The Language Conservancy
EIN: 20-3840826
as of October 2024
as of October 15, 2024
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Advocacy & Outreach
TLC is dedicated to promoting awareness of language loss through advocacy and outreach. We engage in documentary production and film screenings, host TLC and language loss awareness events, present information at our work at conferences and fairs, partner with Native storytellers and performing artists, and engage in social media outreach.
Curriculum Development
Tribes and Nations seeking a proven language curriculum and training template for their education departments come to The Language Conservancy for classroom materials and help planning effective teacher training events.
Classroom materials include dictionaries, e-learning platforms, textbooks and picture books. The Language Conservancy builds a variety of customized learning material and curriculum for K-12 and Adult learning programs.
Educational Programming
The Educational Programming program develops and administers second language teacher training professional development programs administered at the beginner, intermediate and advanced levels. College level teacher certification programming available in partnership with many Tribal Colleges. We've been honored to have success in programs with Lakota, Dakota, Crow, MHA, Omaha, and Maskoke Nations.
Language E-Learning Portal
A comprehensive immersive e-learning portal that allows individuals to learn their Native langauge through a series of 50 - 150 customizable lessons. Portal is available to public schools for teacher assessment, and able to be offered to communities to enhance language learning for adults.
Where we work
Photos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of groups brought together in a coalition/alliance/partnership
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Indigenous peoples
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
9 over time: LLC, CLC, Maskoke Language Consortium, Dakota Language Society, Lakota Language Consortium, Lakȟótiyapi Okáȟtaŋič'iya Wičhóičhaǧe (LOWI), TLC - Canada, Apache LC, Cheyenne LC
Number of groups/individuals benefiting from tools/resources/education materials provided
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
300,000 tribal members across 60 tribes
Number of educators who have opportunities to attend programs offered by professional organizations
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
750 total
Number of U.S. states we work in
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana, New Mexico, Arizona, California, New York, Michigan, CT
Number of children who have the ability to use language for expression and to communicate with others
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Children in 275 Native school systems who benefit from TLC's curricula
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
PRIMARY GOALS:
1. To prevent the widespread loss of indigenous languages worldwide.
▶ By 2020, TLC will increase the number of Native children learning their native language fivefold (from 2% to 10%).
▶ By 2025, TLC will quadruple the number of advanced learners of each of the languages TLC assists.
▶ By 2030, TLC will provide language materials and infrastructure to 75 languages worldwide, positioning TLC
as the global leader in indigenous language revitalization.
2. To improve public awareness and sensitivity towards indigenous language loss.
▶ By 2020, TLC, through a successful national Ogilvy-managed campaign, will increase awareness of endangered languages in the U.S. to 20% of the American population.
▶ In 5 years: TLC will be the household name of the organization working to save Native America languages in the US.
▶ In 10 years: TLC will expand internationally both in terms of our public relations and also in the languages we serve. We will likely focus on other endangered languages in the Central and South America, but also other parts of the world as opportunities arise.
▶ In 20 years: TLC will be serving over 100 languages worldwide. We will have a strong international presence and a play an active role in national and international policy making around the issue.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
1. To prevent the widespread loss of indigenous languages worldwide, TLC will:
▶ Strengthen existing partnerships, as well as developing new relationships, with Tribal governments
▶ Continually seek funding to complete new textbook series and multimedia learning projects
▶ Establish new Tribal relationships to found new language Summer Institutes across reservations
▶ Continue to develop curriculum testing and evaluation to make its teacher training courses more effective
2. To improve public awareness and sensitivity towards indigenous language loss, TLC is:
▶ Partnering with Ogilvy PR to create a pro-bono TLC campaign, like those Ogilvy has developed for Amnesty
International and World Wildlife Fund.
▶ Consulting on major films including the upcoming Woman Walks Ahead (2017) and HBO's Lewis & Clark
(2018), to ensure filmmakers use Native languages accurately.
ensure they use Native languages accurately.
▶ Screening our documentary Hóthaŋiŋpi: Rising Voices at events nationwide and across American
Public Television.
