1. CONFIDENTIAL
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, PHD
AND
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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2. 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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3. 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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4. 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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5. 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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6. 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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7. 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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8. 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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9. 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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10. 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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11. 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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12. 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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13. 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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14. 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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15. 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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16. 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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17. 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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18. 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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19. 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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20. 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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21. 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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22. 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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23. 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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24. 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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25. 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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26. 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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27. 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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28. 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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29. 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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30. 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.
Reversing the cycle of
deficit spending,
cutbacks, layoffs and
reduced capacity and
disintegrating assets
Loss of Vision The Leadership
Vacuum
Toxic and Re-connection to
Dysfunctional Human the Native
Relations United Indians American
Key Issues and
Challenges for
Transformation
and Growth Reconnection to
Re-invigorating the
Board of Directors Key Support
Networks
Establishing Regaining the
Internal Confidence
Collaboration and a of funders
Wholistic Systems Re-indiginizing
Approach United Indians
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31. 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.
Community
Consultation and
Revisioning
Internal
Program and
Board Staffing Review
Development
Re-indiginization Staff
Development
Initiative
Transformational
Actions to be
Renewing the Taken Personnel Policy
Foundation’s Review and New
Support Policy Development
Network
Financial
Recovery Plan
Preparation of a including
Foundation community
Development Plan Development of a economic
Ten year Plan (i.e. Development
Framework for
Action)
31

32. 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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