The Indigenous Initiatives Fund IV (IIF IV) is a financial assistance program for Indigenous businesses in Québec that is available until March 2027. It was established by the Secrétariat aux Affaires Autochtones Quebec (SAA). By mandate of the Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke, Tewatohnhi’saktha will manage and administer the application process of the IIF IV for Kahnawà:ke businesses; however, the SAA will carry out the final approval process and disburse the funds. 

For more information please contact Tammy Delaronde – Executive Director or Daryl Leclaire – Director of Business Services at 450-638-4280 or IIFIV@kedc.biz.

Entrepreneurship

An Entrepreneurship project must target business startup, expansion or development. It must, in addition, meet one or more of the following requirements:

• Have a structuring effect on the Indigenous population
• Target job creation for Indigenous people
• Be economically and socially sustainable
• Increase the visibility of the Indigenous nation or community and the Indigenous population in general
• Enable the community’s development objectives to be implemented

Structuring projects for economic development that generate indirect benefits may also receive support, provided the benefits can be demonstrated.

Eligible costs for this category are limited to capital expenditure, as defined by generally accepted accounting principles.

However, assistance may be granted for activities to promote transition to the digital age as part of an eligible entrepreneurial project. In this case, the costs linked to the design of websites or web platforms are eligible, for up to 20% of the total eligible project costs.

Ineligible costs

For all categories in the Economic Development component, the reimbursement of a debt or deficit, and working capital, are not eligible costs.

Construction work

Special condition for an infrastructure located outside an Indigenous community

To be eligible for funding for construction work of $100,000 and more on an infrastructure located outside an Indigenous community, an eligible organization must meet at least one of the following conditions:

• Hold title as the owner of the infrastructure concerned
• Be in the process of purchasing the infrastructure, as demonstrated by a formal written undertaking
• Hold or be in the process of obtaining a lease or emphyteutic lease that is or will be in force for at least five years after construction is complete

Requirement to seek bids

For an eligible project that requires construction work costing $100,000 or more, the eligible organization does not need to issue a public call for tenders to award the contract as provided for in the Act respecting contracting by public bodies (CQLR, chapter C-65.1).

However, the eligible organization must meet the following minimum requirements for awarding a construction contract of more than $100,000 but less than $1 million:

• Issue an open call for tenders with a public announcement
• Issue an invitation-only call for tenders to at least three qualified contractors

For construction work over $1 million, the eligible organization must, at a minimum, issue an open call for tenders with a public announcement. These types of calls for tenders are usually posted in newspapers, displayed in the local offices of construction associations, and/or announced via a public electronic service. They must allow all qualified and interested contractors to bid on the contract. The announcements or public notices must be distributed widely enough to reach a suitable number of qualified and interested contractors, resulting in a competitive bidding process.

For all calls for tenders for construction work, whether announced publicly or by invitation only:

• the deadline for receiving bids must not be less than fifteen days, and
• bids can only be requested and contracts awarded
  • at a fixed price, or
  • based on a unit price.

Financial assistance cannot be used to make a payment to any entity that:

• is named in the Register of enterprises ineligible for public contracts, or
• has, in the two years preceding the application for financial assistance, failed to meet its obligations after being put on notice to do so in connection with financial assistance previously granted by a department or funding agency of the Government of Québec.

Financial assistance

Financial assistance is provided in the form of a grant. The maximum grant is determined according to the financial needs of the promoter and the assistance provided by Government of Québec departments and agencies and by the federal government.

To encourage partnerships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people, any organization or business forming part of such a partnership will be 100% eligible for the program, provided that the Indigenous promoter retains effective control and owns at least 50% of the partnership, if it is an enterprise.

If the Indigenous promoter owns less than 50% of the partnership, the eligible costs will be covered up to the same percentage.

Project assessment criteria

In general, projects will be assessed using the following criteria:

• Consistency with the program objectives and principles:
• Eligibility under the terms and conditions
• Compatibility of the objectives with the objectives of the component
• Technical feasibility of the project:
• Mastery of the technical aspects
• Realistic timeframe for completing the project
• Financial feasibility of the project:
• Detailed financing plan
• Reliability, coherence and realism of the budget forecasts
• Cost-effectiveness
• Quality of the organization:
• Relevance of the promoters’ skills and experience
• The appropriateness of the choices made with respect to outside experts, if applicable
• Thoroughness of the market analysis, including knowledge of client groups’ needs
• Results to be achieved using the funding requested:
•  Number of jobs created or maintained
• Investment generated
• Contribution made to local and regional development
• Economic and social sustainability
• Structuring effects for Indigenous people

Some sub-components may include specific criteria, which will be considered in conjunction with the general criteria.

Application Process

Promoters must submit a detailed business plan with two (2) years of historical financial statements and three (3) years of financial projections for existing businesses and five (5) years of financial projections for start-up businesses.  The plan must also outline the total project costs for which funding is being applied for through the IIF IV and include corresponding quotes for those costs.

Tewatohnhi’saktha is responsible for analysing the business plan and seeking support from the Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke through a Mohawk Council Executive Directive (MCED) as per the IIF IV requirements for Band Council support.

Upon receipt of the MCED, the business plan and MCED will be sent to the Secrétariat aux affaires autochtones to complete their analysis.  The SAA will communicate directly with the proponent upon receipt of the plan.