S TRATEGIC P LAN Created By February 6-8, 2020 Kiva 1 Conference Room Hotel Santa Fe Santa Fe, New Mexico Strategic Plan Facilitated and documented for Honor The Earth by Contents This report contains the results of the 2020 Strategic Planning session of Honor the Earth. There are five sections to this report. 3 – 11 Organizational History & Current Environment This section of the report holds the results of five conversations designed to begin the strategic planning work planted in the history of Honor the Earth as well as its current reality. These include responses to questions on basic data, trends, accomplishments and advantages. 12 - 15 Practical Vision This section of the report holds the group’s Vision for Honor the Earth in 2030. If the work is done well at Honor the Earth over the next 10 years, what do we see in place in 2030? The group’s consensus and motivating image of the future is stated, along with where the Vision moves the organization. 16 – 18 Underlying Contradictions Workshop This section of the report represents the group’s analysis of issues and obstacles blocking progress toward the Vision. This insightful look at contradictions assists the group in assuring its development strategies are grounded in reality. 19 – 20 Strategic Directions Workshop This section documents the five-year strategies targeted by Honor The Earth. The actions are woven into strategic directions that provide the group with clear statements of the priorities driving decision-making. 21 – 36 Implementation Calendar, Task Teams, Participants This section documents the accomplishments targeted for completion in Years One and Two, along with the calendared effort and individual implementation sheets completed by the small teams who self-selected to work on task arenas. Honor the Earth Strategic Plan facilitated and documented by Indigenous Collaboration, Inc. 2 History & Current Environment Scan In setting the stage to embark on planning, it is significant to create a “snapshot” of the history of Honor the Earth. In this session participants shared information on the 27 year history of Honor the Earth. The group generated data and information to discuss this history as it lives in the memories and stories of participants. Then, the group conducted a scan of the current reality, drawing out facts, trends, advantages and recent accomplishments that frame the environment of considerations that impact Honor the Earth’s work. These discussions help set the stage for the creation of a practical vision that is grounded in the reality of Honor the Earth. The shared history was developed by everyone in the group and began by asking participants to consider the following focus question: What Are The Experiences, Events, Programs, Projects & Efforts That Make Up The Shared History Of Honor The Earth? Honor the Earth Strategic Plan facilitated and documented by Indigenous Collaboration, Inc. 3 History Grounding Honor The Earth’s Vision Awakening to Power of Music, Art & Media Founding Organizations – Created “Cool” & Invited to Illuminate, Amplify & Mobilize Others To Join Via Positive Attraction 1990 & Before 1991 - 1994 • Winona & Jim part of Youth • Winona and Jim doing advocacy – • Founded by Winona, Emily & Amy movement (‘80s) Building presence & bringing spotlight • Sense of humor in all the work “we be funny” • Mt Taylor (’79) to issue • 7 Gen – IEN, IWN, formed Honor The Earth • Young women emergent leaders (‘80s) • Walleye Wars; Ojibwe Treaties; State • Tour – West N. America: Native Action, Sweet Grass Hills; • Birthing of many Native organizations Government Hopi Foundation; California Basket Weavers; EYAK; • Amy & Emily meet Winona – Earth • Money flowing in had strings attached. Cordova Day, Boston (’90?) Not true altruism • Benefit show w/I.G in Shiprock (‘94/’95) • Realize mainstream white orgs doing • Growing & enthusiasm over impacts • Office in MN – 4 people on staff of Honor. Meant to be lean environmental work not taking Native • Huge assault on Native resources • Show focus: White Earth Land Recovery Project (WELRP); staff into account • Idea of philanthropy – helping funders Midwest Treaty Network; Anishinaabe Niijii Mining in • Ban The Dam Jam – no nukes give Wisconsin; Test run of concert series (’93) • 7th Generation Fund Formed (’77) • Power dynamics in philanthropy • Honor raise $ to fund what wasn’t getting funded… • Indigenous Enviro Network – IEN revealed – No bottom line… add supporting campaigns… didn’t create them (’90) business (‘90s) • 1st fundraising concert tour, ’93: 4 shows: Point Hope, • Earth Day – Mark Tilson… How to • Carter energy plan turned attention to Madison, Minneapolis, Denver, Midwest, Ulali Build, Strengthen & Augment Power Indian Country (late 70s) • Action Cards – Postcards