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NAATSIILID INITIATIVE

DENNEHOTSO, AZ · EIN 853053540 · Form 990 · FY2021 · NTEE L20 · Housing & Shelter · Small ($100K-$1M) · www.naatsiilid.org
revenue
$202K
expenses
$39K
net assets
$162K
employees
0
volunteers
2
program ratio
88%
mission · from form 990

TO STRENGTHEN THE CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC RESILIENCE OF DINETAH THROUGH SELF-RELIANCE INITIATIVES IN THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT.

profile · synthesized from sources

NAATSIILID INITIATIVE is an operational nonprofit that partners with Navajo Nation communities to address housing, infrastructure, and cultural resilience challenges. They focus on integrating traditional Diné knowledge with contemporary building practices to create sustainable homes, develop community infrastructure, and preserve cultural heritage through educational programs and art initiatives. The organization primarily serves the Navajo Nation in Arizona.

named programs · 14 · from sources

what they call their work

A Resilient Broadband Solution for Kayenta Chapter of the Navajo Nation
Introduces high-speed broadband connection at affordable costs to communities in Comb Ridge/El Capitan and Black Mesa regions, utilizing fiber, microwave transport, and a hybrid power solution.
Diné Cultural Kitchen
A free virtual workshop focused on Diné cultural kitchen practices.
Earthen Plasters
A free hands-on workshop in Dennehotso, AZ, teaching earthen plaster building techniques.
Financial Literacy for Homeowners
A free in-person workshop in Kayenta, AZ, focused on financial literacy for homeowners, instructed by Mytegia Lee from Southwest Native Assets Coalition.
Hoosh’ii and íí∤ah: Revitalizing Diné PlaceKnowing and PlaceMaking
Integrates Nihok’aa Diyin Dine’é teachings and building practices, fostering connections between place and placemakers through workshops, oral history interviews, and architectural services for public interest design projects.
Indigenous Placeknowing
A cultural mapping and storytelling workshop that can be facilitated at schools, chapters, institutions, or community groups.
Light Straw-Clay Infill
A free hands-on workshop in Chilchinbeto, AZ, teaching light straw-clay infill building techniques.
Navajo Homesite Lease
A free webinar providing information on Navajo homesite leases, presented by The Navajo Nation Land Department.
Off-Grid Water Systems
A free hands-on workshop in Dennehotso, AZ, teaching off-grid water systems, instructed by Justice Ramos.
Rammed Earth Hearth
A free hands-on workshop in Dennehotso, AZ, teaching rammed earth construction for hearths, instructed by Guru Das Bock.
The Sweat Equity Homes Project (SEHP)
Addresses homelessness, overcrowding, and lack of access to utilities by building single-family homes with supporting infrastructure, offering financing, design, permitting, construction, and management support, while reaffirming traditional Navajo teachings.
Walking with Dinétah
A community art and trail walking initiative focused on cultural resilience and healing through spatialized oral histories, memory work, mapmaking, and participatory art, creating a living digital archive and an Indigenous trail.
Work of the Sun & Rainbow: Off-Grid Solar for Homes
A free webinar providing education on off-grid solar solutions for homes, instructed by Native Renewables.
microgrid kayenta
A project to electrify and broadband the Comb Ridge/El Capitan Community in Kayenta Chapter of the Navajo Nation using a resilient solar-based autonomous microgrid solution.
activities · 5 clusters

