Decision-making guidance for federal programs to implement best practices in support of Indigenous self-determined climate leadership

Overview

The guidance provides direction for federal officials to better respond to the experiences and challenges of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities, governments, and organizations who are engaging in climate policy and accessing federal climate funding.

Jointly developed with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis partners, this decision-making guidance aims to transform Government of Canada policy and programs to be more inclusive and accessible, and seeks to advance self-determination.  

When applied to program design, delivery, and implementation, the guidance helps to:

• Remove and avoid unintentional biases that restrict Indigenous eligibility and access to funding;
• Promote and support Indigenous capacity, leadership, and decision-making; and
• Progressively move toward the transfer of climate funding to Indigenous Peoples.

Principles

• Self-determination
• Distinctions-based approach
• Meaningful co-development, engagement, and information-sharing
• Indigenous Knowledge Systems
• Inclusive governance
• Inclusive evaluations and audits
• Flexible application timelines and processes
• Funding terms and conditions that recognize and respect Indigenous realities
• Dedicated Indigenous funding under non-targeted and national programs
• Support for applicants/recipients throughout application and reporting stages
• Strengthened federal coordination of project funding to be more Indigenous/community-focused

Overarching principles

Self-determination

• Recognize that Indigenous Peoples are leaders on climate action and critical to decision-making.
• Prioritize Indigenous-determined and delivered solutions and invest in the agency of Indigenous Peoples.

Distinctions-based approach

• Recognize the unique realities and needs of First Nations, Inuit and Métis.
• Respect and promote distinctions-based priorities to drive climate actions.
• Respect and promote distinctions-based governance and delivery when designing and implementing programs.

Meaningful co-development, engagement, and information sharing

• Advance co-development and other collaborative approaches to find solutions. This will result in more meaningful outcomes for Indigenous Peoples and begin to phase-out federal programs for direct transfers.

Indigenous Knowledge Systems

• Respect and support Indigenous approaches and ways of doing. Acknowledge and promote traditional, local, and Indigenous Knowledge systems as an equal part in policy development, programs, and decision-making.

Program-based best practices

Inclusive governance

• Include Indigenous participation across distinctions at existing and new program advisory and governance tables, such as advisory, review, and selection committees. Ensure that partners have a say.

Inclusive evaluations and audits

• Include Indigenous recipients and partners, including unsuccessful applicants, in program evaluations and audits.
• Collect distinctions-based data about Indigenous applicants and access to program funds.

Flexible application timelines and processes

• Offer open intake or opportunities for unsolicited proposals. This gives proponents the greatest flexibility and opportunity to participate, to develop strong proposals, and to enable co-funding.

Funding terms and conditions that recognize and respect Indigenous realities

• Consider the impacts of each specific condition on the ability of Indigenous communities or applicants to access funding.
• Include “other direct project costs” as an option in a list of eligible costs to give more flexibility than an exclusive or exhaustive list.
• Avoid specific eligibility requirements such as community readiness or innovation, or setting minimum project value thresholds. These types of requirements all limit Indigenous access to funding.
• Ensure funding from different federal programs can be provided to cover up to 100% of total project costs.
• Consider establishing merit criteria that enable low-capacity communities to access funding. Shift mindset from a passive “let’s see who applies” to an active “I will find the communities who need this funding most”.
• Offer multi-year flexible funding agreements with fixed and flexible funding approaches.

Dedicated Indigenous funding under non-targeted and national programs

• Include distinctions-based allocations under non-targeted or national programs through a funding amount set aside specifically for Indigenous recipients.
• Set separate parameters for Indigenous recipients (criteria, application processes, timeline, etc.) to ensure they do not have to compete with urban/large municipalities or cities. It also helps to support self-determined needs and priorities and advance Indigenous-led delivery.

Support for applicants/recipients throughout application and reporting stages

• Work directly with applicants to develop a more robust proposal, and to support project implementation.
• Simplify and streamline application and reporting requirements.
• Consider delivery alternatives, such as outreach to communities or regional organizations.
• Explore ways to promote more equitable and strategic funding decisions. For example, how to reach communities that are at high risk to climate change impacts but have low capacity to apply for federal funding, etc.

Strengthened federal coordination of project funding to be more Indigenous/community-focused

• Work directly with applicants to develop a more robust proposal, and to support project implementation.
• Simplify and streamline application and reporting requirements.
• Consider delivery alternatives, such as outreach to communities or regional organizations.
• Explore ways to promote more equitable and strategic funding decisions. For example, how to reach communities that are at high risk to climate change impacts but have low capacity to apply for federal funding, etc.
• Implement a “no wrong-door” approach. This can help to make it easier for communities. It also helps departments to better coordinate funding.
• Work closely with other departments and programs to ensure that funding is aligned throughout the entire project.