Call 8 | We call on funding bodies to change approaches to funding.

Key Takeaways*

• Give priority to research that directly responds to and involves Indigenous communities in meaningful ways. Involve Indigenous reviewers in funding decisions.

• Develop funding programs dedicated to Indigenous applicants that do research, including Indigenous organizations and governments. Use culturally aware program officers.

• Provide proposal templates and review criteria in plain language so that Indigenous organizations and communities can complete them. Simplify reporting requirements.

• Develop research priorities based on discussions with Indigenous communities and organizations.

• Accommodate financial and socio-economic realities in Indigenous communities. For example, workers and Elders may need daily, immediate cash payments.

• Allow carry-forward in multi-year funding agreements so project teams can adapt to changing capacity and other challenges that come up in remote and underserved communities.

• Value Indigenous knowledge when assessing an applicant’s expertise. Assess the merit of Indigenous applicants in ways that are appropriate and respectful.

• Ensure there is always community engagement for research that happens on Indigenous lands.

• Ensure that Indigenous advisors are included in research ethics boards that approve research.

*The NWT Association of Communities worked with the authors to develop a summary of the article. Some of the wording in the Key Takeaways comes from the summary which can be found here