Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do I become a CIRI member or shareholder? If I am the descendant of a CIRI shareholder, am I also a shareholder and am I eligible to receive dividends?

Dividend checks are only sent to CIRI shareholders, and individuals must own CIRI stock to be CIRI shareholders. CIRI stock cannot currently be sold, and enrollment to the corporation closed in the 1970s. Today, the only way to become a shareholder is to receive stock through inheritance or as a gift from a CIRI shareholder. A gifting packet with complete instructions and eligibility requirements is available on this web site.

2. Whom do I contact for a Certificate Degree of Indian Blood?

To obtain a Certificate Degree of Indian Blood (CDIB), contact the Bureau of Indian Affairs at 3601 C Street, Suite 1100, Anchorage, Alaska, 99503, telephone (907) 271-4477, toll-free 1-800-645-8465 or fax (907) 271-4090. CIRI cannot assist its shareholders or others in obtaining CDIBs.

3. Does CIRI provide business loans or otherwise assist shareholders who are starting a business?

Neither CIRI nor any of its nonprofit organizations or subsidiaries is chartered to provide financial or technical assistance for starting a business. Assistance may be available through:

UAA Small Business Development Center 274-7232
Alaska Growth Capital www.alaskagrowth.com
The Small Business Administration www.sba.gov
Bureau of Indian Affairs www.doi.gov/bureau-indian-affairs

The SBA provides a business loan program, workshops and free counseling on how to start a small business, and you may qualify for federal programs that steer a portion of government contracts to businesses owned by minorities, such as the SBA's "8(a) Program." The BIA also administers a small business loan program and provides workshops and counseling on how to start a small business. Additionally, many universities and community schools also provide reference libraries, workshops, and technical assistance on starting a small business, developing business plans, and preparing commercial loan proposals.

4. WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR SUBMITTING AN INVESTMENT PROPOSAL TO CIRI?

CIRI welcomes proposals for investment opportunities. In order for us to consider investment requests, we ask for the following information to be submitted in writing:

Background information about the business concept and its growth potential,
Proposed organizational structure,
Five-year business plan,
Five-year pro forma financial statements (income statement, balance sheet and cash flow analysis),
Capital Structure of the proposed business, including amount of capital to be contributed by sponsors,
Qualifications of the management team, and
Target value of the enterprise at the end of the five-year period.

This information may be sent to the attention of the Business Development Department.

In general, CIRI does not provide start-up capital for new businesses, and the minimum capital for the transaction should be more than $5 million (CIRI's portion may be less than that). Our preferred investment model includes partnering with experts in the industry for the proposal. If your investment proposal does not meet these requirements, or you need assistance to compose a business plan, we suggest contacting the alternative resources listed under Question #3.

5. Does CIRI offer medical and dental assistance?

No, but CIRI shareholders (and other Alaska Natives and American Indians) who live within the Cook Inlet region are eligible for a variety of services offered by Southcentral Foundation at the Anchorage Native Primary Care Center, and by the Alaska Native Medical Center. Alaska Natives living elsewhere in Alaska or the Lower-48 states may be eligible for services provided by the Indian Health Service and/or through local tribal providers.

For shareholders living in the Lower-48, CIRI and Southcentral Foundation teamed up to create the Alaska Native Health Resource Advocate Program (ANHRAP) in 1997. ANHRAP operates out of Washington state and connects clients to health, social, education, and legal resources. For assistance in identifying available services in the Lower 48, please contact the Alaska Native Health Resource Advocate Program directly as follows:

     Roberta Hallam, Resource Advocate Supervisor
     Alaska Native Health Resource Advocate Program
     P.O. Box 2045
     Milton, Washington 98354-2045
     (253) 835-0101 - phone
     (907) 729-5033 - fax
     (866) 575-6757 - toll-free
     email: anhra@scf.cc

6. How do I submit a newsletter announcement?

In Touch announcements for the CIRI newsletter "Raven's Circle" must be about a CIRI shareholder or descendant. Shareholders may submit an announcement to the attention of CIRI Newsletter, CIRI, PO Box 93330, Anchorage, AK 99509-3330, or e-mail it to info@ciri.com, or drop it off to the CIRI reception desk at 2525 C Street, Suite 500, Anchorage. Photographs are also welcome in print or digital format with at least 300 dpi resolution. CIRI reserves the right to edit announcements for grammar, brevity and taste. All photos will be returned as addressed on the back.