what they do

  • Traditional & Natural Building Workshops 4 activities
    • Community Building and Educational Workshops
      NAATSIILID INITIATIVE provides educational presentations on Diné teachings, building practices, and knowledge systems, and offers free workshops on traditional building techniques, financial literacy, off-grid systems (solar, water), and light straw-clay infill to Diné communities.
    • Hosts hands-on workshops in traditional and sustainable building techniques
      Organizes free, in-person and virtual workshops on earthen plastering, cob oven construction, light straw-clay infill, rammed earth hearths, off-grid water systems, and Indigenous resource gathering, primarily in Navajo Nation chapter communities.
    • Offers financial and technical webinars for homeowners
      Hosts free virtual and in-person workshops on topics including home site lease procurement, off-grid solar energy, and financial literacy for homeowners in Navajo communities such as Dennehotso, Chilchinbeto, and Kayenta.
    • Offers free hands-on workshops in traditional and sustainable building techniques
      Hosts free in-person and virtual workshops on earthen plastering, light straw-clay infill, rammed earth hearth construction, cob oven building, Indigenous water harvesting, and off-grid water and solar systems, taught by local builders, artisans, and partner organizations in communities across the Navajo Nation including Dennehotso, Chilchinbeto, and Kayenta.
  • Indigenous Economic Development Support 3 activities
    • Community Collaboration and Capacity Building
      The organization brings together Navajo Nation leaders, professionals, nonprofits, artists, academic institutions, and tribal administrators to foster a self-sustaining cultural and economic core within the community.
    • Facilitates cross-sector collaboration for cultural and economic development
      Brings together Navajo Nation leaders, design and construction professionals, nonprofits, Diné artists and entrepreneurs, academic institutions, and tribal administrators to strengthen a self-sustaining cultural and economic core.
    • Facilitates cross-sector collaboration for cultural and economic development
      Convenes Navajo Nation leaders, design professionals, nonprofits, artists, entrepreneurs, academics, and tribal administrators to strengthen community capacity and support self-sustaining cultural and economic systems.
  • Solar Infrastructure Installation 3 activities
    • Develops renewable energy and broadband infrastructure for community resilience
      Establishes solar-based microgrids with battery storage to power multiple households and implements broadband networks to support economic development, education, telehealth, and community well-being in Navajo communities.
    • Infrastructure Development for Diné Communities
      NAATSIILID INITIATIVE establishes solar-based microgrids to provide electricity to households and implements broadband networks to deliver internet connectivity for economic development, education, telehealth, and community well-being in Diné communities.
    • Provides community infrastructure and housing development services
      Builds single-family homes with full support including design, permitting, construction, and financing; also develops supporting infrastructure such as solar microgrids (105.5 kW generation, 398.2 kWh storage) for 25 households and broadband networks to support economic development, education, and telehealth.
  • Art Collection Stewardship & Exhibition 1 activity
    • Delivers educational programs on Diné knowledge systems
      Provides presentations and workshops on Diné teachings, building practices, cultural knowledge, and storytelling at schools, community events, conferences, and media forums.
  • Uncategorized 7 activities
    • Community Building and Educational Workshops
      NAATSIILID INITIATIVE provides educational presentations on Diné teachings, building practices, and knowledge systems at various venues, and offers free workshops on traditional building techniques, financial literacy, and off-grid systems. These workshops are taught by local traditional builders, team members, and Navajo entities, and include hands-on training in areas like earthen plastering, cob oven construction, water harvesting, and light straw-clay infill.
    • Community Collaboration and Capacity Building
      NAATSIILID INITIATIVE fosters community development by convening Navajo Nation leaders, design and construction professionals, local nonprofits, Diné artists, entrepreneurs, academic institutions, and tribal administrators. This collaboration aims to build a self-sustaining cultural and economic core within the community.
    • Constructs culturally appropriate housing with full project support
      Builds single-family homes on the Navajo Nation, including financing, design, permitting, construction, and management support, along with installation of necessary infrastructure and amenities.
    • Delivers educational programs on Diné culture and traditional building practices
      Provides educational presentations on Diné teachings, knowledge systems, and building practices at schools, conferences, community events, and media forums. Also facilitates cultural mapping and storytelling workshops for schools, chapters, and community groups.
    • Provides financial literacy and homeownership support services
      Hosts free financial literacy workshops for homeowners and offers educational webinars on procuring home site leases, supporting Navajo community members in securing land and managing home-related finances.
    • Sustainable Housing Development
      The organization engages in direct service by building single-family homes with supporting infrastructure and amenities, providing comprehensive support from financing and design to permitting and construction management. This includes establishing solar-based microgrids for households and implementing broadband networks to enhance internet connectivity for community well-being.
    • Sustainable Housing Development
      The organization engages in direct service by building single-family homes with supporting infrastructure and amenities, providing financing, design, permitting, construction, and management support.
financials · form 990 · fy2021

