A broad coalition of tribal and community members, leaders, educators, and scholars helped form California Indian Nations College (CINC) over several years of meetings held at on- and off-reservation locations. Both as a general committee and through specific subcommittees, this team produced the bases for many of the founding documents of the College and set it on the path to offer its first classes in the Autumn of 2018. Many partnerships were formed and the expertise and knowledge of this diverse group provided the College with a strong foundation on which to stand. In mid-2018, the College was able to hire is first administrative team that now works out of its offices in the heart of Indian Country on the Palm Desert Graduate Campus of UC Riverside (UCR). A strong bond with UCR led to this startup space and will provide the first setting of our courses offered in partnership with the University’s Extension. CINC is committed to growing into a high-caliber educational institution for American Indian students and will do so with the strong partnerships it is forging. The original steering committee continues to graciously volunteer their time and advise the administrative staff on the best direction for the College.