Partnership launches Indigenous pathways to entrepreneurship in northern Manitoba

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Indigenous entrepreneurs in northern Manitoba will soon have expanded access to mentorship, training, and funding through a new partnership between the Indigenous Prosperity Foundation (IPF) and Community Futures North Central Development (CFNCD).

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The two organizations announced Friday the launch of the Indigenous Pathways to Entrepreneurship Program, a first-of-its-kind collaboration that will bring tailored business supports directly into Indigenous communities across the region.

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“This partnership is about advancing prosperity by ensuring Indigenous entrepreneurs have access to mentorship, funding, and training rooted in Indigenous ways of doing business,” said Relay Tangie, Interim Executive Director of IPF. “Together with CFNCD, we are building pathways to opportunity, innovation, and community wealth.”

Programs to Build Skills and Opportunity

The initiative includes three cornerstone programs:

• Skill Development Program, a six-month, hands-on series of workshops and mentorship sessions, paired with grants of up to $3,000.
• Money Smarts: My Financial Journey, eight annual financial literacy workshops using a culturally relevant board game to help youth strengthen money management skills.
• Launchpad for Entrepreneurs, a 12-week training program featuring 50 online modules, mentorship, and access to $3,000 seed grants for youth and early-stage entrepreneurs.

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The partnership will invest more than $265,000 over the next two years. Each year, at least 10 entrepreneurs will take part in the Skill Development Program, eight communities will host Money Smarts sessions, and 10 youth will participate in the Launchpad training.

Tim Johnston, Manager of CFNCD, said the initiative builds on decades of local experience in delivering business financing and mentorship. “By combining training, mentorship, and grants, we are creating tangible pathways for entrepreneurs across 17 First Nations, Northern Affairs, and urban communities and, more broadly, for the entire north to thrive and contribute to lasting prosperity.”

Success Story Points to Potential

One of the clearest examples of what these kinds of supports can achieve comes from Shannon Osmond, an audiologist who started her practice in Opaskwayak Cree Nation with help from CFNCD. Through a mix of mentorship, microloans, and grants, Osmond built a clinic that now provides essential hearing health services to her community and beyond.

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Her work has since expanded to national advocacy, speaking on Indigenous recruitment in audiology and advancing healthcare priorities linked to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action. Osmond said she is eager to return as a mentor under the new IPF–CFNCD partnership, helping the next generation of Indigenous entrepreneurs succeed.

“This is what Indigenous-led entrepreneurship looks like: innovation that meets community needs, creates jobs, and builds long-term prosperity,” Tangie said. “By lifting up entrepreneurs like Shannon, we are investing in a stronger future for everyone.”

The Indigenous Prosperity Foundation is a national organization focused on advancing Indigenous entrepreneurship through education, mentorship, and community initiatives. Based in Thompson, Community Futures North Central Development is an Indigenous Financial Institution serving 17 northern Manitoba communities, providing financing, training, and mentorship to support new and growing businesses.

— Steven Sukkau is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of the Winnipeg Sun. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.

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