PLATINUM2022

NATIONAL INDIAN CHILD WELFARE ASSOCIATION

Protecting Our Children, Preserving Our Culture

aka NICWA   |   Portland, OR   |  www.nicwa.org

Mission

The National Indian Child Welfare Association (NICWA) is dedicated to the well-being of American Indian and Alaska Native children and families. Our vision is that every Native child will have access to community-based, culturally appropriate services that help them grow up safe, healthy, and spiritually strong.

Ruling year info

1988

Executive Director

Dr. Sarah L. Kastelic PhD, MSW

Main address

5100 S Macadam Avenue Suite 300

Portland, OR 97239 USA

Show more contact info

Formerly known as

Northwest Indian Child Welfare Institute

EIN

93-0951531

NTEE code info

Children's and Youth Services (P30)

Foster Care (P32)

Research Institutes and/or Public Policy Analysis (R05)

IRS filing requirement

This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.

Sign in or create an account to view Form(s) 990 for 2022, 2021 and 2020.
Register now

Communication

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

We’re advocates for Native children and families. We protect the Indian Child Welfare Act, which keeps Native children connected to their families, communities, and culture.

Our programs

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?

The well-being of American Indian and Alaska Native children and families

NICWA is dedicated to the well-being of American Indian and Alaska Native children and families. NICWA relentlessly advocates for Native children and families by defending the laws that protect them and decolonizing the child welfare system. Native children are removed from their families by the child welfare system 20 times more often than White children. NICWA trains tribal leaders on how to decolonize tribal child welfare services; optimize state, federal, and tribal funding; and advocate effectively for Native children and families who are in state child welfare systems. Together we can continue to protect Native families and keep them safe, healthy, and connected. “There is a lot of grief here. The root for many families is loss and historical trauma, which the pandemic exacerbated. NICWA has empowered me, and my team, to better help the families we serve.” – Julie Taylor (Umatilla) Director, DCFS, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation.

Population(s) Served
Alaskan Natives
American Indians
First Nations of Canada
Children and youth

Where we work

Our results

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.

Total number of audience members

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Population(s) Served

Alaskan Natives, American Indians, First Nations of Canada

Related Program

The well-being of American Indian and Alaska Native children and families

Type of Metric

Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

In FY2021, we served 1,300 Individual Members and 78 Tribal and Organizational Members located in 39 States and 6 Canadian Provinces.

Number of groups brought together in a coalition/alliance/partnership

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Population(s) Served

Alaskan Natives, American Indians, First Nations of Canada

Related Program

The well-being of American Indian and Alaska Native children and families

Type of Metric

Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

Our Protect ICWA Campaign includes 4 coalition partners who released 6 press releases. Within our Coalition, 38 spokespeople were covered in 45 news articles.

Number of members from priority population attending training

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Population(s) Served

Alaskan Natives, American Indians, First Nations of Canada

Related Program

The well-being of American Indian and Alaska Native children and families

Type of Metric

Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

Training Indian Child Welfare Advocates: We trained 200+ participants in Positive Indian Parenting, provided compassionate telephone support to 648 individuals, and trained 328 social workers online.

Our Sustainable Development Goals

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.

Goals & Strategy

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.

Charting impact

Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.

Native children are removed from their families by the child welfare system 20 times more often than White children. NICWA trains tribal leaders on how to decolonize tribal child welfare services; optimize state, federal, and tribal funding; and advocate effectively for American Indian and Alaska Native children and families who are in state child welfare systems. Together we can continue to protect Native families and keep them safe, healthy, and connected.

NICWA relentlessly advocates for the well-being of Native children and families by defending the laws that protect them and decolonizing the child welfare system.

NICWA is a Native-led, culturally based organization. Our board of directors is 100% Native as stipulated by our by-laws. We have a diverse staff; 67% of our employees self-identify as a person of color, and 50% of our employees are tribally identified. Through our relentless advocacy for the rights of Native children, we are creating pathways to reduce the structural racism and discrimination that is embedded in “helping systems” by providing culturally based services and working to meet the unique needs of Native children and families.

How we listen

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.

done We demonstrated a willingness to learn more by reviewing resources about feedback practice.
done We shared information about our current feedback practices.

  • How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?

    To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals

  • Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?

    We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive

  • What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?

    It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback, It is difficult to find the ongoing funding to support feedback collection

Financials

NATIONAL INDIAN CHILD WELFARE ASSOCIATION
lock

Unlock financial insights by subscribing to our monthly plan.

Subscribe

Unlock nonprofit financial insights that will help you make more informed decisions. Try our monthly plan today.

  • Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
  • Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights?
Learn more about GuideStar Pro.

Operations

The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.

lock

Connect with nonprofit leaders

Subscribe

Build relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.

  • Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
  • Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.

lock

Connect with nonprofit leaders

Subscribe

Build relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.

  • Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
  • Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.

NATIONAL INDIAN CHILD WELFARE ASSOCIATION

Board of directors
as of 04/08/2022
SOURCE: Self-reported by organization
Board co-chair

Mr. Gil Vigil

Eight Northern Indian Pueblos Council, Inc.

Term: 1997 -


Board co-chair

Ms. Angela Connor

Director of Foster Care & Adoption, Choctaw Nation

Term: 2013 -

Rochelle Ettawageshik

Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa Indians

Jocelyn Formsma

Swampy Cree

Debra Foxcroft

Nuu-Chuh-Nulth Tribal Council

Don Milligan

Small Tribes of Western Washington

Mary Tenorio

Santa Domingo Pueblo

Gil Vigil

Tesuque Pueblo

Patricia Carter-Goodheart

Nez Perce

Teressa Baldwin

Inupiaq

Angela Connor

Choctaw

Alex Wesaw

Pokagon Band of Potawatomi

Gary Peterson

Skokomish

Aurene Martin

Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa

Mikah Carlos

Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community

Robert McGhee

Poarch Band of Creek Indians

Robin Sigo

Suquamish Tribe

Stephanie Weldon

Yurok Tribe

Board leadership practices

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.

  • Board orientation and education
    Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes
  • CEO oversight
    Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes
  • Ethics and transparency
    Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes
  • Board composition
    Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes
  • Board performance
    Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes

Organizational demographics

SOURCE: Self-reported; last updated 11/2/2021
info Candid has made improvements to the race and ethnicity options.

Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.

Leadership

The organization's leader identifies as:

Race & ethnicity
Native American/American Indian/Alaska Native/Indigenous
Gender identity
Female, Not transgender (cisgender)
Sexual orientation
Heterosexual or straight
Disability status
Person without a disability

Race & ethnicity

Gender identity

 

Sexual orientation

No data

Disability

No data