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Northwest Territories: Evaluating the Landscape and Power Dynamics of Funder-Grantee Relationships in the Territory 

Sophie Kirby

Introduction 

The Northwest Territories (NWT), covering a vast area of Canada’s Arctic and sub-Arctic, has a resilient land and people with varying cultures, languages, traditions and stories. Within its boundaries, there are 11 official languages and groups of First Nations, Inuit, Inuvialuit, and Métis Peoples, as well as non-Indigenous Canadians and immigrants.i The present and future of the territory offer both opportunities and challenges, as communities grapple with a rapidly changing environment, an ongoing history of colonialism and an evolving economic disposition.  

This chapter provides an overview and insight into the realities of NWT and presents a case study based on previous research that analyzes the non-profit sector in the region, and funder-grantee relationships within the sector. This case study illustrates the relationships and power imbalances between funders and grantees in the NWT with potential implications for other northern regions in Canada. The non-profit sector, across Canada, but particularly in Canada’s northern regions, can be a strong and impactful vehicle in understanding and designing problems and solutions to address deep seated issues in rural and remote areas. The case study identifies how the integration of trust-based philanthropy practices may be a feasible way to alleviate the illustrated power imbalances and strengthen relationships between funders and grantees in the NWT, which may inherently share how we can further address issues in the territory. By investing in strategies to improve conditions within the non-profit sector, the case study highlights that the non-profit sector is a valid avenue to support and invest in the well-being of residents across the NWT. 

Overview of the Northwest Territories 

The NWT is one of Canada’s three territories, bordered by its northern neighbours, Yukon, and Nunavut. Spanning over 1.3 million km2, the NWT is rich with culture and history that is palpable in its wildlife, people, communities, and languages.ii The territory has 11 official languages, nine of which are Indigenous languages.iii The relationship to the land, waters, language, and culture are what make the NWT a place firmly interconnected with its surroundings. Plentiful in relations and connection, the NWT holds strong in its relationships with its people, a concept that is so often emulated in the non-profit sector across the country. The non-profit sector in the NWT is grounded in this idea of building community and connections.  

The territory has a population of approximately 40,000 people spread across 33 communities, with about half of the population residing in the territory’s capital, Yellowknife. These communities’ range in population size from 50 to 2,000 people – not including the capital that has a population of approximately 20,000.iv This population difference between communities and the main center does not come without its social, political and resource dynamics. Due to more local infrastructure and resources available in the capital, this “resource hub” versus small community relationship can create strong territorial dynamics and sometimes contention. Yellowknife has historically had more available services, programming variety, and labour market opportunities. With these community and sector dynamics also comes how Northerners define “remote” in the NWT. While some would define Yellowknife as remote in the broader Canadian context, others would say that because Yellowknife has more resources and infrastructure in comparison to other northern communities, it is not considered remote. What remains clear is that the NWT has unique inter-territorial urban-remote subtleties and broader north-south dynamics that influence the non-profit sector. 

Many non-profit and charitable organizations have their main offices in Yellowknife, while also having a territorial mandate to provide programming and services to communities across the NWT.v Proper governance and board representation from smaller communities are crucial, but representation is difficult to fulfill for many non-profits and charities who struggle to recruit volunteers across the territory. As much as there is effort to expand programming and services across the NWT, there are constraints, including high programming costs in remote regions and staff being located primarily in Yellowknife, for example.5 Population distribution, resources, and community representation are all factors that influence the non-profit sector in the NWT.  

The territory is governed by a consensus government model and is one of only two territories in Canada that have this unique form of government. The territory’s consensus government is made up of a group of 19 Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) and without the representation of official parties.vi All MLAs are independents, represent their region, and set priorities for the Assembly. These priorities may or may not relate to priorities set by the non-profit sector or territorial organizations themselves. This type of government encourages the feedback and input from citizens across the territory, while also ensuring each region is represented in governance decisions. With a large Indigenous population and various modern land treaties, the NWT seeks to include local Indigenous ways of being in their practices, knowledges, economies, and within its governance.vii In fact, the consensus government model at the level of the Legislative Assembly is built from Indigenous traditions and is often portrayed at the board table within non-profit organizations in the North. Non-profits in the North, and in other smaller communities, value interconnectedness, community engagement, and strong collaboration within the sector.viii 
 

