We are a Native-led nonprofit advancing bio-based building, workforce pathways, and community-centered systems that support healthier homes and stronger futures for Native and underserved communities.
OUR STORY
SEED TO SOVEREIGNTY
"The buffalo gave us housing. It was our food, it was our clothing. We don't have the buffalo anymore. Hemp is like the new buffalo."
"It's a natural position for Native people to protect the planet."
Watch our story
WHAT WE DO
Green Buffalo Institute provides education, hands-on training, and technical assistance in sustainable hempcrete construction, empowering Native communities to develop healthy, affordable housing, skilled workforces, and locally owned regenerative building economies.
Sustainable Housing Development
We support Tribal Nations, Native communities and beyond in developing healthy, affordable, and environmentally sustainable housing using innovative natural building materials such as hempcrete.
Training, Workforce & Economic Development
We provide education, hands-on training, and entrepreneurial pathways that empower Native communities to enter this sustainable construction workforce and build locally owned construction businesses and regenerative economies.
Financing & Strategic Partnerships
We connect Tribal Nations with financing institutions, housing agencies, and strategic partners to mobilize capital and build collaborative systems that advance housing and economic sovereignty.
GREEN BUFFALO INSTITUTE
PRESS + MEDIA
MPR News
August 18, 2026
The Cooldown
August 14, 2026
International Hemp Building Symposium
Oct 3-5, 2025
Indian Country Today Newscast
Jul 25, 2025
2025 HempBuild Magazine
Oct 3-5, 2025
Hawaiʻi Industrial Hemp Building Workshop
Jan 24-26, 2026
BOARD DIRECTORS
Danny Desjarlais
C̣aƞṡayapi Dakota
Danny Desjarlais is a cultural leader and builder dedicated to restoring housing sovereignty through sustainable construction. He is a founder of the Green Buffalo Foundation and plays a central role in advancing hemp-lime (hempcrete) housing as a path toward healthier, more affordable homes for Tribal Nations. Drawing on years of hands-on building experience and a deep commitment to Dakota self-determination, Danny works at the intersection of workforce development, cultural revitalization, and regenerative economies.
Vanessa GoodThunder
C̣aƞṡayapi Dakota
Vanessa GoodThunder is a nationally recognized leader in Native language revitalization and youth empowerment. As Director of the C̣aƞṡayapi Waḳaƞyeza Owayawa Oṭi (Lower Sioux Early Head Start and Head Start), she has helped establish one of the nation’s first Dakota-language immersion programs for young children. She was named a Champion for Change by the Aspen Institute’s Center for Native American Youth, and her work is grounded in restoring Dakota language, culture, and sovereignty for future generations.
Kristi Schoen
C̣aƞṡayapi Dakota
Kristi Schoen is a trusted community organizer and advocate for family wellness in the Lower Sioux Indian Community. Her leadership spans education, housing, and social services, where she emphasizes relational accountability and culturally grounded care. Kristi’s work reflects a commitment to ensuring that Dakota families have access to safe housing, language and cultural resources, and holistic pathways to wellness.
Mary Jane Oatman
Nez Perce
Mary Jane is a member of the Nez Perce Tribe and a descendant of the Delaware Tribe. As the Executive Director of the Indigenous Cannabis Industry Association (ICIA), founder of the Indigenous CANNabis Coalition (ICANNC), and publisher of THC Magazine, Mary Jane is dedicated to reclaiming Indigenous cultures and restoring traditional economies in hemp and cannabis. Mary Jane's extensive background includes advocating for tribal sovereignty with state and federal agencies, serving on the National Advisory Council on Indian Education.
Navid Hatfield
Navid is a natural builder, ecological landscaper, educator, and small-scale farmer with more than 20 years of experience working at the intersection of healthy housing, regenerative materials, and land stewardship. He is committed to teaching others to build healthy, affordable homes using natural and bio-based materials. He sees hemp-lime construction as a powerful tool for addressing housing insecurity while creating local skills, livelihoods, and greater community resilience. His work is grounded in the belief that the way we build can strengthen both people and the places they call home.
CULTIVATING SOVEREIGNTY
TESTIMONIAL
The work of Green Buffalo Institute is a model for affordable housing and housing sovereignty for any Native community
Neil Takemoto, Executive Director, Sovereignty Rises
TESTIMONIAL
This isn't just about homes, this is a pathway other Native Nations can follow to support their cultural, their people, and their economy
Kenny Tolbert, Founder, Sovereign Insurance Association for Native Nations
Minnesota Lt Governor Peggy Flanagan
Lt Governor endorses Lower Sioux hempcrete home construction leadership
Minnesota Lt Governor Penny Flanagan (Ojibwe) opening address in 2025 at the 13th International Hemp Building Symposium, hosted at C̣aƞṡayapi (Lower Sioux Indian Community).
GREEN BUFFALO INSTITUTE
Contact us
Let's connect and build together.
- Green Buffalo Institute is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. EIN: 39-4442117.