In 2020, the Canadian university of Western Ontario launched an innovative Indigenous community-led funding initiative, later evaluated through a 2022 qualitative study of its first round. Unlike traditional models, Indigenous communities themselves identified research priorities through outreach to over 700 organizations, while academics served as mentors rather than lead investigators. Nine projects were funded, and the study highlights both the successes and challenges of this approach. While the initiative achieved several goals, it also revealed barriers to advancing Indigenous research governance and self-determination.

Fournier, Cathy; Suzanne Stewart; Joshua Adams; Clay Shirt; Esha Mahabir; Cohen Pinkoski. 2024. “Decolonizing Academic Funding: An Evaluation of an Indigenous Collaborative Funding Initiative.” The International Indigenous Policy Journal 15(2): 1-11.