Indigenous Labour Market Fund (LMF)

Overview

Every job sector in every region of B.C. has baseline employment trends, labour market conditions and opportunities, social, environmental, and economic trends as they relate to indigenous participation. The Indigenous Labour Market Fund (LMF) will support Indigenous communities in building capacity in gathering foundational data used to identify gaps, opportunities, and strategies for future employment training, recruitment, placements, retention, and long-term employment to increase the participation of Indigenous peoples in sectors relevant to each indigenous community or region.

The Indigenous Labour Market Fund (LMF) is intended to support and enhance a next generation approach of indigenous initiatives to address three specific labour market issues or gaps impacting Indigenous people across B.C.

1. Labour Market Studies: to cover costs associated with the update or development of comprehensive plans or studies that identify Indigenous led initiatives to increase the recruitment, placement, advancement and ultimately greater participation and success of indigenous peoples in various sectors and regions across B.C. 
2. Indigenous-led Cultural Competency Training for Employers: costs and fees associated with the update or development of culturally relevant and meaningful training initiatives that recognize that recruitment, retention, and advancement of Indigenous workers requires special attention that embraces cultural differences and funding to support the development and or delivery of Indigenous cultural training and materials for sectors and employers unique to each region or community.
3. Culturally relevant job fairs: costs associated with hosting innovative job fair initiatives which can be an effective recruitment strategy to foster and support the existing and potential roles of Indigenous workers in a certain industry or with specific employers.

Fund Objectives

The objectives of the Indigenous LMF are:

• Reduce barriers for First Nations and Indigenous service delivery organizations to participate in certain Labour market and employment initiatives by providing an indigenous-led, distinctions-based platform that provides streamlined, cooperative, and low-barrier permissive access to support.
• Reduce the administrative burden on First Nations and Indigenous service delivery organizations on program elements that are deemed overly colonial and paternalistic. The goal is to create more balance in the funding relationship.
• Provide cultural accommodation and flexibility for program design and delivery to empower First Nations and Indigenous service delivery organizations to offer culturally relevant services and activities that meet the needs of their members, job seekers and communities.
• Address current gaps in Indigenous labour market and employment funding, by enhancing collaboration and participation between the Province of BC, First Nations, and Indigenous service delivery organizations through meaningful dialogue to achieve a more inclusive, safe, and respected approach to cooperatively implement strategies to improve skills, training, and employment of Indigenous Peoples.
• Work cooperatively with First Nations and Indigenous Service delivery organizations in supporting a continuum of support for Indigenous Peoples in accessing and developing skills and emerging abilities to pursue employment opportunities that ultimately improve employment, earnings, and wellbeing outcomes of Indigenous Peoples.

Who Can Apply

Eligible applicants are:

• First Nation Communities (Indian Act, Self-Government Agreement, or Treaty Agreement) or an organization under their authority or control.
• Tribal Councils
• Indigenous Skills and Employment Training Offices (ISETs)
• Métis Nation Government of BC
• Métis Chartered Communities
• Indigenous Organizations (wholly owned indigenous organizations that serve and support Indigenous Communities in achieving their labour market and employment initiatives.

Funding Streams

• Applicants can apply to any one of the 3 streams of funding but can only receive funding one funding stream (i.e. project) at a time.
• Applicants must complete their project and meet the final report conditions before being eligible to apply to the other streams of funding.

Stream 1: Labour Market Plans/Studies

Stream 2: Cultural Recognition Support

Stream 3: Job Fairs

Funding Process

Funding Approval / Evaluations Process

The NRT will validate applications based on organization and project eligibility. Please allow 2 to 3 weeks after submitting a fully complete application to receive a funding decision.

Deliverable and Reporting Requirements

This funding program aims to share resources, knowledge, and lessons learned on completed projects such that other Nations and Indigenous communities contemplating the same or similar project can benefit to improve expectations of a successful project. NRT uses a basic final report tool and other communication approaches to identify successes, challenges, and other learning opportunities for each applicant/project.

Application coaching/assistance and Submission information

The New Relationship Trust is available to work with potential applicants. If you have questions, require assistance, or wish to request an application discussion, please reach out to us.

Completed applications, questions, final reports, and other follow-up matters can be submitted to LMF@NRTF.ca

Intake Frequency

The LMF program will have a continuous intake and approval process during the annual application intake periods indicated below.

Please note that the actual closing dates below are subject to change and will end earlier of the intake closing date indicated or when the annual funding available has been exhausted.

Contact Us

The LMF Staff encourage potential applicants to reach out with any questions, or assistance with completing an application or wish to discuss your project idea prior to applying.

Please contact us at the email address below and we will respond as soon as we can, typically within 2 to 3 business days. 

By Email:  LMF@nrtf.ca