Working with Indigenous Communities

Finance & Capital Structure

Financial management affects all aspects of your business, organizations and community. From developing business plans to training staff on finance policies, IFS has the expertise to secure, build and grow your initiatives.

Our Specialties

Creation and management of diverse and complex budgets
Intervention management
Financial policies and process manuals
Capacity building and financial training
Senior financial oversight and accounting services
Development of financial plans and projections for projects and contracts
Securing debt financing for operations and projects
Assistance with access to funding through provincial and federal initiatives
Connections with potential private equity partners
Assessing trusts and leveraging returns where appropriate

Experience and Expertise

Acting Chief Financial Officer for a government organization with an annual budget in excess of $100 million
Extensive experience in commercial lending and corporate banking highlighted by participation in the syndicate financing group responsible for funding the purchase of the Winnipeg Free Press
Negotiation and placement of over $77 million in debt financing packages on behalf of First Nations and Corporate clients in the past 12 months
Negotiation and performance of due diligence for corporate sale transactions in excess of $20 million

Administration

Administration is the backbone of an organization and/or project. It is the connecting link between community and leadership, staff and management, stakeholders/partners and your organization. IFS has diverse senior level administrative experience we can put to work for you.

Our Specialties

Program and project management
Development of evaluation methodologies for new/existing programming
Proposal development
Report writing and deliverable measurement
Operations oversight and staff management

Experience and Expertise

Executive Director for numerous urban Aboriginal culture and social service centres
Evaluation of national, provincial and municipal projects for arts councils
Evaluation criteria development and implementation of large provincial fund

Governance

Capacity, support, structure, and planning are top priorities in carrying out successful governance. IFS can help leadership gather the right tools to grow.

Our Specialties

Skills and capacity development for governance councils (Executive Councils, Chief and Council)
Issue-based, government and industry briefings to increase knowledge base and opportunity for meaningful participation
Best practices in the creation of governance models
Corporate structures that focus on the successful separation of business and politics to enhance stability

Experience and Expertise

Priority setting workshops, program planning and funding road map for First Nations’ councils
Governance model for large, remote First Nation council

Cultural Projects & Research

Indigenous communities thrive when worldview, culture, heritage and language are included at all organizational levels. IFS will utilize decades of cultural programming and implementation experience to develop projects based on community priorities.

Our Specialties

Community priority setting workshops
Development of targeted programming
Public, private and government fundraising and grant writing
Development of programming and projects inclusive of community Elders

Experience and Expertise

$5 million in funding secured through public and private sources for urban Indigenous agencies in 5-year span
Development and authoring of numerous research projects based on the Indian Residential School System, Indigenous homelessness, urban service agencies, and Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women
Extensive community profiles for First Nations
Community priority setting workshops and delivery of funding roadmaps
Committee member for federal arts bodies with emphasis on Indigenous communities
Former Senior Advisor for the Ontario Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs
Language speaker (Anishnaabe, Oji-Cree)
Familiarity with protocols and practices for First Nations and Metis communities

Liaising with Government & Industry

The Duty to Consult, resource development projects, the potential for benefit agreements and partnerships on business and employment all mean that First Nations and Metis communities are spending consideration tie and effort at negotiating tables. With solid industry, government and community level experience, IFS can ensure that your side of the table has full capacity to make decisions with the next seven generations in mind.

Our Specialties

Consulting with potential industry partners to ensure equity and meaningful communication
Development of workplans for industry and government projects/contracts
Networking with potential joint venture partners in resource, manufacturing, and retail
Negotiation of joint venture opportunities
Assistance with the application of negotiated IBA terms

Experience and Expertise

The negotiation and creation of partnership structures for over 30 solar projects in the province of Ontario
The structure and negotiation of land claims and IBA’s between industry and First Nation Communities
Heading up several start up companies’ and extensive experience in Aboriginal procurement and outsourcing
Key architect for $60 million Ontario First Nations funding program

Working with Indigenous Communities

Finance & Capital Structure

Administration

Governance

Cultural Projects & Research

Liaising with Government & Industry

Contact Us