C O N F I D E N T I A L

FROM CRISIS TO OPPORTUNITY

A RAPID PARTICIPATORY ASSESSMENT OF

THE UNITED INDIANS OF ALL TRIBES FOUNDATION

AND

A FRAMEWORK FOR FUTURE ACTION

PREPARED BY:

Michael Bopp, PHDAND

Phil Lane, Jr., MPA, MED

JULY 18 – AUGUST 26, 2005

ADOPTED UNANIMOUSLY

BY THE UNITED INDIANS OF ALL TRIBES FOUNDATION

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

October 31, 2005

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The Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center

The Spiritual Foundation

Then I was standing on a highest mountain of them all, and round

about beneath me was the whole hoop of the world. And while I

stood there I saw more than I can tell and I understood more than I

saw; for I was seeing in a sacred manner the shapes of all things in

the spirit, and the shape of all shapes as they must live together like

one being. And I saw that the sacred hoop that made one circle,

wide as daylight and as starlight, and in the center grew one mighty

flowering tree to shelter all the children of one mother and one

father. And I saw that it was holy.Then as I stood there, two men

were coming from the east, head first like arrows flying, and

between them rose the Daybreak Star. They came and gave an herb

to me and said: “With this on earth you shall undertake anything

and do it.” It was the Daybreak Star herb, the herb of

understanding, and they told me to drop it on the earth. I saw it

falling far, and when it struck the earth it rooted and grew and

flowered, four blossoms on one stem, a black, a white, a red, and a

yellow; and the rays from these streamed upward to the heavens so

that all creatures saw it and in no place was there darkness.

Black Elk

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Introduction

In July of 2005, the Executive Council of the Board of Directors of the United Indians of all

Tribes Foundation (UIATF) invited Phil Lane Jr. to take the contracted position of

Transformation Coordinator (Interim CEO) of the Foundation, and authorized him to utilize the

resources of Four Worlds International in support of a process of assisting the Foundation to

make needed changes. As well, prior to becoming Transformation Coordinator, Phil had the

opportunity to facilitate three days of human, community and organizational training with

UIATF staff this past spring. Phil also held many individual and small group meetings with

current and past United Indians’ staff, board and community supporters of United Indians over

the past five weeks.

Accordingly, Dr. Michael Bopp of Four Worlds International was invited to work with Phil

Lane Jr. to conduct a Rapid Participatory Assessment of the Foundation’s current situation and

needs and to develop a work plan covering the period of Phil Lane, Jr.’s contract, which runs

from July 11, 2005 to March 1, 2006.

The rapid participatory assessment formally took place during the week of July 18 to 23,

Sunday – Friday, with follow-up consultations occurring the following week. More than 50

staff, board members and community members formally participated in individual and small

group open-ended discussion focused on the conditions and realities of every aspect of life and

work of the Foundation.

During this six-week Rapid Participatory Assessment period, Phil Lane, Jr., Transformation

Coordinator, focused his efforts on promoting and building, both formally and informally,

partnerships by visiting with several hundred people in relationships with UIATF. This included

three intense days attending the United Indians of All Tribes Foundation Seafair Indian Days

Pow Wow that was attended by eleven (11) of the United Indians’ Board Members, numerous

past staff and friends of United Indians, Governor Gregoire, members of the State Legislature,

King County Council and Seattle City Council. (A highlight of this wonderful gathering that

attracted over 10,000 people was the attendance and leadership of the United Indians’

Chairperson, Ed Claplanhoo and his very beautiful and respected wife Thelma, who spent two

full days at the Pow Wow, visiting with everyone, including introducing the Governor and other

key politicians). Beginning Sunday evening, July 17th, and every evening through July 21st, Phil

and Michael had a debriefing and consultation process, lasting for 2-3 hours, to discuss, in depth,

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their individual and collective experiences. This consultation process continued by telephone the

following week as the first draft of the report was completed.

From this intense consultation process, a general consensus emerged of the main issues and

challenges. This consensus was repeatedly tested and refined over the next four weeks of the

Transformation Coordinator’s work at United Indians.

This rapid assessment that follows reflects that consensus. It is divided into two main

sections: Part I – The History and Current Situation, and Part II – The Way Forward – A

Framework for Action.

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Part I – The History and Current Situation

What follows is a story that has been gathered up from many different people who care about

the United Indians of All Tribes Foundation. The origins and early days of United Indians have

already been well documented. It is certainly well known that Bernie Whitebear, a hereditary

chief, led three successive “invasions” of Fort Lawton in Seattle that was slated to be “surplused”

by the U.S. government. The aim of these “occupations”, and the intense publicity campaign

surrounding them, was to secure a land base for urban Indian programming in the City of Seattle.

Eventually, 22 acres of prime forest and parkland were deeded (with conditions) to the United

Indians of all Tribes Foundation.

A tremendous concentration of vision and human energy was subsequently dedicated to

building the Foundation and its programs. The beautiful Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center

was completed in 1977 and filled with some of the finest examples of modern North American

Indigenous art ever to be collected outside a museum. Staff grew from three to nearly one

hundred. Many programs aimed at serving and developing the Native American community of

Seattle and the Northwest emerged and the Center provided (and still provides) a much-needed

culturally appropriate gathering place for Indigenous people across the northwest and nationally.

From all accounts, Bernie Whitebear’s leadership bore the characteristics of strong traditional

Indigenous leaders of the past. He was charismatic, visionary, articulate, strong-willed,

community-based and very determined. To some it may have seemed that Bernie Whitebear was

dictatorial, and that by shear force of personality, was able to bend the will of everyone around

him to his own purposes. While there is no doubt that Bernie was a powerful personality (some

say almost a force of nature), he was also (like the best traditional leaders before him) constantly

listening to his community. Bernie was intimately connected with the lives and families and the

thinking of the Native American community and other members of the human family who were

suffering poverty, injustice and oppression. There was no one (high or low alike) to whom

Bernie would not give time and attention. Bernie had a sense of humor along with practical

jokes that could lighten up the most tense situation.

