What is the DSAF?

The Diné Scholarship Annual Fund (DSAF) is a newly created fund raising component of the Office of Navajo Nation Scholarship and Financial Assistance (ONNSFA). Both DSAF and ONNSFA are programs operating in the Division of Diné Education (DODE) within the Executive Branch of the Navajo Nation government. DSAF was created to help ONNSFA raise funds for Navajo student financial aid and to raise revenue for its own program operation. DSAF implements a variety of fund raisers from large major events to small activities. A majority of funding raised by DSAF will be committed towards scholarships and financial assistance. A maximum of 25% of funds raised by DSAF will be expended on program operational expenses. The ONNSFA directly oversees DSAF, which is also monitored by the Education Committee of the Navajo Nation Council.

DSAF only raises funds and will not award funds. All funds raised by DSAF will be awarded by ONNSFA according to its policy and procedures. Private funds will have more flexible eligibility criteria than federal funds. After a sufficient amount of funding is raised, DSAF will invest a portion of these funds to generate future financial aid revenue.

As federal funding is cut each year and the Navajo student population grows and college education expenses increases, more funding is needed at ONNSFA to meet the high demand for Navajo scholarships and financial assistance.