Celebrating more than 40 years of service, Ulnooweg has grown into a leading Indigenous not-for-profit organization dedicated to strengthening economic opportunities for Indigenous people, businesses, and communities across Atlantic Canada. Through three interconnected organizations, Ulnooweg delivers business financing, advisory services, education, research, philanthropy, and community economic development initiatives that support Indigenous economic participation and long-term prosperity. The Board met with Ulnooweg leadership during its meeting in Fredericton, New Brunswick, in September 2026, as well as in Millbrook First Nation, Nova Scotia, in 2024.
Background
Ulnooweg is a Mi’kmaw word meaning “acting in an Indigenous way,” reflecting what it means to live and act in accordance with the values, beliefs and customs of the People. This meaning guides Ulnooweg’s work across its three organizations, creating opportunities and solutions grounded in Indigenous ways of Knowing, Being and Doing, while respecting the knowledge, priorities and aspirations of the communities it serves.
Since its establishment in 1985, Ulnooweg has worked across Atlantic Canada to support Indigenous economic participation through entrepreneurship, education, research, and community investment.
The organization emerged from discussions among Mi'kmaq leaders, community advocates, and youth seeking to address the social and economic impacts of colonial policies and create new pathways for Indigenous prosperity. Building on this vision, Atlantic Indigenous leaders established Ulnooweg Development Group Inc. to advance economic opportunities through business development, education, and community-based initiatives.
Today, Ulnooweg’s work is carried forward through three distinct but interconnected organizations:
- Ulnooweg Development Group Inc., a non-profit organization which provides business financing, advisory services, mentorship, fisheries support, and strategic initiatives;
- Ulnooweg Education Centre, a registered charity which delivers Indigenous-focused learning, research, and educational programming; and
- The Ulnooweg Indigenous Communities Foundation, a registered charity which supports philanthropy, scholarships, youth grants, community initiatives, and investment opportunities.
Together, these organizations work to expand access to capital, strengthen entrepreneurship and community capacity. Their collective efforts create opportunities for future generations and advance economic, social, environmental, and cultural outcomes.
Challenges
Ulnooweg was created in response to barriers that limited Indigenous participation in regional economies. Indigenous leaders recognized that conventional financing and economic development systems often did not align with Indigenous priorities, definitions of success, or community objectives. As a result, many entrepreneurs and communities faced challenges accessing capital, business support, and economic development opportunities.
Access to financing was a particular challenge. First Nations businesses and communities frequently encountered obstacles obtaining loans and investment capital, limiting opportunities to start, expand, or diversify economic activities. Indigenous leaders sought to establish an organization that could provide both capital and the expertise needed to support long-term business success.
In Atlantic Canada, these challenges also emerged within the commercial fisheries sector. Following the Supreme Court of Canada's 1999 Marshall decision, Indigenous communities gained increased access to commercial fishing licences, vessels, and quotas. However, building successful fishing enterprises required more than asset ownership. Communities also needed business planning, operational expertise, workforce development, regulatory knowledge, financing, and market relationships to compete in an established industry.
Solutions
Guided by its mission of advancing economic participation "on our terms," Ulnooweg developed a comprehensive Indigenous-led approach to economic development that combines financing, advisory services, education, research, and community investment.
Through its three organizations, Ulnooweg provides entrepreneurs, businesses, and communities with access to capital, business tools, mentorship, innovation programming, educational opportunities, and community development supports. This integrated model recognizes that sustainable economic growth is strengthened when financial resources are paired with capacity development, relationship-building, and long-term planning.
A notable example is Ulnooweg's work in Fisheries & Aquaculture, which began in 2008 through a partnership between Ulnooweg Development Group and the Atlantic Policy Congress of First Nations Chiefs Secretariat under the Atlantic Integrated Commercial Fisheries Initiative. Through this work, Ulnooweg provides technical advisory services, training, project support and access to funding to First Nation commercial fishing enterprises and communities. This includes supporting business planning, vessel management, workforce development and operational capacity, while helping communities pursue opportunities for growth and diversification. Through initiatives including the Northern Integrated Commercial Fisheries Initiative and the Indigenous Marine Servicing Initiative, Ulnooweg continues to support sustainable fisheries enterprises and long-term economic opportunities.
Ulnooweg also continues to respond to emerging opportunities and priorities identified by Indigenous communities. Initiatives such as the Science & Innovation Program promote science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) education and connect Indigenous youth with learning and career pathways in these fields, helping expand participation in growing sectors of the economy.
Results
Over four decades, Ulnooweg has become a key institution supporting Indigenous economic development in Atlantic Canada. By combining access to capital with advisory, educational, and community-based supports, the organization has helped strengthen Indigenous entrepreneurship, business growth, and community economic capacity throughout the region.
Its impact can be seen in the growth of Indigenous-owned businesses, the increasing capacity of Indigenous led economic development initiatives, and the expansion of Indigenous participation across sectors such as fisheries, aquaculture, tourism, forestry, agriculture, clean energy, and major project development.
Through initiatives such as the Fisheries and Aquaculture Program, Ulnooweg has also contributed to the long-term sustainability of Indigenous commercial fisheries by supporting communities in developing the operational and business expertise necessary to fully participate in the sector.
Today, Ulnooweg continues to focus on expanding access to capital, strengthening Indigenous business and community capacity, supporting innovation, and fostering economic opportunities that align with community priorities and aspirations. Its work reflects a long-standing commitment to Indigenous-led economic development and to helping Indigenous communities optimize their participation in local, regional, and national economies.
“When our founders created Ulnooweg forty years ago, they spoke about economic and social well-being, education, training, employment, research, and community development. Today, that vision lives through entrepreneurship financing, social enterprise, impact investing. It lives through the Ulnooweg Development Group, the Ulnooweg Education Centre, The Ulnooweg Indigenous Communities Foundation, and safe spaces like Asitu'l
isk. Looking back, what is remarkable is not how much our mission has changed, but how much of it has remained the same. The tools have evolved, the opportunities have expanded, but the purpose remains unchanged: To strengthen Indigenous communities and create opportunities that allow Indigenous people to thrive.”Christopher Googoo, COO