Stories abound. Once, when the Governor of the State of Washington and his senior staff

were visiting Bernie in his office, Bernie spotted a small child walking alone in the direction of

the reflecting pools. Since Bernie’s rule was that little children should not be allowed near the

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water alone, he excused himself from the conversation with the Governor, went outside, took the

child’s hand and walked with him to the pools. The Governor had to wait. Another time Bernie

noticed that a Head Start teacher was working late, and that her own children were waiting for

her. Bernie brought them pizza and sat with them while they ate.

Bernie noticed everyone. He cared for and asked after everyone. He listened to everyone.

And in this way, when Bernie decided on a course of action, he knew that he had the support of

most of the Native American community, because he had listened to them and he was in fact

responding to their needs and aspirations. And so he was fierce in pursuing his vision and

objectives, because he believed he was doing what his community needed and wanted.

During Bernie’s tenure as the Executive Director of the Foundation, it was sometimes said

that the Board of Directors of his day was a “rubber stamp” Board. Some Board members

themselves deny this. One long time Board member said “It’s not that we were a rubber stamp

Board. We usually supported what Bernie wanted to do because we agreed with it”. Others

sometimes experienced the “Green Beret” in Bernie.

During those years, there was very little that happened at United Indians that didn’t have

Bernie’s personal stamp on it. Bernie was involved in shaping nearly every detail of the life of

the Foundation. And so, the organization grew up and prospered, but it did so in ways that could

be characterized as “co-dependent” with Bernie Whitebear. It was Bernie’s vision that carried

everyone forward, and his leadership that pulled everyone together when times were tough. The

staff and Board never really learned or had the opportunity to take full responsibility for

maintaining the vision and the support networks or in dealing with the day-to-day challenges of

running programs. When Bernie Whitebear died, he left a huge hole both as a leader and

someone whose great love and respect for the people held United Indians and their allies

together.

Succession

Bernie had approached the Board of Directors almost a year before he died asking them to

appoint Michelle Sanidad (the Foundation’s current Chief Financial Officer) as the CEO. Bernie

wanted to concentrate on fundraising in the time that he had left. The Board was unanimous in

refusing to make this appointment. While everyone loved and respected Michelle, they also felt

that her genius was in financial management, and not in the type of far-reaching leadership that

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would be needed to fill the gap that Bernie Whitebear’s passing would leave.

Bernie was not one to take “no” for an answer, however. He tried many times (directly and

indirectly) to get the Board to change its mind. Several long time friends of the Foundation who

knew Bernie very well and in whom he confided suggested the most probable explanation for

why Bernie wanted Michelle to take over after him. Bernie’s accounting methods were

sometimes fairly “unorthodox” - - mainly “borrowing from Peter to pay Paul” in order to keep

everything running. The last ten years of Bernie’s life was focused on building the People’s

Lodge, and Michelle, with the assistance of Gary Boots, had been able to “clean up the books

and set things right” since a 1985 “betrayal”. (This betrayal by Bernie’s then-CFO left United

Indians more than $500,000 in debt and out of compliance in several federal education programs.

These compliance issues led to the de-funding of several of United Indians federal programs).

Bernie didn’t want to leave a legacy of debt or accusations of mismanagement, and he knew that

Michelle would be able to protect what he had built. As well, before Bernie died, he had

Michelle promise him that she would complete Bernie’s vision of the People’s Lodge.

Eventually the Board agreed to contract Michelle as CEO for a one-year period. After this

period, there was to be a formal evaluation of Michelle’s work as CEO. For whatever reasons

the formal evaluation was never conducted, as agreed, and the year contract lasted almost 6

years.

In our view, the senior managers of the Foundation found themselves riding the proverbial

tiger (you can’t get off because the tiger will eat you, and you can’t control it). Within their

capacities and the increasingly negative environment, they did their very best to preserve and

protect what they had inherited, and it was no easy matter to do so. At the same time in the

deepening toxic and dysfunctional relationships, very hurtful mistakes were made, promises

were broken, many offers from supporters of United Indians to help out were not pursued and it

is recounted by a variety of people that many telephone calls from funders and community

members who either wanted to assist United Indians or just find out where United Indians was

going went unanswered. With the ever-increasing hostility and mistrust within the circle, its

almost as if a “siege mentality” took over.

One of the problems the administration inherited was that many of the programs being

operated by the Foundation were not in compliance with the changing goals, objectives,

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activities and accountability frameworks required by their funders.

In part, the state of programs was a legacy of 30 years of running programs by Indian people

for Indian people, with only secondary attention to government requirements - - an approach that

(with the help of Bernie’s leadership) seemed to work well through the 1980’s. In the 1990’s

however, the climate of (especially) government funding began to “tighten up”. Accountability

requirements became more and more restrictive. The rules had changed.

For example, one of the Foundation’s largest programs (Head Start) was faced with a whole

new set of compliance objectives. In 1999, an external evaluation found the program “non-

compliant” in 17 out of 19 categories. The Foundation was given 9 months to bring their

program “into compliance” or face a complete shutdown of the program (almost 40% of United

Indians’ programs). In the course of the ensuing months, several directors resigned or were let

go and the program experienced a period of extreme turmoil after almost 20 years of relative

calm and effectiveness. Eventually, the program was brought “into compliance”, but it was no

longer the same program. Much of its Indigenous character had been lost, and many community

members and staff were frustrated and angry both at the nature of the changes and how they were

carried out.

The Head Start example is one of a number of crises that the management of the Foundation

had to struggle through in order to preserve program funding and to hold the Foundation

together. With each change, staff resistance and division increased and the confidence and

support of the Native American community declined. Within a few years after Bernie Whitebear

died, United Indians of All Tribes Foundation was in deep crisis. It was to take several more

years before the depth and seriousness of this crisis was to become apparent to key decision

makers. As one dear friend of the Foundation shared, “United Indians’ biggest downfall is that it

is no longer united”.

Impact of the People’s Lodge Development and Legal Action – Another Part of the Story

By the end of 1990, Bernie, assisted by Michelle Sanidad and Gary Boots, was able to

facilitate United Indians financial recovery from the “1985 Betrayal”. With solid financial

footing, Bernie began to focus his entire attention and substantial UIATF financial and human

resources on the completion of the People’s Lodge.

