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      For Your Business Abby Hobrough October 13, 2026

      Old National Bank Foundation 20 for 20 Grantee Recipient: Sacred Pipe Resource Center Elevates Indigenous Voices and Entrepreneurship

      As part of its 20th anniversary celebration, and two decades of helping build stronger, more vibrant and prosperous communities, the Old National Bank Foundation in 2026 is donating a total of $20,000 to 20 nonprofit organizations throughout its nine-state footprint, including Sacred Pipe Resource Center in Bismarck, N.D.

      For Indigenous individuals and families living in the Bismarck-Mandan area, Sacred Pipe Resource Center (SPRC) provides more than programs and resources. It serves as a gathering place, advocate, and catalyst for community engagement.

      Elevating Indigenous voices

      Founded in 2012 by Executive Director Cheryl Kary and community leaders, SPRC was created to meet a longstanding need within the region's off-reservation Native American population. The organization emerged more than a decade after the closure of the Peace Pipe Indian Center, which had previously served Indigenous residents in the area.

      “Our vision from the beginning was to be a movement organization focused on community engagement, empowerment, and advocacy,” Kary said.

      Through six community councils focused on Native-owned businesses, housing, youth, health, arts and culture, and civic engagement, the organization helps elevate Indigenous voices while empowering community members to become advocates and leaders.

      By creating opportunities for Indigenous residents to engage in civic life and shape issues that affect their communities, SPRC is strengthening connections, preserving cultural values, and helping build a more inclusive future throughout the region.

      Building opportunity through Indigenous entrepreneurship

      One of SPRC's most impactful initiatives is its Native-Owned Business Community Council, which supports entrepreneurs as they explore, launch, and grow businesses while remaining grounded in Indigenous values.

      Rather than focusing exclusively on traditional business metrics, the council emphasizes innovation, relationship building, and long-term community impact. Through the program, SPRC has created an online swap-and-shop platform that:

      • Supports traditional Indigenous bartering practices
      • Connects artists and vendors with new markets
      • Assists entrepreneurs pursuing grant opportunities
      • Provides ongoing technical assistance to business owners.

      “We are a safe space from which entrepreneurs and business owners can grow, develop, and be brave,” Kary said. “That is our most successful endeavor.”

      By helping entrepreneurs navigate challenges, access resources, and pursue new opportunities, SPRC is creating pathways for economic empowerment while honoring Indigenous traditions and community-centered values.

      Developing resources to advance culturally-responsive business development

      SPRC has identified a unique challenge for some Indigenous entrepreneurs: balancing traditional, community-centered values with the financial realities of operating a sustainable business. Through its partnership with Old National, SPRC is developing resources that help entrepreneurs navigate that balance while maintaining their cultural worldview and values.

      For many aspiring business owners, the concept of profit can feel at odds with longstanding cultural traditions centered on caring for one another and supporting the broader community.

      “The work we are doing with Old National is creating a pathway for understanding how to own and operate a business while still maintaining our Indigenous cultural worldview and values,” Kary said.

      Through this partnership, SPRC continues to expand opportunities for Indigenous entrepreneurs while fostering economic growth, cultural preservation, and stronger communities throughout Bismarck-Mandan area of North Dakota.

      To learn more about Sacred Pipe Resource Center, click here.

      Each year, the Old National Bank Foundation endeavors to fund as many initiatives that meet our funding priorities as possible across our footprint. For more information on grants or the Old National Bank Foundation click here.

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