▶Hosting informational events across the US.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
The staff of The Language Conservancy has built extensive experience over the past decade in Native American language revitalization through association with a grassroots, Native-driven, unified movement to teach endangered languages as second languages in tribal, parochial and public schools on the Northern Plains. This experience will enable us to expand our reach of languages taught and language learners quantitatively, as described above.
We have also developed our outreach capabilities by growing and developing our media relations staff and establishing a relationship with Ogilvy Pr to create a pro-bono TLC campaign. These resources will enable us to significantly increase our outreach and increase awareness for language loss and the work that TLC does.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Past Accomplishments
▶ Established relationships with NUMBER tribes to work in NUMBER (8?) languages
▶ Published over 20 Native language textbooks in TLC's sequenced curriculum
▶ Created 13 mobile apps, including vocab builders, keyboards, and dictionaries
▶ Trained more than 400 teachers in second language teaching best practices at TLC's Summer Institutes.
▶ Published the Lakota Grammar Handbook, a 600-page self-study and reference pedagogical guide.
▶ Published the New Lakota Dictionary, a 23,000-word volume culminating 25 years of linguistic work with over 300 native speakers
▶ Issued the Lakota Audio Series, an adult Practical Conversation Course
▶ Produced a 20-episode Lakota language edition of the Berenstain Bears, the first Native American language cartoon series
▶ Produced a professional documentary, Hóthaŋiŋpi: Rising Voices, increasing awareness of language loss nationwide.
▶ Completed significant develop of Owóksape, a comprehensive online learning and assessment tool for Lakota.
To Be Accomplished
▶ Develop textbooks for more languages spoken by Tribes we have relationships with
▶ Expand awareness for language loss and TLC's work through PR campaigns
Financials
Revenue vs. expenses: breakdown
Liquidity in 2022 info
0.64
Months of cash in 2022 info
0.8
Fringe rate in 2022 info
8%
Funding sources info
Assets & liabilities info
Financial data
The Language Conservancy
Balance sheetFiscal Year: Jul 01 - Jun 30
The balance sheet gives a snapshot of the financial health of an organization at a particular point in time. An organization's total assets should generally exceed its total liabilities, or it cannot survive long, but the types of assets and liabilities must also be considered. For instance, an organization's current assets (cash, receivables, securities, etc.) should be sufficient to cover its current liabilities (payables, deferred revenue, current year loan, and note payments). Otherwise, the organization may face solvency problems. On the other hand, an organization whose cash and equivalents greatly exceed its current liabilities might not be putting its money to best use.
Fiscal Year: Jul 01 - Jun 30
This snapshot of The Language Conservancy’s financial trends applies Nonprofit Finance Fund® analysis to data hosted by GuideStar. While it highlights the data that matter most, remember that context is key – numbers only tell part of any story.
Created in partnership with
Business model indicators
Profitability info | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Unrestricted surplus (deficit) before depreciation | -$102,745 | -$84,121 | -$177,471 | $481,021 | $328,495 |
As % of expenses | -12.0% | -5.7% | -10.7% | 26.8% | 12.0% |
Unrestricted surplus (deficit) after depreciation | -$102,745 | -$89,613 | -$188,905 | $441,690 | $328,495 |
As % of expenses | -12.0% | -6.1% | -11.3% | 24.1% | 12.0% |
Revenue composition info | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total revenue (unrestricted & restricted) | $753,233 | $1,380,769 | $1,480,023 | $2,095,112 | $3,057,025 |
Total revenue, % change over prior year | 26.9% | 83.3% | 7.2% | 41.6% | 45.9% |
Program services revenue | 84.3% | 47.2% | 82.1% | 73.5% | 91.7% |
Membership dues | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Investment income | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.2% | 0.0% |
Government grants | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 4.6% | 3.1% |
All other grants and contributions | 15.7% | 52.8% | 17.9% | 4.9% | 5.2% |
Other revenue | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 16.8% | 0.0% |