Bernie’s negotiating style, according to some close to him over the years was, “Ask for

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the stars and get the moon”. The response to Bernie’s ever growing efforts to make the People’s

Lodge a reality was increasing hostility from the Magnolia community. Finally, the Coalition to

Save Discovery Park, including the Magnolia Community Club, the Lawtonwood Community

Club and the Friends of Discovery Park initiated legal action against UIATF. The action was

primarily financially backed by a very wealthy and powerful member of the Democratic Party,

Mark Bloom. With their financial resources, the Coalition to Save Discovery Park hired the very

well known and expensive land use attorney Peter Buck.

From those who witnessed the ongoing battle, the legal struggle was “nasty, vicious, ugly

and racist”. The overall financial costs beginning in 1991 until shortly after Bernie’s death was

$850,169.83. As well, $82,555.45 additional work was given Pro Bono.

UNITED INDIANS OF ALL TRIBES FOUNDATION

People’s Lodge Costs

October, 1992 – April, 2000

Consultant Service Period Amt Paid Donated

Arai Jackson Architectural 12/92 – 01/00 $360,771.49 48,189.27

Steven B. Lovell Traffic/Parking Analysis 10/93 – 06/98 59,568.95

Parametrix Environmental Review 10/92 – 01/00 223,189.74

Cairncross Hempelmann Legal Fees 01/93 – 04/00 198,544.65 34,366.18

City of Seattle City of Seattle 02/93 8,095.00 ________

$850,169.83 $82,555.45

Bernie’s position was, “the only way they will beat me is if I die before they do”! And as the

great warrior and chief that he was, Bernie fought for the People’s Lodge Complex until he drew

his last breath. Being the practical visionary he was, Bernie also secured deathbed promises

from Michelle Sanidad, Board Member Debra Juarez, Gary Boots and others to complete the

People’s Lodge.

After Bernie passed to the spiritual world, the legal battle and hostility continued. During

this long struggle United Indians lost their EDA and ANA funding because these federal funding

agencies did not want their funds used for the struggle for the People’s Lodge.

In order to come to a legal resolution on the People’s Lodge with the Coalition to Save

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Discovery Park, Michelle Sanidad spent most of her time after Bernie’s death focused on the

People’s Lodge development. (This left Gary Boots as the de facto, day-to-day, primary

program administrator.) Board Member Debora Juarez, true to her promise to Bernie, directly

contributed more than $120,000 in pro bono legal services, as well as gathered support from

friends for another $60,000 of needed pro bono services. (It is important to note that as well as

providing free legal services that Ms. Juarez also paid for all her incidental expenses including

travel, food, lodging, etc.). Ms. Juarez shared that during this intense negotiation process that

both she and Michelle attended three and sometimes four meetings per week in order to resolve

the People’s Lodge legal challenges. Ms. Juarez said that throughout this time consuming

process, Michelle never missed even one meeting. UIATF Board Chair, Randy Scott was also

actively engaged, pro bono, throughout the process.

Finally, on July 21, 2003, a “Comprehensive Settlement Agreement” was signed between

UIATF, the Coalition to Save Discovery Park and the Seattle Department of Parks and

Recreation. Despite the very adversarial negotiation process, the final agreement was signed

with tears and healing on all sides. The substantial “good will” eventually developed during this

long legal process with Magnolia residents is still waiting to be actualized in the development of

the People’s Lodge.

As part of the process of the settlement agreement, UIATF was invited to be part of a new

development at SeaTac International Airport. Trying to realize the “Portal Project” was to

engage UIATF administration and key board members until the project was abandoned for lack

of resources in late 2004.

People’s Lodge and Portal Project Costs

June, 1992 – June, 2005

Consultant Service Period Amt Paid Donated

Pyramid Communications Settlement Services 10/00 – 09/02 $99,705.00

Venus Valezquez Funding Survey 03/04 – 06/05 11,176.00

Cairncross Hempelmann Legal Services 07/01 – 02/02 5,617.00

Williams, Kastner & Gibbs Legal Services 01/03 – 09/03 10,874.00 120,000.00

The Seneca Group Project Management 01/02 - 03/04 16,878.00

Arai Jackson Architectural Services 05/00 – 06/02 26,176.05

NFA Marketing/Shiota Services Feasibility Study 06/02 – 11/03 52,534.00

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Jones & Jones Architectural Services 04/01 – 11/01 61,152.00

Gordon, Thomas, Honeywell Federal Funding Analysis 07/04 4,086.00

UIATF Portal Project 01/04 - 02/04 50,000.00

Alesek Institute Portal Project 01/03 – 09/04 ____ 60,000.00

$338,198.05 $180,000.00

TOTAL 10/92 – 04/00 $850,169.83 82,555.45

GRAND TOTAL FROM 10/92 - 6/05 $1,188,367.88 $262,555.45

The programmatic challenges described earlier, as well as the People’s Lodge struggle and

spin-off projects, left UIATF exhausted and in crisis, financially, administratively,

programmatically and most challenging, with a great loss of community support. At the same

time the “consolidated campus concept of the People’s Lodge” that finally emerged from more

than 12 years of intense struggle with the cost of almost $1.5 million and major staff resources,

has created a tremendous future potential. This can be realized when UIATF develops the solid

infrastructure, impeccable financial systems, unified vision and the strong community support

needed to move forward.

ISSUES AND CHALLENGES

This section highlights and discusses key issues and challenges we believe are now facing the

Foundation, and which together constitutes the crisis we referred to in our previous discussions.

In our view, it is these challenges which must now be addressed if United Indians of All

Tribes Foundation is to survive, flourish and achieve its true potential as a powerful instrument

for serving the healing and development needs of Indigenous peoples in Seattle and the

Northwest, and also (guided by its founding vision) act as a unifying force, not only for Native

Americans, but for all people who are touched by it.

1. The Cycle of Deficit Spending, Cutbacks, Layoffs, Reduced Capacity and Deteriorating

Physical Assets

As this report was being prepared, we asked for a complete financial accounting of where

the Foundation stands. While it has taken considerable time and effort for the finance

department to provide what we were asking for, we believe we now have a full and complete

picture. As far as we can tell, the Foundation is now operating with a projected deficit in

2005-2006 funding of $327,800 (See details in Appendix A.) The greatest challenge at this

time is “cash flow”. Without an infusion of cash into the Foundation by no later than

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September 15, 2005, United Indians will begin to default on their financial obligations

including payroll and health care benefits. At this time, our bank of more than twenty years,

the Bank of America, has refused to extend us a further line of credit, even if the loan is

secured by the Yale Building. At the same time, it is very important to note that we have

found no evidence that anyone in the current or past administration illegally benefited from

Foundation resources except for the 1985 betrayal by the then-CFO.

