Form 990 for tax year 2022

Totals

Total revenue

$3,033,064

Total expenses

$2,793,414

Contributions and grants received

$2,813,368

Grants paid

$932,773

Program service revenue

$210,400

Investment income

$2,655

Other revenue

$6,641

Total assets, end of year

$1,784,837

Total liabilities, end of year

$799,714

Net assets or fund balances, end of year

$985,123

Program services expenses (Part IX)

$2,316,005

Management and general expenses

$425,507

Fundraising expenses

$51,902

Program service expenses (Part III)

$2,316,005

Program services were 82.9% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

Line items

Every line the filer filed in Parts VIII, IX and X, as filed and in filed order. Blank columns are left out, and the lines are not forced to add up to the totals above.

Mission and programs · 2022

• TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING: AIANTA WORKS WITH THE TOURISM INDUSTRY, BUSINESSES, EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, TRIBAL PARTNERS, NON-PROFITS, NATIVE ORGANIZATIONS AND STATE AND FEDERAL PARTNERS TO IDENTIFY AND DELIVER RESPONSIVE AND RELEVANT EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT. OUR TAILORED AND PARTNERSHIP-DRIVEN TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING PROGRAMS ARE THE KEY TO OUR SUPPORT OF THE DEVELOPMENT, GROWTH AND ENHANCEMENT OF INDIGENOUS TOURISM PRODUCTS. OUR PROGRAMMING INCLUDES THE AMERICAN INDIGENOUS TOURISM CONFERENCE (AITC); INTERNATIONAL MARKET READINESS TRAINING - GO INTERNATIONAL; CULTURAL HERITAGE TOURISM AND SUSTAINABLE TOURISM CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS; OUTREACH, RESOURCES, ASSESSMENT TOOLS AND BREAKING NEWS; PARTNER-BASED WEBINAR INSTRUCTION; INTERNSHIP PROGRAM AND SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM. AIANTA ALSO PROVIDES INDUSTRY TRAINING THROUGH PARTICIPATION IN THEIR WEBINARS AND CONFERENCES. THESE PROGRAMS PROVIDE A CRITICAL ACCESS POINT FOR EXPANDING THE INDIGENOUS TOURISM KNOWLEDGE BASE AND EXPERTISE IN U.S. NATIVE NATIONS AND COMMUNITIES.

  Expenses $423,904 · Grants $22,898 · Revenue $210,400

• ADVANCING PUBLIC AWARENESS OF INDIGENOUS TOURISM: MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS: AIANTA PROVIDES OUTREACH AND MARKETING SUPPORT TO EXPAND THE IMPACT OF INDIGENOUS TOURISM DEVELOPMENT. IN THE PAST YEAR, AIANTA REACHED POTENTIAL TRAVELERS DOMESTICALLY AND IN NEARLY 50 COUNTRIES VIA SOCIAL MEDIA, AIANTA.ORG AND NATIVEAMERICA.TRAVEL. AIANTA EARNS MILLIONS OF MEDIA IMPRESSIONS ANNUALLY AND REACHES THOUSANDS OF INDIVIDUALS THROUGH E-MAIL NEWS BLASTS, WEEKLY AND MONTHLY NEWSLETTERS, AND SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS. AIANTA'S REACH IS EXTENDED THROUGH A TARGETED MEDIA RELATIONS CAMPAIGN, WITH PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTED TO LEADING INDIGENOUS PUBLICATIONS, INCLUDING NATIVE NEWS ONLINE, NATIVE AMERICA CALLING, CHEROKEE ONE FEATHER, INDIANZ.COM AND HIGH COUNTRY NEWS, TO NAME A FEW. ADDITIONALLY, AIANTA TARGETS LEADING TRAVEL TRADE (TRAVEL AGENT AND TOUR OPERATOR) PUBLICATIONS, SUCH AS TRAVEL WEEKLY, TRAVELAGE WEST, TRAVELPULSE, WANDERLUST AND SKIFT TO NAME A FEW. AIANTA ALSO COMMUNICATES WITH LEADING CONSUMER TRAVEL WRITERS, BOTH FREELANCE AND EDITORIAL STAFF TO FURTHER GENERATE STORIES FOR INDIGENOUS TOURISM.

