their own initiatives as well.

“N7 has allocated resources for Native youth as a part of N7’s commitment to Gen-I," Sam McCracken, a long-time Nike employee who serves as chairman of the N7 Fund, said in a press release. "We created this opportunity in partnership with the Center for Native American Youth to bring sport and all of its benefits to Gen-I and to create further opportunities for future generations.”

Gen-I is the Generation Indigenous initiative that President Barack Obama launched last year to put more attention on issues facing Native youth. As part of that effort, about 1,000 youth attended the first-ever White House Tribal Youth Gathering in Washington, D.C., on July 9.

Nike and the N7 Fund hosted a reception for attendees after the historic event. That was where McCracken first made the funding announcement.

"Nike N7 represents a positive outlet and brand to many and we are excited about their continued work to support Native youth," said Erin Bailey, the executive director of the Center for Native American Youth.

Native youth can apply for grants at n7fund.com/apply.

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