A classic dilemma that agencies, which depend on government funding (and especially

those faced with a deficit) experience, is illustrated by the following example. One of the

Foundation’s very high quality outreach programs provides therapeutic counseling services

to families in crisis. In practice, what occurs is that a therapist (working out of the Yale

Building) visits the family in their home, accompanied by a “resource coordinator”. The

resource coordinator’s job is to help the family to access whatever resources they need to get

through the crisis (a bus pass, a safe house, next month’s rent, emergency child care, etc.).

This part of the intervention is often critical because in times of family crisis, therapy is

usually not enough. You also have to help the family to deal with the real world issues that

have precipitated the crisis. The therapist (Denise) was recently informed that the Resource

Coordinator’s position will have to be cut because there is “no money”, presumably due to

funding cuts from the contracting authority (i.e. the Foundation’s client). What this will

mean, she explains, is that she will be able to help about half the number of families she now

helps because she will have to do all the work that the resource coordinator now does, which

is very time consuming (as anyone who has ever tried to wrestle benefits and services out of

government systems well knows).

Since human services are evaluated as much by the number of people served (i.e. number

of interventions), the cutting of the Resource Coordinator’s position will likely result in a

reassessment of the service contract because of lower numbers served. So, in effect, in order

to conserve a balanced budget, the Foundation has responded to a cutback in funding by a

corresponding reduction in staff. This in turn will inevitably lead to a reduction in program

capacity and a subsequent decline in performance and program outcomes (i.e. the number of

people served). This result is most likely to lead to even further cutbacks based on the

rationale that capacity to provide services is less than it used to be. This sort of declining

cycle (in many different forms) has seriously impacted program capacity and staffing levels

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across the Foundation. Nearly every program has experienced crippling losses of staff and a

corresponding decline in program capacity to serve the community.

While some of this pattern can be blamed on the funding environment created by the

policies of current federal, state, county and city administrations, there is also a significant

proportion of responsibility that (we believe) must be assigned to the Foundation itself

related to the strategic response that was implemented. Sometimes, in such situations, there

is not much that can be done except to accept the cutback. However, many non-profit

organizations have learned to thrive in the new funding climate. To do so, however, requires

a significant paradigm shift from an orientation to conservation toward an orientation to

innovation and growth. It usually means that calculated risks have to be taken, and almost

always it requires investing (spending money) in order to engage the problem at a new level.

For example, we wonder if the right kind of technical assistance at the right time would have

saved the excellent Native American employees of the Head Start program that had served

the community well for nearly 20 years.

One thing is clear. The current strategy the Foundation is following, in reaction to a

diminishing and increasingly restrictive funding climate, is not sustainable. It will continue

to result in steadily decreasing program capacity, and even greater losses in funding until

United Indians will no longer be able to maintain the Daybreak Star Center and its

programs. As we understand it, the only way out is to engage the problem head on by

pursuing a vigorous, innovative and community relevant growth and development program

that seeks to significantly expand the scope of available funding, and the partnerships

through which programs and services are delivered.

A primary challenge that has resulted from the Foundation’s financial crisis is that the

Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center and surrounding land, the Youth Home, and, to a lesser

degree, the Yale Building are in significant disrepair. The Daybreak Star Indian Cultural

center is facing serious repair challenges. Ants are eating supporting cedars. The heating

system in some parts of the building has collapsed or is collapsing. There is earthquake

damage that needs to be repaired. Equipment for cleaning the building is being borrowed

from maintenance staff. The repair list goes on and on. The Snake Mound, the Reflecting

Pools and some critical outside lighting needs have not been attended to since Bernie’s death.

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As one dear friend of United Indians expressed, “We now have a reflecting swamp and a

mound of weeds”.

Despite the fact that $60,000 was spent this last year toward repairs on the Youth Home

(creating further administration deficit) in the words of a young man who lives at the Youth

Home, “this place is really shabby”! At the same time, with an “extreme makeover”, the

building and the more than one acre of land that surrounds the building have tremendous

potential. As well as physical repairs for the building, the number and salary of staff needed

to effectively manage this program will have to be very carefully addressed if this property

and program is to survive under United Indians leadership. As it is, the two staff members

leading this program have not had a vacation in two years and due to low wages, we are

constantly having staffing problems. The reality is that a young person staying at the Youth

Home can earn almost as much as a service station attendant as their United Indians’ Youth

Worker earns. While at the Yale Building, programming and services continue with no

janitorial services and repairs to the building. This deteriorating asset, with a creative

financial strategy, could become a major financial strength of the foundation.

2. The De-indiginization of United Indians

A very disturbing trend that has caused considerable frustration and alienation within the

Native American community is the perception that United Indians is increasingly losing its

Native American roots and character. This perception is based on a number of factors. First,

many very strong and capable Indian professionals were either let go or left the Foundation

voluntarily in the years following Bernie’s death.1 The general consensus about why this

happened points to the administration (Michelle Sanidad and Gary Boots). What it appears

to us is that (mostly with Gary in the front and sometimes acting on his own) administration,

(with Michelle’s primary attention and energy focused on the People’s Lodge legal issues),

was struggling to restructure the Foundation in order to bring programs into compliance with

funding requirements. This became the prime value. The original vision of serving Indian

people, while still present, seems to have taken second place to what was perceived as shear

survival requirements (the Siege Mentality).

1 Among these were Roxanne Finney, Keith Egawa, Claudia Kauffman, Iris Friday, Adrian Verzola, Denise Larson, Cissy Leask, Kathryn Onieta, Pala Hope, Terry Tafoya, Larry Cordier, Derrick McKinney, Robert Reyna, Gary Green, and Caroline Yellowrobe.

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In any case, in a few short years, the Foundation was (in the words of one Board

member) “gutted” of the very best Indian professional staff, (those who held institutional

memory and were close to Bernie from the earliest years). This left the Native American

community with the distinct impression that United Indians was losing its bearings as an

Indian organization.

