TABLED DOCUMENT 392-18(2) TABLED ON JUNE 1, 2017 NWT On The Land Collaborative www.nwtontheland.ca The Collaborative is a collective of diverse partners including: Tides Canada, Government of the Northwest Territories, NWT Recreation and Parks Association, J.W. McConnell Family Foundation, Indigenous Leadership Initiative, Dominion Diamond Corporation, TNC Canada, Diavik Diamond Mine, The Gordon Foundation, and Community Advisors representing Indigenous governments from across the territory. Background Carolyn DuBois The Gordon Foundation Representative “The Collaborative facilitates connections between funders and on the ground programming. It allows grantees to focus on Governments (federal, territorial, and Indigenous), easier for organizations and communities to access delivering high-impact on the corporations, and philanthropic organizations in the these supports. The Collaborative brings together land programming, rather than Northwest Territories (NWT) all place significant government, charitable, industry, and other partners on piecemeal fundraising. For emphasis on supporting on the land programming, to combine efforts and pool resources, including funders, the Collaborative is an particularly initiatives delivered by Indigenous funding, expertise, tools, and equipment. invaluable way to learn about organizations and communities. These various and support the full breadth of sectors fund and otherwise support on the land The Collaborative is committed to the following grassroots initiatives underway in programming for a variety of reasons, including: principles: the Northwest Territories.” • outdoor experiential education; • consensus governance amongst all partners, • cultural revitalization; including Community Advisors nominated by Collaborative Process • arts; Indigenous governments; • restorative justice; • simple and user-friendly inquiry, proposal, and An annual call for applications to the Collaborative • traditional economy; reporting processes; is issued late in the calendar year, with the intention • mental health and addictions, family wellness, • few limitations on proposals to encourage of disbursing financial and other supports early the and healing; innovation and respect local needs; and following year. Community Advisors are designated • youth engagement and capacity building; and • “one-stop shop” for accessing on the land for each region of the NWT to promote the • environmental research, monitoring, and programming supports. Collaborative, answer questions, and review draft stewardship. applications. Susan Ross Through the Collaborative, partners aspire to Community Advisor On the land programming is valued because it produce the following results: There are few limitations on the type of applicant, Gwich’in produces interdependent outcomes across economic, other than being closed to for-profit initiatives, social, and environmental spectrums. In light of this • increased available funding for on the land organizations from outside the NWT, political or “It is important to go on the interconnectedness, supporters have recognized the programming by leveraging amongst diverse partisan initiatives, and the federal and territorial land to learn about my cultural need for better collaboration amongst all sectors to sectors; governments. identity and ensure my children make the best use of resources to fund, deliver, and • increased efficiency of program delivery by and grandchildren know their evaluate on the land programming in the NWT. minimizing administrative burdens; Following submission, applications are reviewed traditional knowledge to survive • improved ability to deliver programming that for completeness and applicants are provided an and live off the land.” In 2015, founding partners created the NWT On acknowledges the interconnectedness of social, opportunity to submit additional information if The Land Collaborative (Collaborative) to maximize economic, and environmental outcomes; and required. Once the application deadline has passed, the amount of funding and other resources available • maximized shared learning and evaluation the partners meet to review applications and select for land-based initiatives in the territory and make it opportunities. grant recipients. 1 NWT On The Land Collaborative 2017 Report 2 2017 Highlights Grant Cycle Winter Haley Diavik Diamond Mine The Collaborative learned a lot during the pilot for approving projects and allocating dollar amounts Sustainability of projects is another important Representative year, and some important changes were made for to each. consideration. Collaborative Partners agree that the 2017 Grant Cycle. applications should present a long-term plan for “The last application review It is a core value of the Collaborative to support their project/program. However, targeted support process brought programs to our In the pilot year, Community Advisors were programs as they have been envisioned by is available for applicants that don’t currently have attention that we weren’t aware of available to all applicants as an optional support communities to meet community priorities. The the capacity to ensure long-term sustainability. before. The Collaborative helps throughout the application period. Many of the Collaborative therefore has few restrictions on us to identify and better respond applications deemed ineligible for funding had eligible expenses. There are some criteria to help Innovations to needs in the communities we not been reviewed by a Community Advisor prioritize funding decisions given that at present the work with.” prior to submission. To address this issue and in demand for funding far exceeds available resources. Health Canada, via the GNWT, has committed the hopes of eliciting stronger applications, the In the pilot year, capital costs and administration multi-year funding to the NWT On The Land application process was revised for 2017. This year, fees were not funded. This year, as a result of Collaborative to support the development of a all applications were submitted to Community increased funding, it was decided that capital Mental Wellness Team approach in the Northwest Advisors for an initial review focused on quality and expenditures would be considered on a case-by- Territories. This will allow the resource and support eligibility. Eligible applications were then forwarded case basis. The Collaborative continues not to fund network established by the Collaborative to enhance to the Collaborative Administrator as the final step administration fees. However, this year the Partners and expand existing mental health programs in the application process. agreed to hold a small reserve for projects that administered on the land throughout the territory, need an administrative partner in order to receive while maximizing impact and leveraging additional Community Advisors agree this process worked their funding; in such cases administrative fees will funding. Of the 35 projects supported by the very well. 103 applications were received this year, be considered on a case-by-case basis. Salaries for Collaborative this year, seven projects were selected down from more than 200 in 2016. The new review internal staff continue to be an ineligible expense. for Mental Wellness Team funding beginning in Kyle Napier process also resulted in fewer applications from However, we will fund salaries for new staff hired 2017 and carrying forward through 2018. Community Advisor individuals and many more community and group specifically to support the project. Programs that are South Slave applications. Applicants appreciated the revised explicitly for hunting and trapping activities, such Four projects identified for Mental Wellness Team application process, in particular the quick and as trapper training or community hunts, are not funding share an approach, target group, and “Our relationship to the land is direct communication about project eligibility. Some eligible for funding, though these activities may be desired outcome, namely they seek to engage youth as important as our relationship applicants were able to revise their applications incorporated into broader programs as important and young adults who are disenfranchised or at to ourselves and those around us based on feedback from the Community Advisors elements of land-based programming. risk for homelessness, addiction, or interaction — these deep relationships begin before the deadline. with the criminal justice system in immersive with respect and lead to intimate Determining what qualifies as “on the land” land-based programs that will build self-esteem, understanding of how the world During the application review process, Community continues to be an area of discussion for the cultural awareness, and sense of purpose through works around us.” Advisors collectively identified their preferred Collaborative. In general, the Collaborative would interactions with elders, clinical supports, and the projects within each region. Funders then met with like to see projects that take place beyond municipal land itself. The projects are largely focused on young the Community Advisors to discuss their insights limits. However, we recognize there are a number men, for whom a particular need for traditional skill about the application process and recommendations of factors (i.e. safety, type of group, equipment, and development has been identified in order to support for the final list of approved programs. Finally, funds) that can restrict organizations from doing the reclamation