  Expenses $105,285

• TRIBAL RELATIONS AND OUTREACH: THE TRIBAL RELATIONS AND OUTREACH PROGRAM CONDUCTS DIRECT OUTREACH TO TRIBES AND NATIVE-OWNED BUSINESSES TO IDENTIFY CAPACITY AND TRAINING NEEDS AND TO INCREASE THE CONTENT ON AIANTA'S CONSUMER WEBSITE, NATIVEAMERICA.TRAVEL AND AIANTA'S PROPRIETARY DATABASE. THE TRIBAL RELATIONS AND OUTREACH PROGRAM INTRODUCES AIANTA RESOURCES AND PROGRAMS TO TRIBES, NATIVE-OWNED TOURISM BUSINESSES AND PARTNERS, ESPECIALLY IN THE AREAS OF PLANNING AND FUNDING FOR CULTURAL TOURISM DEVELOPMENT. DURING INTERVIEWS, THE TEAM GATHERS INFORMATION ABOUT INDIGENOUS TOURISM ATTRACTIONS AND ENCOURAGES FUTURE TOURISM DEVELOPMENT. THE PROGRAM CULTIVATES STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS WITH AN EMPHASIS ON ESTABLISHING/MAINTAINING RELATIONSHIPS WITH INDIGENOUS TRAVEL, TOURISM AND RECREATION STAFF; TOURISM INDUSTRY LEADERS; FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES; EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS; MUSEUM PROFESSIONALS; HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICERS; ARTISTS AND ENTREPRENEURS.

  Expenses $343,379 · Grants $875

• VISITOR OUTREACH: AIANTA PLAYS A CRITICAL ROLE IN SUPPORTING THE NATIONAL TRAVEL AND TOURISM STRATEGY TO BRING MORE VISITORS TO THE UNITED STATES, ESPECIALLY IN OUR PARTICIPATION AT DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE SHOWS TO PROMOTE TOURISM IN NATIVE NATIONS AND COMMUNITIES. AIANTA'S VISITOR OUTREACH PROGRAM IS CRITICAL TO FULFILLING OUR MISSION AND PROMISE TO AMERICAN INDIAN TRIBES AND NATIVE COMMUNITIES. UNIQUE TO AIANTA, WE WORK WITH NATIVE NATIONS AND COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS OF PREPARING FOR AND ENTERING THE TOURISM MARKETPLACE. CURRENTLY, AIANTA PROMOTES INDIGENOUS DESTINATIONS TO VISITOR MARKETS AT INTERNATIONAL AND DOMESTIC TRAVEL TRADESHOWS, INCLUDING IPW (HELD IN ROTATING U.S. DESTINATIONS) AND GO WEST. INTERNATIONALLY, AIANTA ATTENDS BRAND USA'S TRAVEL WEEK (LONDON, UK). AIANTA ALSO CREATES INDUSTRY TOOLS LIKE THE TOP 10 INDIGENOUS EXPERIENCES AND 15 CULTURAL PROTOCOLS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU VISIT NATIVE HOMELANDS IN THE U.S. DESTINATION MARKETING: IN SEPTEMBER OF 2015, AIANTA LAUNCHED THE FIRST AND ONLY CONSUMER-FACING DESTINATION WEBSITE DEDICATED TO INDIGENOUS TOURISM, WWW.NATIVEAMERICA.TRAVEL. THE WEBSITE PROVIDES INSPIRATION AND INFORMATION TO TRAVEL TRADE PROFESSIONALS AND INDIVIDUAL TRAVELERS TO ASSIST THEM IN LOCATING AUTHENTIC CULTURAL HERITAGE AND TRIBAL TOURISM DESTINATIONS TO EXPLORE WITHIN NATIVE NATIONS AND COMMUNITIES. AIANTA INVITES EACH FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED TRIBE TO CLAIM AND POPULATE THEIR OWN PAGE, PROVIDING A PROFILE OF THE HISTORY, CULTURE AND TRADITIONS THEY WISH TO SHARE. THE SITE INCLUDES A BLOG TO SHOWCASE TRENDS OR GROUPS OF SIMILAR DESTINATIONS. AIANTA HAS INCREASED OUTREACH TO NATIVE NATIONS AND COMMUNITIES TO ENCOURAGE THEIR PARTICIPATION AND VISITOR EXPLORATION OF INDIGENOUS ATTRACTIONS, DESTINATIONS AND EXPERIENCES. NATIVEAMERICA.TRAVEL IS EVOLVING INTO A POWERFUL TOOL FOR NATIVE NATIONS AND COMMUNITIES TO PROMOTE INDIGENOUS TOURISM REGIONALLY, NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY. AIANTA IS ENGAGING AND TRAINING INDIGENOUS TOURISM LEADERS TO USE THIS TOOL TO PERPETUATE AND PROMOTE THEIR CULTURAL HERITAGE AND ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY. AIANTA ALSO INVITES MEDIA AND THE TRAVEL TRADE OUT TO EXPERIENCE INDIGENOUS DESTINATIONS, ATTRACTIONS AND EVENTS ON ANNUAL CURATED FAM (FAMILIARIZATION) TOURS. PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT - FORMING AND NURTURING PARTNERSHIPS: AIANTA'S PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM FACILITATES STRONG WORKING RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN NATIVE NATIONS AND COMMUNITIES, FEDERAL AGENCIES AND OTHER NON- PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS IN ADDRESSING HOSPITALITY-RELATED ISSUES AND FACILITATING NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES AMONG THOSE ORGANIZATIONS. THE PROGRAM IDENTIFIES POTENTIAL PARTNERS WITH COMMON GOALS AND VALUES THAT WILL BENEFIT FROM THE ADVICE AND SKILLS OF ALL PARTNERS. AIANTA WORKS WITH FEDERAL AGENCIES AND NATIONAL NON-PROFIT ASSOCIATIONS TO BUILD PUBLIC AWARENESS OF TOURISM OPPORTUNITIES ON TRIBAL AND FEDERAL LANDS, WHICH IN TURN PRODUCES ECONOMIC BENEFITS WHILE PROVIDING NATIVE NATIONS AND COMMUNITIES WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO PERPETUATE THEIR CULTURE, HERITAGE, LANGUAGE AND CULINARY OFFERINGS.