A second very important factor had to do with the effort to make programs “compliant”

with government funding conditions, which generally requires that programs serve “all

people”, regardless of ethnic origin. Conforming to this requirement has resulted in a major

shift in who United Indians’ programs serves. Sometimes many of the program participants

and “clients” of a United Indians program are not Native American, even in the Head Start

and Youth programs. This has left the Seattle and King County Indians’ community without

the focused services United Indians was created to provide, and has also contributed to

community disaffection from the Foundation.

Indeed, a group of the Foundation’s Head Start managers took issue with the notion that

United Indians is an “Indian organization”. “We are not”, one manager said, “an Indian

organization. We are a multi-cultural organization and I see no reason why our senior

leadership needs to be Native.”

A third and critical factor has to do with program content and substance. For the first 20

years of United Indians’ existence, programs were designed and carried out by Native people

for Native people, and program content and style was firmly rooted in Native cultural

perspectives and values. While some of this character remains to this day, some of it has

definitely been lost, particularly in the Head Start program.

So, in summary, there has been a gradual de-indiginization of United Indians’ programs

affecting who leads them, who is served and the nature and content of the services provided.

This reality has contributed significantly to a decline in support by the Native American

community for the activities of the Foundation.

3. Leadership Vacuum

When Bernie Whitebear died, United Indians of All Tribes Foundation experienced a

tremendous loss. There was certainly no one “waiting in the wings” who could fill Bernie’s

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shoes. As Bernie had requested, Michelle Sanidad was already operating in an interim CEO

position, with Gary Boots as her Operations Manager. At this point, it is our view that the

reins of control of the organization shifted from the hands of an irreplaceable leader to the

hands of management. This difference is critical. The kind of leader Bernie was, cultivated

and grew the vision of the organization. He engaged a highly competent team around him in

the work of developing critical solutions to many difficult challenges.

He also maintained critical relationships and networks with city officials, the governor

and senior officials of the State of Washington and with Federal officials all the way to the

Whitehouse. As well, Bernie was deeply connected to the Indian community of Seattle, the

Northwest and nationally, always listening and seeking a better understanding of how the

community needed to be served. And then there was the “Four Horsemen”, the “Bomb

Squad” or “Gang of Four”, terms which referred to the close friendship and collaboration in

leaders of the Hispanic community (Roberto Maestes), the Asian community (Bob Santos),

the African American community (Larry Gossett) and the Native American community

(Bernie Whitebear). It was said that when these four worked together, there was very little

that could not be accomplished in the City of Seattle.

As one very saddened observer remarked, when Bernie died, those that took over after

him “physically threw away Bernie’s Rol-A-Dex, letting all those relationships and that

accumulated good will and support just fade away”.

It is our view that United Indians has been laboring in a leadership vacuum for the past

six years. It has had management (which has concentrated on “doing things right”) but it has

badly needed leadership (which concentrates on “doing the right things”).2 As well, with the

ongoing programmatic changes and the great focus of over 12 years on the People’s Lodge

development, management efforts were spread very thin and were clearly diffused.

4. Loss of Vision

Closely related to the loss of leadership is the loss of vision. In our view, confirmed by a

consensus of nearly everyone interviewed formally and informally during the Rapid

Assessment Process, United Indians has lost its connection to its own founding vision and

2 This characterization of the difference between leadership and management comes from the work of Peter Drucker.

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purpose. As an organization, its management and staff are no longer entirely clear on why

the Foundation exists, whom it serves or what it does.

In our view, this loss of vision has resulted in a shift from being a pro-active builder of

focused Indian programming and an agency that was extremely responsive to the evolving

needs of the Seattle and Northwest Native American communities to becoming an

organization that is now somewhat incoherent in its internal organization and more reactive

to the demands and requirements of funders than to the Native American community it was

created to serve. In our view, it is because of the absence of a clear vision, that the

organization has been unable to define a development path for itself, and it is for the lack of a

unifying vision that the Foundation finds itself a “house divided unto itself”.

5. Toxic and Dysfunctional Human Relationship

As an organization, United Indians displays many of the characteristics of an addictive,

dysfunctional co-dependent family. The “don’t talk”, “don’t trust”, “don’t allow yourself to

feel” rules of the dysfunctional family seem to have become the operating software of human

relations at United Indians.

Gossip, backbiting, undermining, criticizing, relentless and vicious attacks on individuals,

lying, deceiving, smoke-screening, cover-ups, manipulation, power games, and grenade

communication style, chronic anger - - all of these seem to abound. For many, the prevailing

emotion is fear: fear of losing your job for no reason; fear of attacks; fear of criticisms; fear

of being overheard or of someone seeing you talking to the “wrong person”; even fear

because “it’s been a long time since something bad has happened, so it probably will happen

soon”.

This poisonous climate of negativity was characterized by some as the result of “bad

medicine” against which healthy people have little resistance unless they wear “protection”.

Administration has been viciously and continuously subject to attacks, public ridicule and

smear campaigns. A story circulated about Gary suggested people read a book entitled “The

Psychopath Next Door” to understand who Gary Boots really is. A friend of the Foundation

was in Washington, DC recently, and was asked by a prominent member of the funding

community whether it was true that Michelle Sanidad had embezzled $2 Million, and had

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then been moved by the Board of Directors from the CEO position to the position of Chief

Financial Officer. This kind of negative “change strategy” sometimes evokes change, but

usually deepens the conflict, fear and mistrust for everyone concerned. After enough attacks,

as mentioned earlier, “a siege mentality” for survival takes over.

Indeed, nearly every long time Foundation employee had stories to tell - - some about the

pain and hurt they themselves had experienced, and others about various past or present

employees. And it’s not simply that there have been two camps, for and against

administration. There are more like five camps with many suspected “enemies”, and a wide

range of disagreements and grievances, some confined to particular programs and others

Foundation-wide.

As we have discussed, there are many reasons why this state of affairs developed. The

deep loss experienced with the passing of Bernie Whitebear very likely re-stimulated feelings

of unresolved trauma and loss that reside deep within the heart and soul of the Native

American community because of its own traumatic history. Also, without the leadership of

Bernie Whitebear to quell the conflicts, challenge behaviors that were harmful to the life of

the Foundation, and call people to higher ground, human relations were allowed to

deteriorate until anyone could say anything (however vitriolic) to anyone about anyone, and

no one was called to account, especially with Michelle Sanidad’s time and energy devoted to

the development of the People’s Lodge.

