Callout for Indigenous initiatives

If you think you’ve got the next big business idea, the time is now to apply for the Indigenous Initiatives Fund, offered for the fourth time by the Secretariat aux relations avec les Premieres Nations et les Inuit (SAA), with the application process managed by Tewatohnhi’saktha as per a Mohawk Council of Kahnawake (MCK) directive.

Tewatohnhi’saktha executive director Tammy Skawenná:ti Delaronde said that that there is no guarantee that the $5.5 million program will be back after applications close at the end of January 2027.

“We’re uncertain whether it’s going to continue and if the community will have access to it past 2027, so we would like to really push for it,” said Delaronde.

“It’s in the government’s hands, so we just haven’t been told that it will continue. In past years, there was more certainty.”

She said that prior iterations have allowed any leftover money to roll over into the next iteration, but since there might not be a next one, the goal is to commit as much of the money as possible to projects.

Applications are open to anyone who holds a certificate of Indian Status, and proposals must be in search of upwards of $250,000 – Tewatohnhi’saktha can potentially help with projects under that amount internally, according to Delaronde.

It must also fulfill at least one of five criteria that is set by the SAA: “Have a structuring effect on the Indigenous population,” “Target job creation for Indigenous people,” “Be economically and socially sustainable,” “Increase the visibility of the Indigenous nation or community and the Indigenous population in general,” and “Enable the community’s development objectives to be implemented.”

Delaronde said the process once an application comes in involves a bit of bureaucracy.

“Initially, they bring or submit their business plan to us, we do an analysis, and then we have to go to the MCK for support, by way of Mohawk Council Executive Directive, an MCED, to support their project,” said Delaronde.

“Once we receive that MCED, we send the business plan and the MCED to the SAA, and then they begin their analysis.”

After the SAA does their analysis, which might involve speaking with ministries or similar businesses in surrounding communities depending on the scope of the project, they have final say on approval of proposals as well as distribution of the money.

There are no limitations to what kind of business proposal can apply for the fund, except for one.

“Eligibility wise, we cannot deal with the vice type of businesses, so we can’t approve any businesses that are bars or who sell alcohol, that type of thing,” said Delaronde.

This iteration of the Fund has been open since 2022, but Delaronde said there have not been very many applicants so far.

“We’re just really encouraging people with very solid ideas, you know, to please take advantage of it. We didn’t do a lot of advertising prior to now, and we did notice that there wasn’t a great uptake into it,” said Delaronde.

“With two years remaining, we’re hoping that businesspeople will come forward. Or, if you just have an entrepreneurial mind and you have an idea and you think it would work, have your business plan developed and bring it forward.”

Interested community members can either call the Tewatohnhi’saktha offices at 450-638-4280 or send an email to [email protected].

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