A SURVEY BY NATIVE PEOPLES, FOR NATIVE PEOPLES

The Indigenous Futures Survey (IFS) is a multi-year Native-led research project, co-led by Native Organizers Alliance and IllumiNative, designed to illuminate the authentic experiences, systemic challenges, and priority issues of Native peoples today.

INDIAN COUNTRY’S LARGEST RESEARCH PROJECT

IFS is the first survey in Indian Country that provides an opportunity for all Native peoples to be a part of shaping our future. The purpose of IFS is to identify the critical issues impacting Indian Country and motivate change through research-informed strategies. Since it began, IFS has conducted four surveys which have received more than 19,000 responses in total making it the largest study created by Native peoples, for Native peoples.

DOWNLOAD THE REPORTS

THE POWER OF NATIVE REPRESENTATION IN ENTERTAINMENT

Findings from IFS 3.0, conducted in 2023, demonstrated that there is a profound gap in how Native peoples see ourselves and how we are see and understood by non-Native people.

NATIVE POWER BENEFITS EVERYONE

Findings from IFS 3.0, conducted in 2023, found that addressing environmental protections and climate change was one of the top priorities for Native peoples in the 2024 election. This finding in conjunction with recent Native-led climate justice and land protection wins demonstrates how Native communities protect the lands and waters for all.

GENDER EQUITY, INDIGENOUS IDENTITY + CIVIC ENGAGEMENT

Findings from IFS 3.0, conducted in 2023, demonstrated that across the political spectrum, Native women, Two-Spirit, and gender-expansive folks are key holders of Indigenous identity and drivers of civic engagement.

THE POWER OF NATIVE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT

IFS 3.0, conducted in 2023, produced findings that demonstrated the power of the Native power and critical insights to inform organizations’ approach to get out the vote efforts.

KEY FINDINGS FROM IFS 2.0

This compilation of 1-pagers provides an overview of the key findings from IFS 2.0, conducted in 2021. The topics covered include: Indian Country’s top priorities; Native identity and well-being; media and entertainment; political engagement; trust in institutions; women in leadership.

FROM PROTESTS, TO THE BALLOT BOX, AND BEYOND: BUILDING INDIGENOUS POWER

This report reveals insights from the first IFS pertaining to voting, voting behavior, and political engagement. It combines statistical findings with quotes from Indigenous People who participated in the survey.

THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON INDIGENOUS PEOPLE

This report revealed insights from the first IFS pertaining to one of the most pressing contemporary issues facing all communities of color, including Native peoples, the COVID-19 pandemic.

OUR PARTNERS

IFS was a collaboration between IllumiNative and Native Organizers Alliance. Since the survey launched in 2020, we have collaborated with a number of researchers and data analysts to design, implement, and evaluate the survey including the University of Washington, University of Michigan (RISE), Kauffman and Associates, and Lake Research Partners.