to someone (company / politician) • Churchrock spill – Three Mile Island • Indigenous Women Network – IWN to do something specific (’78) • Karen Silkwood; Leroy Jackson; David • Honor The Earth advocacy – putting the spotlight on things & • Survival Gathering (multiple), Black SoHappy (‘80s) bring to attention of things & philanthropy Hills (’79 – ’80) • Anti-nuclear / Anti-dam movement • Approach was to focus on national issue overarching & tie it • Realized if musicians help - people • Lack of Native voices in environmental to local & regional issues people didn’t know of come movement • Emergence of modern Native-led environmental movements & pay attention • Big 10 letter • Renaissance of Native Ag work – farming cooperatives organized (‘90s) Honor the Earth Strategic Plan facilitated and documented by Indigenous Collaboration, Inc. 4 History Grounding Honor The Earth’s Vision (continued) Success of Honor & other Native Entities Grows & Increases Became Aware of Ambitious Workload & Need To Look at Resources & Tensions in Work Capacity, Structure & Admin 1995 - 1999 2000 - 2004 • Social movement stop bad shit • Winona running Honor in MN & also White Earth Land Recovery • Raised $200K w/21-stop tour Project (WELRP) • Nuclear Battle – Xcel, Goshute (’97-on) • GOTV Buffalo • Elections – 1996 – 2000 • Organization gender conflicts & tension pronounced • Generated hundreds of news stories & national TV news coverage • Goshute Solar campaign • To Tides (’98) • Still small staff – 4-6 people • White Plume Hemp grant (’98) • Lots of cool @ table. Broad efforts – increase in conflict in Board • Navigate transition between programming & grant makers (’00 & onward) • Moved from being a campaign to being an organization / group with Tides • Winona had a baby Foundation to hold our money. Got web site, newsletter (’98) • Winona on Presidential / Vice Presidential ticket. Paul was • Granted $200K campaign manager & baby sitter • Everything on Honor’s plate becoming unmanageable • Dann Sisters Solar (’03) • Collected over $20K action cards on strategic issues and created a viable • Raise visibility “Native People can run & make an impact”, whether political force for change they win or not • Concerts – 28 go into communities & focus on their issues • Founding orgs all doing good work • Release record. Called Honor to benefit CD to raise funds – national release • Great Lakes environmental victories (’96) • Started trying to attract others with capacity to raise more $ than we • No nukes: East coast tour; D.C. Lobbying; Cherokee; Mohawk; Penobscot; could Seminole (’97) • Credentialed Natives young & want to go home… but working • Campaigns to focus attention & resources on communities & efforts doing elsewhere important stuff in subject area • Strong movement made shift to solutions focus • Capacity for ourselves and the people we work with need attention • Newspapers start decline. Rise of internet impact • Start working on solutions that are broad-based – like solar & wind Honor the Earth Strategic Plan facilitated and documented by Indigenous Collaboration, Inc. 5 History Grounding Honor The Earth’s Vision (continued) Challenges Prompt Focus on Sustainability w/o Agreement on Succession Rebuilt Honor with Seat at White Earth & Leadership Founding Mothers Exercise Authority to Control & Rebuild & Had To Rebuild Capacity to Continue Efforts (2010 – 2015) 2005 - 2009 2010 - 2014 • Nikki (’08 – ’09); Aurora (’09 – ’10); Katie • Winona’s Birthday fundraisers (ongoing) (’11); Luke (’10); Nellis (’08 – ’12); Leslie • Ongoing grant-making (’11); Faye (’12); Tom (’12) • 501(c)(3) received in 2013 • Tried new E.D. – short moment (’05, 6-12 • Women donors tour (’12) months) • Board battle – removed all the board except 3 (’11) • Honor SW concert tour (’07) • Board selection for diversity • KILI Wind • Big stone 2 • Craziness - Recession reduces $ coming in. • San Juan Generation Station House fire refocuses attention on family. (’08) • People’s Climate March • Desert Rock • Enbridge – Leech Lake Vote • Yankton Solar • Dine’ College Solar • Ongoing four corners power plant • Honor Wind • White Earth Solar • Mt Taylor Protection Status • Why can’t we do philanthropy ourselves & do • Indigenous-led resistance to Tar Sands it right? • Sandpiper Campaign • Honor – Trip to Chiapas (’05) • $250K - $300K granting • Regionally-focused CO Plateau Foundation fully operational & Goals • Regionally building leadership management capacity. Succession planning etc. among regional non-profits – “We Live Where We Serve” • Obama’s stimulus plan • Defeat of GTAC mine (WI). Repeal of environmental protections (’14) • Annual Pow Wows • Militarization of Indian Country Honor the Earth Strategic Plan facilitated and documented by Indigenous Collaboration,