Northern Realities: Northwest Territories  

The resilience and innovation across the NWT, as shown through its non-profit sector, presents as a key strength. The non-profit sector in the NWT builds unique and grassroots programming for Northerners and by Northerners. A strong example of this is through a MakeWay platform project named Supporting Wellbeing, which is “a training program that better prepares land-based leaders to mitigate and respond to mental health challenges on the land.”ix This program has been supported by the Arctic Inspiration Prize (the Prize), which has, and continues to, support innovative and northern-led community ideas. The Prize celebrates northern innovation and opportunities, and its Indigenous co-owners are the keystone to their success.x Another example of opportunity and community-led programming is the Arctic Indigenous Wellness Foundation (the Foundation).xi The Foundation has created a northern and Indigenous-led counselling and on-the-land mental health and addictions treatment program. The purpose and mandate of these programs and organizations also highlights the challenges that they seek to address. Investment in the continuity and resilience of these programs is important in supporting northern livelihoods and cultures and solving issues.   

Due to its history and geographical makeup, the NWT faces compelling trends, challenges and opportunities for its communities and the territory as a whole. The effects of climate change, such as warming temperatures and more severe and dynamic storms and forest fires, greatly impact all aspects of the NWT. A record forest fire season in 2023 demonstrated the constraints of NWT’s infrastructure,xii while also showcasing how Northerners can spring into action to house, feed, and support those fleeing environmental disasters.xiii,xiv A history of colonialism continues to affect the day to day lives of residents today.xv This affect can be seen in numerous social issues including homelessness, struggles with addictions and substance abuse, access to health services, and access to education.xvi These colonial legacies, as with the rest of Canada, have affected the social and environmental determinants of health in many northern Indigenous communities, including high rates of food insecurity, socio-economic marginalization, and adverse living conditions.xvii Despite these challenges, the NWT recognizes the need for cultural revitalization and reclamation to address these areas. The non-profit sector continues to be a vital resource in addressing and providing solutions to prominent issues in the NWT.  

In 2019, the non-profit sector in the NWT contributed to 11.1% of the total economy, providing $487 million in impact to the territory’s GDP and a significant amount of employment to residents.xviii In the same year, the number of jobs in the non-profit sector rose by 35.3% in the NWT, which was one of the largest job growths in the sector across any Canadian jurisdiction.xix Non-profit organizations are still facing challenges related to securing, managing, and increasing the funding they need to achieve their missions and provide continuity to their programs because of elements of grant-making that promote unfair power imbalances. The following case study overviews a previous research study, and evaluates the challenges presented in the NWT’s non-profit sector and community-based solutions to boost the sector so that it can continue providing innovative solutions to today’s issues in the NWT. 

Case Study: Non-Profit Sector in Northwest Territories 

The NWT has a rapidly growing non-profit sector that is a major contributor to the economy and a considerably important vehicle for understanding and providing solutions for some of the NWT’s most pressing community needs. This case study draws from a previous research study that sought to better understand the relationships and power imbalances between grantees and funders in the NWT and explored whether a trust-based philanthropy approach to grant-making could help strengthen those relationships. This research study was conducted in Yellowknife, NWT, on Chief Drygeese Territory, the traditional lands of the Yellowknife Dene First Nation and the North Slave Métis. Nine qualitative interviews were conducted with organizations that were operating in the NWT, with their mandates ranging from Indigenous-led, environmental, child and youth, and recreation-focused. 

There are a few hundred non-profit and charitable organizations in the NWT, and most are registered territorially with the Northwest Territories Non-profit Societies Act.5 The NWT has a high proportion of charities and non-profit organizations registered compared to population size for Canada. This suggests that the non-profit sector in the NWT affects a large portion of the population, which makes it increasingly more important to strengthen the sector.xx By listening to the experiences and perceptions of non-profit organizations themselves, four overarching themes emerged from these interviews and are explored below. 

Community and Organization Empowerment 

Overall, participants indicated an overwhelming appreciation for funders who focus on building genuine and helpful relationships, which consisted of working in close partnership with them, and advocating for their funding proposals, which left them feeling empowered. This type of support is particularly important in northern Canada where operational costs are higher and may require more funding to operate successfully in their more remote location. Unique in the NWT, and arguably elsewhere in the North, organizations and funders often share deep connections due to the smaller population base. A participant describes their experience: 

“… You know, when the community is involved, I find that that’s huge. Like [when] the community knows and sees and takes an interest in what [the organization is] then they’ll look at it for the years to come…” 

Relative to larger urban centres, community empowerment may be even more relevant in the North and other sparsely populated regions due to the interconnectedness of the non-profit sector itself. 

