The Center for Native Scholarship aims to produce more Native CPAs by 2030
Native Forward has created the Investing in Native CPAs Program, a $2 million scholarship initiative that will fund 150 Native scholars pursuing accounting and finance degrees with the goal of increasing Native Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) within the next 10 years.
Funded with a generous $1 million gift from the Johnson Scholarship Foundation and a $1 million match from Native Forward, which was made possible in part by MacKenzie Scott’s unrestricted donation, the Investing in Native CPAs initiative will increase diversity in the accounting and finance fields. The scholarship will support Native students with tuition and the cost of exam fees required for professional licensures, such as the Uniform CPA Examination Fee.
“The Investing in Native CPAs initiative addresses an opportunity gap in the accounting and finance fields,” said Angelique Albert (Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes), Executive Director of Native Forward. “Data from the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants (AICPA) indicates Native professionals represent only 0.3% of individuals holding both a bachelor and master’s degree in accounting — the population most likely to attain a CPA.”
“To promote self-determination in Tribally driven economic development, it is critical to have a full spectrum of financial and accounting professionals. Through the Investing in Native CPAs Program, American Indian Graduate Center is developing a stream of Native CPAs and finance officers with the skill sets necessary to empower Tribal communities,” Albert said.
To learn more about the Investing in Native CPAs Program and scholarship opportunities, contact fellowships@aigcs.org.
About Native Forward
Native Forward is a national private 501(c)(3) non-profit providing scholarships to American Indian and Alaska Native undergraduate, graduate and professional students throughout the United States. Native Forward and its scholars are the largest scholarship providers to Native students in the United States. They have awarded more than $350 million in scholarships since its inception and are proud to empower Native students from over 500 Tribes in all 50 states with educational funding and academic support services.
About Johnson Scholarship Foundation
The Johnson Scholarship Foundation funds scholarships and other programs which serve people in financial need. The Foundation’s programs are meant to help people who, through no fault of their own, do not enjoy the advantages of the affluent. Grantmaking is focused on organizations and institutions that serve Indigenous Peoples, people with disabilities, and economically disadvantaged people.
