How to Apply:

Native youth, ages 18-30, can apply in partnership with the “Mentor Organization” of their choice, to receive $20,000 to pursue their dream of uplifting their communities, and creating sustainable positive change for generations to come.   The Dreamstarter program was created in 2015, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Billy Mills’ Olympic win, designed to uplift Native communities by investing in the dreams of the youth. Since 2015, Running Strong has cultivated a network of 100 Native youth leaders and invested $1,550,000 into their dreams- so far. 

2026 marks the 40th Anniversary of Running Strong for American Indian Youth. In 1986 Billy Mills co-founded Running Strong with a dream to give back to his community and uplift the next generation of Native youth. What started out as digging wells and planting gardens on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation has flourished into nationwide programming across all program areas that impacts dozens of tribal communities each year.