What is Ishkode?
“Ishkode” is an Anishinaabe word for “fire.” But its meaning runs deeper. It is fire as medicine. Fire that, when honored and partnered with in traditional ways, clears away what no longer serves so that life can return stronger, healthier, and more balanced. It is also the inner spark: that sudden flare of inspiration or knowing that lights up the heart.
Today, the destructive wildfires raging across the world are signs of how far we have strayed from balance with the earth, and the call to restore the sacred fire within each of us is more urgent than ever.
We hope the stories shared on this site—stories of people working tirelessly to heal, protect, and reimagine our world—will bring hope in an often hopeless time and help rekindle the embers that live within each of us.
Ishkode Fund is a public charitable fund that sparks lasting change by partnering with Indigenous, tribal, and rural communities and organizations to support community-led solutions grounded in culture, wisdom, and empowered local leadership.
Native Americans in Philanthropy CEO Erik Stegman (Carry The Kettle First Nation – Nakoda) and Ishkode Fund CEO Victoria Sweet (Anishinaabe) discuss how Indigenous-led funds are reshaping philanthropy by shifting power and resources directly into the hands of Native communities.