The serious impact of this sickness and toxic human relationships on the day-to-day life,

the capacity and the reputation of the Foundation should not be underestimated or minimized.

Clearly the health and well-being of many employees has been affected, as has the day-to-

day functioning of programs and the capacity of various staff members and work teams to

trust and collaborate with each other.

A long time supporter and friend of United Indians, Dr. Lee Brown (who is also an

internationally recognized expert on organizational and community healing), characterized

this sort of problem as follows. When the circle is broken because of hurt and disunity

between any of its members, a doorway is created through which sickness can come into the

circle. That sickness can strike anyone, and can affect the life and functioning of the whole

organization or community.

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Those same doors make it difficult or even impossible for the circle to retain good things

within itself. Everything leaks out; trust, good will, vision, human resources, even money.

Everything that is poured into it drains away. The only solution is to

heal the relationships and close the doors; or, in other words, to

make the circle whole again.

Very specifically, this will mean that strong measures will

need to be taken to prevent staff and board members from

backbiting, attacking or criticizing each other, especially in

the context of the wider community. It is very clear that because of such behavior, many

previous supporters of United Indians, including funders, now see the Foundation as

dysfunctional and disconnected from the Native community.

Without a doubt, this situation can be reversed, but it will take serious and systematic

work within the United Indians family, as well as an effectively orchestrated campaign to re-

engage the communities, networks and supporters the Foundation so clearly needs in order to

prosper.

6. Connection to the Native American Community

As has been described in earlier sections, the loss of key Native American staff from the

Foundation, the shifting of who the programs serve away from a distinctly Native American

focus to serving “all people” (as is required by most government funding), as well as a

gradual erosion of the Native American content of programs (i.e. programs being guided by a

Native American cultural perspective and values, and utilizing Native American cultural

resources) all contributed to a gradual buildup of frustration and alienation toward the

Foundation within the Native American community of Seattle. The letting go of key Native

American staff, or staff leaving because they no longer felt connected and valued by United

Indians, as well as the worsening of the human relations climate within the Foundation also

caused waves of resentment and disaffection in a Native American community that for years

saw United Indians as their place. Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center was, for many, the

principal gathering place for the community. It was the place where people held weddings,

funerals and memorial services, and all kinds of conferences and meetings.

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While many in the Native American community still care deeply about the Center, there

has been a serious disconnection that has occurred between the life and activities of the

Foundation and the needs and aspirations of the Native American community. That

community has not, for a long time, been engaged in dialogue about the Foundation’s

purpose, general direction or activities, and many Native American people, who at one time

felt very connected to the ongoing life and activities of the Foundation, are now keeping their

distance out of a sense of loss and alienation. As well, the backbiting, gossip and vicious

attacks that have spilled over (from time to time) into the community, have contributed to

divisions both within and outside the Foundation.

In general, it is our conclusion that to again become sustainable and to flourish, United

Indians must be re-rooted in the Native American communities of Seattle and the Northwest,

so that once again, the dreams and visions and hopes of that community are being actualized

through the work of the Foundation.

7. The Board of Directors

The general consensus of nearly all observers (staff, community and board members) is

that United Indians does not now have a strong, united, working Board of Directors. While it

is recognized that some board members are working very hard, the Board as a body is seen as

being weak. It is also important to point out that many Board members have sacrificed

thousands of hours of volunteer time over many years and that there is a prevailing feeling on

the part of some of them that (under the post-Bernie Whitebear administration), they were

not really valued and often were pushed aside when their views were “inconvenient”. Some

feel that they have endured ridicule and criticism from their fellow Board members and as

well as from certain sectors of the community. This, in their view, seems hardly fair given

the amount of love and dedication that they harbor in their hearts for the work of the

Foundation. A general reflection on the Board of Directors entails the following

observations:

a. Many of the board members (however respected and illustrious as individuals)

have not become engaged in the work of the Foundation. Many attend meetings

only occasionally;

b. The Board is divided within itself and reconciliation is needed between some of

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the members;

c. The Board does not seem to meet with enough frequency to develop a sense of

coherency, connection to the community, vision and momentum; and

d. Both the community and the staff feel disconnected from the Board.

What is needed, it was generally agreed, is a united working Board that will become

directly and continuously engaged with the process of rehabilitating the capacity and

reputation of the Foundation, and with the critical work of fundraising that must now occur.

8. Confidence and Connection with Funders

The “word on the street” among significant sectors of the philanthropic community and

potential funders is that United Indians is probably a bad risk. It is seen (as far as we can

tell) as “dysfunctional”, “struggling”, lacking a plan, clear vision, and solid infrastructure,

needing a much more united and actively engaged Board of Directors, and internally

disorganized. Many funders have tried, in recent years, to engage United Indians, or parts

thereof, and come away frustrated because “I don’t know who to talk to”, or “they don’t even

return my telephone calls and e-mails”.

Certainly the rumor mongering that has leaked out of the conflicts within the Foundation

(such as the patently false rumor that the former CEO embezzled money and was then

rewarded by being given the CFO position) spreads very quickly through a surprisingly small

philanthropic community, with extremely damaging consequences.

We have absolutely no doubt that the situation can and will be rehabilitated, but, as with

the healing of the human relations challenges within the Foundation, rehabilitating the

Foundation’s relationships with the funding community will require a vigorous and well-

conceived long term strategy that is executed with consistent attention and a high level of

skill. It is our observation that United Indians does have very high quality people who are

doing very good work in many different departments and programs. As the true potential for

greatness that exists within the staff of United Indians is released (we feel that much of that

potential has been blocked because of the internal dysfunction and conflicts that have been

occurring) United Indians will again become known locally, regionally, nationally and

eventually internationally for program excellence and innovation, as it was in years past. As

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this occurs, funders will again see United Indians as an important partner and the

Foundation’s problem will shift from not having enough funding, to ensuring that as growth

occurs, every step that is taken is consistent with the Foundation’s vision, is of the highest

quality, and is sustainable.

