Indigenous Peoples have been climate leaders for millennia, stewarding lands and waters through self-determined governance and knowledge systems. The Indigenous Stewardship Project Management Program is a new pilot initiative delivered by the Spitz Centre for Indigenous Business Education at UBC Sauder School of Business.

Rooted in a values-led approach unique to each community, this program is designed to strengthen the project management capacity of First Nations in British Columbia leading major land-based conservation and stewardship initiatives. It centers Indigenous knowledge systems, self-determination, and stewardship values, while integrating western project and financial management business skills to support long-term community priorities. 

Many of these First Nations communities are managing projects funded through Canada's Indigenous-Led Area-Based Conservation Fund, BC Parks Foundation's BC Conservation Fund and grants from the Sitka Foundation. This program aims to support communities with the technical skills, tools, and peer support needed to plan, implement, and sustain these impactful stewardship initiatives. The program will focus on:

• Strengthening project management skills with practical tools and techniques for scope definition, resource securement, and grant and financial management.
• Enhancing capacity for financial planning, including budgeting, cashflow management, and risk mitigation to meet grant requirements and ensure long-term sustainability. 
• Learn communication strategies to build effective relationships with key interest groups including governments, industries, funders, non-government partners and local communities.
• Ensuring quality and continuous improvement through project evaluation techniques, quality management tools and lessons learned to enhance future efforts. 
• Facilitating knowledge-sharing and collaboration through networking activities, case studies, and expert guest presentations to promote best practices for Indigenous-led conservation and stewardship activities. 

Read more about the program here: https://www.sauder.ubc.ca/news/indigenous-stewardship-program-ubc-sauder

Twenty First Nations in BC have received invitations to participate in this certificate program. Each invited community may enroll up to  two participants, who are new to, or have moderate experience with project management concepts.  Ideally, these two individuals are involved in leading or supporting the planning and implementation of their community's stewardship initiatives. This may include:

• Land managers, stewardship or guardian coordinators
• Project or grant administrators
• Community members in leadership or operational roles within the stewardship initiative 

Delivered across three modules:

• Module 1: In-Person Workshop (Oct 16 & Oct 17, 2025)

  • A two-day gathering featuring guest presentations from communities successfully leading land conservation and stewardship projects, alongside peer learning and discussions on the challenges and opportunities of implementing these Indigenous-led stewardship and conservation projects. 
• Module 2: Online Courses & Technical Sessions (Oct 24, 2025 - Jan 16, 2026)
  • A series of online classes taught by UBC Sauder faculty and subject matter experts. Courses cover core project management and financial management concepts, with technical classes tailored to community feedback from open houses and surveys. 
• Module 3: In-Person Workshop (Jan 22-24, 2026)
  • A closing three-day gathering to reflect on key learnings, apply practical project management tools to participants' own initiatives, and hear insights from other communities working in Indigenous-led land stewardship.

Topics covered across all three modules include:

• Project planning and strategy
• Scope, schedule, and resource management
• Budget, financial oversight, and risk mitigation 
• Communication and reporting 
• Quality assurance and project evaluation
• Guest-led sessions on lessons learned from First Nation communities advancing Indigenous-led conservation and stewardship initiatives; values-driven stewardship planning; government tools to support pre- and post-conservation designation; grant securement, management and reporting; and approaches to endowment fund planning for long-term sustainability. 

Program Dates

For 2025, this pilot program is invite-only. If this year's delivery proves successful, the Spitz Centre for Indigenous Business Education hopes to expand the program to an open-enrollment model in future years, allowing communities to apply directly without an invitation. For First Nation communities invited to participate in this year's pilot, application and payment details will be shared via email by the Spitz Centre for Indigenous Business Education. 

The majority of program costs are covered by external donor funding. A tuition fee of $1,500 per First Nation community (not person) is required, with up to two individuals from each community eligible to participate. Travel, accommodation and per diems will not be covered by UBC for in-person dates. 

This is a certificate-based program (non-credit). Students will receive a certificate upon completion of the program. 

For more information, contact: erin.catherall@sauder.ubc.ca