7. How do I notify CIRI of an address change?

For our shareholders’ protection, CIRI requires a signature before processing this type of record change. Change of address/name forms are available from the Shareholder Relations department or by printing the address form on this site. Shareholders may also submit a written notification, signed by the shareholder, that includes the shareholder's name, new address, telephone number, birth date, and social security number. Shareholders should also be sure to update their addresses with the U.S. Postal Service. If the address on a shareholder’s CIRI records does not match the address he or she has on file with the Postal Service, his or her CIRI mail—including dividends—is usually returned to CIRI. Forms and information for changing an address with the Postal Service are available at your local post office and on the Postal Service Web site.

8. How do I notify CIRI of a name change?

If a shareholder has a legal name change, he or she should submit written notification of the name change with a copy of the legal document authorizing the change (e.g. marriage certificate, divorce decree specifically restoring former name, adoption decree, etc.) to the CIRI Shareholder Relations department.

9. Does CIRI provide legal assistance?

CIRI is unable to directly provide, or separately fund, legal representation to its shareholders or other Alaska Natives in personal matters, nor may CIRI provide legal advice. However, in the early 1990’s CIRI organized, and remains a major sponsor of, the Alaska Native Justice Center. The Alaska Native Justice Center advocates and serves the unmet needs of the Alaska Native community in the civil and criminal justice system. Programs and services offered include a broad range of informational resources, technical assistance and training, attorney referral, advocacy and civil pro-se services and clinics. Additional information is available by contacting the Alaska Native Justice Center directly.

10. Where can I find information on the next dividend payment to be made?

Once the Board passes a resolution declaring each actual distribution date and amount, that information is announced in the Raven's Circle newsletter and on this Web site. Shareholders can receive information regarding deadlines for the most current distribution on this Web site, or by calling the dividend hotline at 263-5100 or toll-free at 800-764-2435.

11. How do I update my direct deposit information?

Information on how a shareholder may sign up for direct deposit, change his or her existing direct deposit instruction or cancel direct deposit is available on this Web site, or by calling Shareholder Relations at 263-5191 or toll-free at 800-764-2474 and selecting option 3.

12. Does CIRI offer burial assistance?

No, but we have put together a brochure listing other agencies and organizations that may be able to assist in this regard. The brochure also discusses obituaries, death certificates, Wills and probate and other information that we hope will prove helpful to those who are trying to cope with the death of a loved one.

13. When a shareholder dies, do his or her descendants automatically inherit the CIRI shares?

No. ANCSA provides that CIRI stock is subject to special probate or estate settlement procedures, and under these procedures, CIRI descendants do not automatically inherit shares. Rather, CIRI is required to determine the proper heirs of the CIRI stock in accordance with any valid Will the shareholder may have executed that is applicable to the stock, or, if no such Will exists, under Alaska laws of intestate succession. In cases of intestate succession, state law governs which relatives inherit the CIRI shares and CIRI is required to distribute the shares accordingly. Neither the shareholder's family nor CIRI can alter who will receive the shares under the law if there is no Will. Shareholders may leave their stock to whomever they wish; however, in order to ensure that their CIRI stock will be distributed in the desired manner, shareholders are strongly encouraged to execute a CIRI Stock Will. Even if a shareholder previously executed a CIRI Stock Will or a General Will, it is important to remember that it may need to be updated in certain circumstances. Marriage, divorce, the birth or adoption of children, the death of a previously designated beneficiary, inheriting additional shares, receiving or giving a gift of shares, and other life changes are all reasons to complete a new CIRI Stock Will.

14. Why do stock estate settlements take so long? Also, why does it take so long to respond to my inquiries and why haven't I been regularly updated on the progress?

Around 90-100 CIRI shareholders pass away in any given year, and many die without a valid Will for their CIRI shares, thus complicating and delaying the settlement process. Regardless of whether or not a deceased shareholder left a valid Will, before CIRI is able to transfer the stock the law requires us to obtain certain legal documentation. In the interest of fairness, estates are processed in the order in which this documentation is received. Most delays are caused by individuals not responding to our documentation requests, or returning incomplete or incorrectly completed questionnaires or affidavits. In these instances, CIRI must continue to follow-up until the required documents are received. When inquiries are received, we make every effort to respond as soon as possible; however, here again, in the interest of fairness responses are made based on the order in which inquiries are received. At this time, we do not provide status updates because we do not have the staff to do so without drastically slowing the settlement process. We are working as hard as we can to settle as many estates as quickly as possible, and greatly appreciate your patience.