Indigenous-led innovative solutions to address social, health and economic challenges. The participants interested in this challenge need to follow the next 2 steps:

• Identify a social, health or economic challenge that you want to tackle in your Indigenous community.
• Suggest an innovative solution (Indigenous innovation) to that challenge that considers the four core principles of the Indigenous Innovation Initiative challenge.

Core Principles of Challenge

Gender lens
We define the application of a gender lens as the practice of considering the influence of gender and the impacts on people of all genders across all aspects of the innovation. Applying a gender lens includes consideration for how the innovation empowers women and girls, including gender diverse peoples, and how the work applies a gender-aware approach

Indigenous innovation
Indigenous innovation is when some or all parts of a program, product, process or service that is designed, developed or invented by an Indigenous person or community is one of the following:

• A new idea, program, product, process or service
• A unique modification of a current program, product, process or service

We recognize that Indigenous innovation as not exclusively something new, but something that can be based on historical or traditional Indigenous knowledge and practices and applied to a new situation or context.

Indigenous-led ideas
Each group that presents an idea for this challenge must be led by an Indigenous individual.

Indigenous Identity
The purpose of the Indigenous Innovation Initiative is to support innovation and social impact that is led by and/or created by Indigenous peoples.

We believe in an inclusive approach to Indigenous identity, and that things like past and ongoing colonial policies and the impact of racism has contributed to many Indigenous peoples, communities and groups being exclusively targeted or outright excluded by various programs.

It is our intention to be thoughtful about access to the Indigenous Innovation Initiative’s programs, and to make sure we demonstrate accountability to our communities. This includes being transparent about where each project is from and how it will make a positive impact for Indigenous groups, inclusive of First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples.

We recognize that not everyone is “registered” with their respective Indigenous governance organization. We will work to support innovation by and for status and non-status First Nations, registered and unregistered Métis, and those who are and are not beneficiaries of their Inuit Land Claims Organization, no matter their gender, sexuality, experiences or gifts, and respecting the variety of ways an Indigenous community might be identified.

Successful applicants to the Indigenous Innovation Initiative’s programs and opportunities will be asked to demonstrate their connections to Indigenous identity and community. This could include a copy of your “registration” and/or a letter of support from your governance organization (e.g., Band office) and/or a letter of nomination from an Indigenous community organization or group, and/or other relevant evidence of your connection.