  Expenses $1,443,437 · Grants $909,100

As filed on the 2022 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

• SHERRY L RUPERT

  CHIEF EXEC O

  Total calculated

  $145,887

  From this org

  $128,913

  From related orgs

  $0

  Other

  $16,974

  Hours/week

  40

• EMERSON VALLO

  PRESIDENT

  Total calculated

  $0

  Hours/week

  4

• TRAVIS OWENS

  VICE PRESIDE

  Total calculated

  $0

  Hours/week

  4

• MARY GODDARD

  SECRETARY

  Total calculated

  $0

  Hours/week

  1

• BRIAN WADSWORTH

  TREASURER

  Total calculated

  $0

  Hours/week

  1

• KATE ANDERSON

  DIRECTOR

  Total calculated

  $0

  Hours/week

  1

• LORA ANN CHAISSON

  DIRECTOR

  Total calculated

  $0

  Hours/week

  1

• NIKKI GRAHAM

  DIRECTOR

  Total calculated

  $0

  Hours/week

  1

• KIRBY METOXEN

  DIRECTOR

  Total calculated

  $0

  Hours/week

  1

• DARIAN MORSETTE

  DIRECTOR

  Total calculated

  $0

  Hours/week

  1

• MALIA SANDERS

  DIRECTOR

  Total calculated

  $0

  Hours/week

  1

• JAMIE SIJOHN

  DIRECTOR

  Total calculated

  $0

  Hours/week

  1

• CHARLENE VIRGILIO

  DIRECTOR

  Total calculated

  $0

  Hours/week

  1

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those.

Grants on this return

• LA JOLLA BAND OF LUISENO INDIANS

  $250,000

  TOURISM

• PUEBLO OF PICURIS

  $250,000

  TOURISM

• JAMESTOWN S'KLALLAM TRIBE

  $147,000

  TOURSIM

• JEMEZ COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

  $129,000

  TOURISM

• UNITED KEETOOWAH BAND OF CHEROKEE INDIANS IN OKLAHOMA

  $83,000

  TOURISM

• METLAKATLA INDIAN COMMUNITY TOURISM DEPARTMENT

  $50,000

  TOURISM

Provenance

Return type

form_990

Tax year

2022

Filed

12 July 2024

IRS schema version

2022v5.0

Source object

202441949349301819

Check it against the return as filed: the GivingTuesday Data Lake hosts a public copy of the original XML.

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