9. The Absence of Internal Collaboration and a Wholistic, Systems Approach

Right now United Indians is divided into many separately functioning, non-collaborating

program initiatives, each with its own funding sources, program aims and staff. We found

four separate programs that work on healing and recovery from trauma related work, and

none of them now work together, even when they are working with members of the same

family. This absence of internal collaboration has been re-enforced by the human relations

challenges the Foundation has been experiencing, by the lack of a unifying vision and plan

for the work of the Foundation, and by the lack of leadership. All across the Foundation, we

found people working in their own silos, (established by their separate funding-driven

mandates), and as far as we can tell, there have been no internal performance reviews on

employees or programs (except for Head Start) in the past five years.

The reason (we believe) that absence of collaboration and of a wholistic, systems

approach is an important issue, is because

a. There is considerable room for improvement in the quality of program services

that could be achieved through collaboration;

b. The pooling of human resources into natural work groups would create new and

exciting synergies within the organization that can be applied to new program

development initiatives; and

c. The creation of new collaborative arrangements will give a practical platform for

learning and healing processes that we believe are necessary for staff

development and the healing of the human relations crisis.

10. Reconnection to Key Support Networks

In the days of Bernie Whitebear, United Indians was engaged, through Bernie’s

constant efforts, with a wide range of supporters and helpers. Governors, Senators,

community leaders, allies such as the “Gang of Four”, Native American community

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leaders from across the Northwest (and indeed the whole country), funders and ordinary

community people - - all were brought into the “circle” of United Indians and made to

feel welcome and needed. As a result, the Foundation had at its disposal an enormous

reservoir of good will, influence and friends, ready to help with anything that was

needed.

It is our view that this network, including the “Gang of Four”, must be re-established

and its unstinting support and enthusiasm for the dreams and visions of United Indians be

reinvigorated. There are (as we see it) two dimensions to this work. The first is reaching

out with a message of renewal and hope that has been reborn as United Indians renews

itself. The second is linking the innovative program initiatives taken by the Foundation

to the idea that Native American people have a lot to offer the world - - i.e. other

communities outside themselves, and that the United Indians of All Tribes Foundation

provides an important means through which those unique gifts can be offered.

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Part II The Way Forward: A Framework For Action

What follows are recommendations for what can be done (beginning with the next six

months) to transform United Indians of All Tribes Foundation from the present crisis

circumstances to one in which the organization is well on the road to full recovery, and real

growth and development is underway.

Please note that each of the lines of action briefly described below represents a significant

investment in time, energy and creativity. Every one of them is transformative in nature, and

will bring change, both within and around the Foundation. Each line of action will require its

own work plan and its own champions. While all of these lines of action are important, it is the

synergy between them that will contribute the most in propelling the Foundation towards its true

potential.

1. Community Consultation and Revisioning

Consultations will be held with the Native American communities of Seattle and

surrounding area. These consultations will utilize different formats and approaches

depending on the needs of the group that is being consulted, and will include a consultation

with elders, a broad based community situation analysis (the community story framework)

and focus group discussions with sub-groups within the Native American community such as

parents of Head Start children, youth, groups interested in promoting Indigenous arts and

culture, and entrepreneurs (to cite a few examples). It is important to understand that

consultations will be broad based, will address a wide variety of interest groups, and will aim

to involve as many parts of the Native American community as can be engaged in all parts of

the city of Seattle and surrounding area as well as with communities that are within an easy

driving range of Seattle. Essentially, the Foundation needs to reach out to the Native

American community, and to listen to them very carefully. The purpose of these

consultations is to re-establish a living connection between the Foundation and the

community it was created to serve.

The outcome of this consultation process will be:

a. A much deepened understanding of the nature and the roots of the current

relationship between the community and the Foundation;

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b. A community-generated analysis of current Native American community needs

and aspirations; and

c. A renewed vision and mission for the Foundation that is rooted in the community

it was established to serve.

2. Development of a Ten-Year Program Plan

Based on continuing community consultations, a ten-year framework for action will be

developed suitable for guiding the Foundation’s program development work. This plan,

(which will need to be finalized and approved by the Board of Directors) will provide a

guiding framework for program and facilities development that is truly connected to the

needs and aspirations of the Native American community (and the other communities that it

serves), and will as well describe a development path for the Foundation’s institutional

stability and sustainability. From our perspective, this means revitalizing current programs,

facilities and land to their full potential before pursuing the People’s Lodge buildings. As

quite a number of people commented, “If we can’t maintain what we have, how can we be

expected to manage the planning, development and maintenance of the People’s Lodge

complex?”

3. Internal programs and Staffing Review

A comprehensive review of all the Foundation’s programming and personnel will be

conducted, leading to more cost effective and collaborative work teams and the generation of

new program opportunities for the Foundation. This will involve individual staff

performance reviews, the evaluation of the effectiveness and relevancy of programs and

services in light of current community realities and needs and best known professional

practices, and (where appropriate) a re-organization of work teams to generate maximum

collaboration and synergy between individual staff assignments and program initiatives, as

well as to encourage important linkages to be made between types of programs (such as

youth and elders, personal growth and healing and community economic development, etc.).

From this work, a long-term staff development plan will be produced.

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4. Staff Development

All staff will be engaged in a formal, mandatory program of personal growth, healing,

reconciliation and learning for improved performance related to the core vision, mission and

program development requirements of the Foundation. This will include four inter-related

four day training modules related to: (1) personal growth and healing; (2) building healthy

relationships and organizations; (3) community development; (4) and developing relevant

and effective programs. These four modules will be linked to new program development,

teamwork plans and individual staff assignments, thus strategically bringing together staff

development and the development of the whole Foundation. These courses will be

academically accredited for those staff members who are pursuing Higher Education.

5. Personnel Policy Review and Selected New Policy Development

A review of the Foundation’s personnel policies will be conducted, with particular

attention to the development of an employee code of ethics and to the current hiring and

firing procedures. Discussion and written input in this area has already been initiated with

staff who are members of the newly formed Leadership Team. The policy area being

focused on is backbiting and gossiping.

