The Cliff Swallow

The Dollar a Day logo features a Cliff Swallow because it is the animal that we aspire to be most like in our work. It is neither a very flashy nor large bird. Rather, what makes it exceptional is its nest. The cliff swallow is known for meticulously building its home out of mud, one mouthful at a time, over several weeks - a significant effort for a bird that is barely six inches long. Once completed, these dried mud nests are remarkably strong and can last for years, even when built on such unaccommodating surfaces as sheer walls of concrete. 

The Cliff Swallow is a paragon of the ideals we strive to center in our work. Starting, like the swallow, with modest yet powerful resources, grassroots funding and the skills, networks, and dedication of our entirely pro bono team, we methodically work to build the capacity of Indigenous organizations, in effect developing partnerships - “nests” - secure enough to thrive even on the harsh concrete surfaces of our colonized world. We are honored to serve our Native partners with patience, humility, and total deference to their organizational priorities in their vital work to better their communities, mitigate climate change, and steward biodiversity.