Tribal Leadership Council Receives $50K Grant from Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation

The Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation, federally recognized Indian tribe in California, has unveiled over $13.5 million in grants to support a variety of programs across the region. The Tribal Leadership Council (TLC), a national organization championing the sovereignty, leadership, and long-term sustainability of US tribes, is one of those recipients.

Supporting the Next Generation of Tribal Leaders

According to the announcement, the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation has leveraged its 2025 San Manuel Cares grant cycle to provide $50,000 to the TLC. The council said that this money will help it to reinforce its training programs and create meaningful partnerships with various tribes and educational establishments.

Justin Barrett, president of the TLC, thanked the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation for its support and trust in the council’s mission to train the next tribal leaders.

These new leaders are responsible for economic development, health, education and the welfare of their communities, so investing in training helps create good leadership.

Justin Barrett, president, TLC

Lynn Valbuena, the chairwoman of the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation, expressed trust in the TLC’s mission, saying that her team feels proud by the opportunity to support it.

We are proud to support organizations like the Tribal Leadership Council that uplift our communities by reaching some of the most vulnerable populations to provide critical services.

Lynn Valbuena, chair, Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation

The Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation’s San Manuel Cares program has awarded over $425 million in grants since the early 2000s. The tribal nation has invested in a variety of programs and good causes to improve the local standards.

Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation Supports California’s AB 831

In the meantime, the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation is also one of the staunchest supporters of California’s divisive AB 831 – a measure that seeks to snuff out the state’s sweepstakes gaming industry.

Sweepstakes have long been a controversial topic due to their inherent similarities to gambling, despite industry supporters’ insistence that such products do not constitute gambling. In recent times, multiple state regulators and tribal nations have expressed opposition to the sweepstakes format, saying that it creates unfair, unregulated competition, depriving legal gaming companies of revenue.

As a result, several states, including California, have tried to advance measures that would prohibit sweepstakes. While the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation and the California Nations Indian Gaming Association have expressed support for the measure, other tribal organizations, including the Sherwood Valley Band of Pomo Indians, Big Lagoon Rancheria and Kletsel Dehe Wintun Nation of the Cortina Rancheria Tribe, have rejected it, emphasizing that the bill does not represent the California tribes’ unified perspective.

In any case, AB 831 has continued to make steady strides, much to the Social Gaming Leadership Alliance’s (SGLA) dismay.