the money

revenue
Total revenue$202K
Contributions & grants$202K100%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$39K
Program expenses88%
Admin / overhead12%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$588
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineProfessional Fees
balance sheet
Total assets$164K
Cash$164K
Investments$0
Liabilities$1K
Net assets$162K
Liquid reserves49.9 mo
1 years on record · 2021–2021
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2021

who runs it

paid leadership · 1
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
SHUNDANA YUSAF SECRETARY 25 $8K
board members · 2
  • ADRIENNE CAESAR — TREASURER
  • JOSE GALARZA — BOARD CHAIR
relationships · 28

who they work with

  • Change Labs Partner — Partner organization collaborating with NAATSIILID INITIATIVE
  • Change Labs Partner — Supported the establishment and growth of Nááts'íilid Initiative as a nonprofit business through funding, advisory services, and professional development resources via its Business Incubator Program.
  • DesignBuildBLUFF Partner — José Galarza previously held a directorship at DesignBuildBLUFF, a graduate architecture program that builds full-scale projects in partnership with rural and native communities in Southeast Utah and Navajo Nation.
  • DesignBuildBLUFF Partner — Partnered on the Dennehotso Chapter Sweat Equity Project.
  • Fundamental Needs Partner — Provided an instructor for the "Off-Grid Water Systems" workshop.
  • Mellon Foundation Funder — Provided funding for the Hoosh’ii and íí∤ah project.
  • Mellon Foundation Funder — Supports community workshops through its Humanities in Place program.
  • NDN Collective Funder — Provided funding for the Sweat Equity Homes Project.
  • National Telecommunications and Information Administration Funder — Provided funding for the broadband project in Kayenta.
  • Native Renewables Partner — Partner organization collaborating with NAATSIILID INITIATIVE
  • Native Renewables Partner — Provided instructors for the "Off-Grid Solar for Homes" webinar.
  • Navajo Housing Authority Partner — Executive Director Carmi Holguin has intimate knowledge of working with the Navajo Housing Authority.
  • Navajo Nation Government — Serves as Legislative District Assistant to the 24th Council Delegate of the Navajo Nation.
  • Navajo Nation Chapter Houses Partner — Works with Navajo Nation Chapter Houses to provide direct services.
  • Navajo Nation City Council Partner — Partnering to address homelessness and promote housing solutions through the Sweat Equity Homes Project.
  • Navajo Nation Council Delegate Nathaniel Brown Partner — Invited José Galarza to start the Nááts'íilid Initiative.
  • Navajo Nation Land Department Partner — Executive Director Carmi Holguin has intimate knowledge of working with the Navajo Nation Land Department.
  • Navajo Utah Trust Fund Partner — Assisted on projects with the Navajo Utah Trust Fund as a project manager.
  • Navajo Utah commission Partner — Assisted on projects with the Navajo Utah commission as a project manager.
  • SWNAC Partner — Partner organization collaborating with NAATSIILID INITIATIVE
  • Southwest Native Assets Coalition Partner — Provided an instructor for the "Financial literacy for homeowners" workshop.
  • The Navajo Nation Land Department Partner — Provided instruction for the "Navajo homesite lease" webinar.
  • The University of Utah Partner — DesignBuildBLUFF is a graduate architecture program at The University of Utah.
  • US Department of Energy Funder — Provided funding for the microgrid project in Kayenta.
  • University of Utah Partner — Partnering to establish a solar-based microgrid and broadband solutions in the Kayenta Chapter of the Navajo Nation.
  • University of Utah Partner — Shundana Yusaf is an Associate Professor of Architectural History at the School of Architecture at the University of Utah, and her work there brought her to Dinétah, which led to her involvement with Nááts'íilid Initiative.
  • dbub Partner — Partner organization collaborating with NAATSIILID INITIATIVE
  • shelter Partner — Partner organization collaborating with NAATSIILID INITIATIVE