Building Reciprocal-Based University Foundation and Tribal Nation Partnerships

California State University San Bernardino (CSUSB) and the CSUSB Philanthropic Foundation have long benefited from meaningful educational and philanthropic partnerships with California Indian Nations—most notably with Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation, as the institution sits on its unceded ancestral territory in San Bernardino County. This article provides an overview of the CSUSB Foundation’s relationship and partnerships with the Yuhaaviatam people and other California tribes and shares the lessons we’ve learned in building trust, reciprocity, and mutual respect—major themes in Native American philanthropic traditions.