Results at a Glance - Evaluation of Engagement and Capacity Support

Introduction

The evaluation of Engagement and Capacity Support examined three funding authorities managed by Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC) with support from federal partners, including Indigenous Services Canada (ISC).

The three authorities are:

• Basic Organizational Capacity (BOC)
• Consultation and Policy Development (C&PD)
• Federal Interlocutor's Contribution Program (FICP)

BOC, C&PD and FICP provide different types of funding to national and regional Indigenous Representative Organizations (IROs).  

Program Resources

Over the evaluation period, program expenditures were approximately:

• BOC ($159.3 million);
• C&PD ($187.8 million);
• FICP ($165.8 million).

Expected Results and Outcomes

During the evaluation period, the programs fell under CIRNAC's core departmental responsibility of Rights and Self-Determination.

The expected results were that Indigenous peoples and Northerners:

• Determine their political, economic and social development;
• Advance their governance institutions;
• Advance Indigenous self-determination and inherent right of self-government.

What the evaluation found

• BOC funding is not fully attaining the intended outcome of IRO contributions to and participation in government policy and program development in a meaningful and equitable manner.
• BOC funding does not take into account the broader mandates of IROs, which contribute to their ability to meaningfully contribute to and participate in government policy and program development. 
• IROs expressed that C&PD engagements were not always meaningful or adequately resourced.
• There is overlap and limited clarity between BOC, C&PD, and FICP.
• FICP is contributing to intended outcomes, including the development and maintenance of an objectively verifiable membership system for Métis in Canada.
• Clear direction is needed on how to proceed with Métis and Non-Status Indian partners following the Supreme Court of Canada's Daniels decision.
• Multiyear funding agreements with national organizations representing women and Non‑Status Indians are limited.

Recommendations and Responses

It is recommended that CIRNAC:

1. Work with Indigenous and federal partners to:

• define the core operational capacity requirements for recipient organizations to meaningfully and equally contribute to government policy and program development; and
• consider options for a more flexible, multiyear, comprehensive funding formula for core operational support.

Response: CIRNAC officials with authority to provide BOC funding will hold exploratory discussions with concerned parties to clarify the policy intention of the BOC program with respect to the core capacity requirements of IROs. Discussions are being led on the viability of a more flexible and comprehensive approach to organizational funding.

2. Improve coordination and alignment between the three authorities.

Response: CIRNAC officials will hold exploratory discussions with concerned parties to determine the viability of streamlining and/or clarifying the policy intentions of capacity support to IROs.

3. Work with Indigenous and federal partners to develop a strategy for the FICP Projects Stream that addresses the Supreme Court of Canada's 2016 Daniels decisions re: Section 91 (24) rights, and supports the self‑determination and advancement of Indigenous governance institutions.

Response: CIRNAC will work with its Indigenous partners and Post-Daniels Reconciliation Committees to assess gaps in current approaches for renewing relationships with Métis and Non-Status Indians communities.

4. Work with Indigenous and federal partners to develop an engagement model that facilitates meaningful Indigenous input and participation in policy and program development as it relates to these authorities.

Response: Creative and innovative ideas need to be developed with departmental stakeholders, based on recommendations received to date through engagement, evaluations, and independent reports. The result will be a compendium of possible changes to engagement that could be discussed and further refined with partners.

5. Work with Indigenous and federal partners to develop new performance measurement tools for core operational capacity support, departmental engagement efforts, and the new approach to the relationship with Section 91(24) Métis and Non-Status Indians groups that are meaningful and beneficial to both CIRNAC and recipients.

Response: Policy and Strategic Direction will undertake a full program review of the funding relationship with IROs to determine how best to coordinate and align the three programs. This review will also inform how to better coordinate and align capacity support, engagement efforts, improve performance measurement tools, and the approach to the relationships with Section 91(24) Métis and Non-Status Indian groups.

About this evaluation

The evaluation examined the relevance and performance of three funding authorities over the evaluation period of April 1, 2014 to March 31, 2019. Findings are based on the analysis of data from 46 key informant interviews, including 36 interviews with funding recipients, a literature review and document review.