Expense composition info | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total expenses before depreciation | $855,978 | $1,464,890 | $1,657,494 | $1,793,035 | $2,729,488 |
Total expenses, % change over prior year | 6.8% | 71.1% | 13.1% | 8.2% | 52.2% |
Personnel | 37.4% | 31.0% | 29.2% | 34.0% | 35.8% |
Professional fees | 28.8% | 23.9% | 29.6% | 43.8% | 36.8% |
Occupancy | 3.7% | 2.3% | 2.6% | 2.1% | 2.3% |
Interest | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
Pass-through | 0.0% | 24.1% | 23.2% | 3.4% | 4.1% |
All other expenses | 29.9% | 18.5% | 15.2% | 16.6% | 20.9% |
Full cost components (estimated) info | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total expenses (after depreciation) | $855,978 | $1,470,382 | $1,668,928 | $1,832,366 | $2,729,488 |
One month of savings | $71,332 | $122,074 | $138,125 | $149,420 | $227,457 |
Debt principal payment | $0 | $0 | $0 | $579,415 | $0 |
Fixed asset additions | $405 | $6,526 | $334,765 | $0 | $754,902 |
Total full costs (estimated) | $927,715 | $1,598,982 | $2,141,818 | $2,561,201 | $3,711,847 |
Capital structure indicators
Liquidity info | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Months of cash | 0.3 | -0.9 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.8 |
Months of cash and investments | 1.0 | -0.5 | 3.9 | 5.7 | 2.9 |
Months of estimated liquid unrestricted net assets | 1.2 | 0.0 | -3.7 | -0.2 | -2.0 |
Balance sheet composition info | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cash | $23,007 | -$104,230 | $18,695 | $27,978 | $188,237 |
Investments | $45,798 | $45,000 | $518,600 | $827,739 | $472,739 |
Receivables | $206,982 | $55,314 | $0 | $113,832 | $219,555 |
Gross land, buildings, equipment (LBE) | $54,192 | $60,718 | $395,483 | $395,483 | $1,150,385 |
Accumulated depreciation (as a % of LBE) | 0.0% | 9.0% | 4.3% | 14.2% | 4.9% |
Liabilities (as a % of assets) | 58.6% | 15.5% | 115.0% | 77.8% | 68.4% |
Unrestricted net assets | $139,968 | $50,355 | -$138,550 | $303,140 | $631,635 |
Temporarily restricted net assets | $0 | $0 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Permanently restricted net assets | $0 | $0 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Total restricted net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Total net assets | $139,968 | $50,355 | -$138,550 | $303,140 | $631,635 |
Key data checks
Key data checks info | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Material data errors | No | No | No | No | No |
Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Documents
Director of Operations
Dorothea Hoffmann
Dr. Dorothea Hoffmann is a linguist with a Ph.D. from the University of Manchester. She has been a Postdoctoral Fellow and lecturer at the University of Chicago and Northeastern Illinois University. She has performed extensive fieldwork of endangered Indigenous languages in Australia and North America such as Malak Malak, Jaminjung, Ngaliwurru, Keres, and Matngele. She is also an experienced language teacher. Dr. Hoffmann has been with The Language Conservancy (TLC) since 2017 and has served as the Director of Operations since 2022.
Board Chair
Janine Pease
Dr. Pease is a Crow educator and advocate. She is the founding president of the Little Big Horn college as well as the past president of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium and director of the American Indian College Fund. She was appointed by President Bill Clinton to the National Advisory Council on Indian Education and the White House Initiative on Tribal Colleges and Universities. She has also served as a trustee of the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian. Dr. Pease is serving as the temporary Board Chair of The Language Conservancy Board of Directors who provide direction to The Language Conservancy leadership and promotes the importance of it's mission.
Number of employees
Source: IRS Form 990
The Language Conservancy
Officers, directors, trustees, and key employeesSOURCE: IRS Form 990
Compensation data
There are no highest paid employees recorded for this organization.
The Language Conservancy
Board of directorsas of 05/31/2024
Board of directors data
Janine Pease
The Language Conservancy, Crow Language Consortium, Little Big Horn College
Term: 2024 -
Joe Bendickson
Dakhóta Iápi Okhódakičhiye
Jan Ullrich
The Language Conservancy, Lakota Language Consortium
Janine Pease
Founding President of Little Big Horn College
Alex FireThunder
Hoyeya
Curtis Yarlott
St. Labre Indian School, Crow Language Consortium Board