6. Financial Recovery

The development of a financial recovery plan will be completed (in collaboration with

the Executive Council of the Board of Directors), and a thorough review of the Foundation’s

management system will be conducted to ensure complete transparency and accountability,

as well as practical utility for day-to-day management and decision-making both at the

program and Foundation level. This will mean, for example, that program managers will

now have access to their own program budgets and will also have responsibility for

managing those budgets as well as financial and program reports to funders. Administration

will be there for technical support where needed, but the ultimate goal in this area is staff and

program self-sufficiency. It will also mean that the Board of Directors will be able to receive

monthly reports on the financial status of each program and of the entire Foundation, check-

run reports and any other specific financial information that is required in order to maintain

complete transparency and accountability.

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Financial Considerations

a. The Yale Building, Option 1

The Yale Building is (by itself) now worth at least $2 million, and United Indians

was recently offered somewhere in the neighborhood of $4 million for the building

and related land. This related land is owned free and clear by the Foundation. It is

situated in a district that is undergoing rapid urban renewal and so its value is

considerably greater than a comparable building in another area of the city. One

possibility is to sell the Yale Building and move programs now housed there to a less

expensive neighborhood. We estimate that this could free up between 800,000 and 1

million dollars.

b. The Yale Building, Option 2

Another consideration is to borrow against the related property next to the Yale

Building that is owned free and clear by United Indians with the reasonable

anticipation that property values are likely to go up considerably (some say double) in

that neighborhood in the next five years.

c. The Yale Building, Option 3

Another option that was recently suggested to the Foundation was the possibility

of an investor who would work with United Indians to replace the Yale Building with

a four story office building and underground parking that would provide enough

space for all of the Foundation’s programming on one floor and three other floors

which would provide rental revenue to the Foundation (and of course to the investor).

Of course, there are also other financial approaches to this possibility that would

allow United Indians to initiate this development without needing an outside investor.

We are not recommending that any of these steps be taken just yet, only that they be

considered and further investigated as we implement other measures. If such steps are taken,

careful consideration will be needed regarding honoring the Foundation’s program

obligations.

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7. Preparation of a Development Plan

A short and medium term development plan will be prepared for the Foundation (in

collaboration with the Executive Council of the Board of Directors) and implementation will

begin immediately. This plan will describe a strategy for a major fund raising campaign and

a comprehensive plan for the Foundation’s growth and development for at least ten years into

the future.

8. Renewing the Foundation’s Support Network

A systematic mapping of and reconnection with the extensive support network for the

Foundation that existed in the past will be undertaken. As well, an extensive effort will be

made to make new friends and allies through personal connections and a systematic public

relations campaign.

9. Re-indiginization

A thoughtful and respectful (to all people) process of re-indiginizing the programs of

United Indians will be initiated, beginning with the Head Start and Youth programs. This

will involve intensive staff development to prepare existing and new Native American staff

for professional advancement with an aim to significantly increase the number of Native

American managers and directors throughout the Foundation within the next two to three

years. It will also involve systematic investigation of all the Foundation’s programs in order

to build into them a solid foundation of Indigenous cultural values, knowledge and wisdom.

This, we believe, is certainly important for the Spanish-speaking children in Head Start

programs (most of whom have some Indigenous background). Therefore, some exposure to

all the Indigenous cultures of the Americas is very important for our children.

10. Board Development

Support will be provided to the Board of Directors to conduct a thorough self-assessment

and to develop a Board development strategy that needs to include financial resources for the

Board to do its work (probably coming out of the Foundation’s administrative costs budget).

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Final Remarks

We are confident that the analysis of the challenges facing the United Indians of All Tribes

Foundation presented in this document paints an accurate picture of the current situation. At the

same time, what we did was a Rapid Participatory Assessment. Although we have a high level

of confidence in the general shape of the analysis, we are also certain that more detail will come

out as we engage staff and the Native American community in the recovery and development

process to follow and we will, of course, adjust our strategy for renewal accordingly. (This is

already occurring with the Transformation Coordinator spending six intense weeks at United

Indians).

We are also confident that measures we are recommending, if implemented consistently over

time, will contribute to a major improvement in the Foundation’s circumstances and prospects

for the future. The focus of this proposed intervention is the development of a solid

infrastructure, impeccable financial systems and a united vision. It is now clear to us however,

that the remedial work undertaken by Phil Lane, Jr., and Four Worlds will not be completed by

March 1, 2006. We estimate that an intensive process of development lasting approximately 24

months will be required. Nevertheless, we are confident that by March 1, 2006, a new and much

more hopeful and positive pattern of growth will be underway.

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SUMMARY OF KEY ISSUES AND CHALLENGES

The diagram below summarizes the issues and challenges we believe need to be addressed in

order to transform United Indians from a culture of crisis and survival to one of transformation,

growth and success.

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United Indians

Key Issues and Challenges for Transformation

and Growth

Reversing the cycle of deficit spending,

cutbacks, layoffs and reduced capacity and disintegrating assets

The Leadership Vacuum

Re-connection to the Native American

Reconnection to Key Support

Networks

Regaining the Confidence of fundersRe-indiginizing

United Indians

Establishing Internal

Collaboration and a Wholistic Systems

Approach

Re-invigorating the Board of Directors

Toxic and Dysfunctional Human

Relations

Loss of Vision

SUMMARY: LINES OF ACTION

FOR ORGANIZATIONAL TRANSFORMATION

This diagram summarizes the (proposed) steps to be taken in order to transform

United Indians from the present crisis, to one in which the organization is well on

the road to full recovery, and real growth and development is underway.

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Transformational Actions to be

Taken

Community Consultation and

Revisioning

Internal Program and

Staffing Review

Staff Development

Initiative

Personnel Policy Review and New

Policy Development

Financial Recovery Plan

including community economic

Development

Development of a Ten year Plan (i.e.

Framework for Action)

Preparation of a Foundation

Development Plan

Renewing the Foundation’s

Support Network

Re-indiginization

Board Development

Dr. Michael Bopp

Four Worlds Center for Development Learning

PO Box 395

Cochrane, AB T4C 1A6

Phone: 403/932-0882

Fax: 403/932-0883

Email: mbopp@fourworlds.ca

AND

Phil Lane, Jr.

Transformation Coordinator

United Indians of All Tribes Foundation

PO Box 99100

Seattle, WA 98139

Phone: 206/285-4425 x 56

Fax: 206/282-3640

Email: plane@unitedindians.com

July 18 – August 26, 2005

WWW.FWII.NET

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