Application and Reporting “Make-Work” 

When describing their perceptions of application and reporting processes, most organizations stated that their experience varied from funder to funder. Organizations described some of their experiences as “challenging” or “intensive,” and others as “amenable” and “straightforward.” One organization highlighted lengthy application templates and drawn-out processes that prevent organizations from: 

“…actually doing […] work in the communities because they are spending too much time writing funding applications.” 

When considering that non-profits provide essential services and an immense amount of impact to NWT residents, it is crucial that funders reduce application and reporting “make-work”, such as streamlining application efforts, providing transparency, and encouraging conversations with grantees, all of which would shift power toward community organizations that are providing support to those who need it most. 

Transactional Relationships and Power 

When asked whether funders understood the work they do, some felt unsure, some said yes, and others qualified their response such that funders understood what their organization does, but less so the challenges they might face. This is especially true for southern funders of northern organizations who lack familiarity with the non-profit sector in the North. The North has unique population, infrastructural, and landscape contexts to deliver programming to remote communities compared to the South. These types of realities may not be recognized by southern funders.  

Operations and Administrative Support 

Organizations mentioned they struggle to receive funding that supports their ongoing operations, something that is necessary to sustain their impact on residents and communities in the NWT. Due to this difficulty, organizations may have to be creative in their applications to continue operating. A participant describes their frustrations: 

“We try as much as possible to enter into multi-year agreements [to] limit that amount because it just makes things easier… I don’t see why non-profit organizations have to keep dancing for their dinner.” 

Non-profits are continuously expected to operate with lean budgets, which perpetuates the feeling of having to “do more with less” and the struggle to fulfill their mandate, reach smaller and remote communities in need, and retain skilled staff.  

These four major themes derived from the interview data aligned with Trust-Based Philanthropy practices,xxi which led to developing the integrated framework for community-drive trust-based philanthropy.  

Implications and Best Practices to support the Non-Profit Sector in NWT 

This case study presents evidence from non-profit organizations in the NWT, highlighting their experiences and relationships with funders. The non-profit sector can be a catalyst for systems change and provide substantial benefits to residents of the NWT. This research introduced a framework named community-driven trust-based philanthropy, which supports the non-profit sector by reflecting their authentic and organic comments throughout the study. Non-profits crave funding relationships that focus on trusting in their work, through unrestricted and multi-year funding agreements, community empowerment, and application and reporting streamlining to avoid administrative make-work. We can support the non-profit sector in ways that are transformational to them and improve the long-term sustainability of local services and programs. The practical implementation of trust-based philanthropy, which funders are encouraged to adopt, can support the capacity and longevity of northern non-profits.  

NWT non-profits are problem solvers, big economic contributors and should be further empowered and invested in for their innovation, creativity and expertise in local knowledge and community wellbeing. Examples such as Supporting Wellbeing,9 Walk to Tuk,xxii and EntrepreNorthxxiii demonstrate how innovation and resilience of the territory is grown and celebrated through this sector. Fostering a more collaborative and impactful funder and non-profit landscape in the NWT can show genuine support to organizations and trust in their vital work. 

The Future of the Northwest Territories 

As this chapter and case study highlights, policy, legislation, and programing in the NWT can be enhanced when non-profit organizations’ voices are represented in the process – and this involvement needs to be meaningful. When governments invite non-profits to the table, it shows they recognize these organizations’ understanding of how to improve the quality of life of Northerners, and value them as community experts and problem solvers. By deepening the impact and shifting power towards the non-profit sector, the future of our northern and remote regions of the NWT can be characterized by thriving communities, people, and environment.  

The future of the NWT, with healthy and meaningful connections between sectors, is bright. The territory is positioned with a unique governance structure that is studied across the globe that has the ability to empower residents, organizations and groups to address key issues in a way that is authentic to the North and its people. The persistent challenges of colonialism, climate change, and disparities of the territory’s population, resources, and infrastructure gaps between the communities and capital, and to the South, are complex. However, rooted in a solid foundation of governance and interconnectedness, especially through the non-profit sector, the territory continues to adapt and be resilient.  

References:  

References

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