Riverstyx Foundation
ActiveArts, Culture & HumanitiesMakes PRIsFunds Individuals
About Riverstyx Foundation
The Riverstyx Foundation concentrates on a small number of sizable grants that support spiritual, traditional medicine, and cultural renewal work—particularly projects tied to Indigenous ceremonial practice and alternative/psychedelic healing research. Their funding favors mission-driven organizations producing both on-the-ground cultural programs (e.g., a Lakota prayer lodge) and research or media that advance non-mainstream healing paradigms.
Focus Areas
Support for Indigenous ceremonial spaces and cultural renewal (e.g., Lakota prayer lodge)Funding for psychedelic-assisted therapy and consciousness researchConservation and stewardship of traditional medicinal plants and Indigenous medicine knowledgeSpiritual or faith-themed independent film and media projects
Who They Fund
Indigenous communities (e.g., Shipibo, coca-leaf communities)BIPOC communities and scholarship recipientspeople with serious physiological illnesses (Alzheimer's, cancer patients, cluster headache, fibromyalgia)therapists and clinical providers (training/support)
About Riverstyx Foundation
Riverstyx Foundation’s largest recent grant went to Youth Passageways for the Lakota Prayer Lodge, a signal of how closely the foundation ties its funding to Indigenous ceremonial practice and cultural renewal. That pattern appears again in support for Indigenous Peyote Conservation Initiative, where Riverstyx combines cash support with land and staffing resources, and in grants to Indigenous Medicine Conservation Fund for medicine conservation work. Across recent awards, the foundation backs projects that sit at the intersection of spiritual practice, Indigenous stewardship, and non-mainstream healing research. The foundation also supports psychedelic and psychospiritual research, including studies and related education that connect altered-state work with health, spirituality, and leadership. Recent grants include research funding for cluster headache and Alzheimer’s work, plus support for policy and advocacy efforts around psychedelic access and drug scheduling. Riverstyx’s portfolio extends beyond research into film, media, and conservation-oriented projects, but the throughline is consistent: it funds early-stage, mission-driven work in areas that are culturally specific, scientifically contested, or institutionally overlooked. Its awards are often substantial enough to underwrite programs, studies, and organizational general support rather than one-off project expenses.
What Riverstyx Foundation Funds
Indigenous ceremonial and medicine work is central to Riverstyx Foundation’s giving. It gave $183,000 to Youth Passageways for the Lakota Prayer Lodge and $50,000 to Indigenous Peyote Conservation Initiative for general support, alongside support for land stewardship and regenerative harvest strategies. The foundation also funds psychedelic research tied to specific health conditions. In 2025, it gave $52,000 to Clusterbusters Inc for seed funding to coordinate research, education, and outreach on psychedelics for physiological illnesses, and $50,000 to Johns Hopkins University Developmen for a psilocybin and Alzheimer’s study. Policy and advocacy appear as another clear lane. Riverstyx awarded $35,000 to SSDP Students for Sensible Drug Pol for an effort to keep the DOI/DOC from being scheduled, and $50,000 to Stichting Transnational Institute for coca leaf advocacy work at the World Health Organization.
How Riverstyx Foundation Gives
Riverstyx Foundation’s typical grant size is $10,000 at the 25th percentile, $20,000 at the median, and $50,000 at the 75th percentile, which points to a pattern of mid-sized awards with some larger commitments. The foundation also makes program-related investments and funds individuals. Its recent activity includes both one-time donations and ongoing support through named programs such as its general grantmaking, psychospiritual research, and biocultural funds. Several grantees appear in the same year across related workstreams, suggesting a portfolio approach rather than isolated awards. Unsolicited applications are not accepted in the active programs listed.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$2M
Total Assets
$6.5M
Total Revenue
$1.2M
Total Expenses
$2.1M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $10K and $50K, with a median of $20K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$20K
75th Percentile
$50K
Geographic Reach
National12 states funded
About 4% of grants go to recipients in MN.
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Where Riverstyx Foundation Funds
Top 4 recipient countries by grant volume for Riverstyx Foundation.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 69 | $1.9M | 95.8% |
| 2 | Canada | 1 | $82K |
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