Indigenous Innovation Initiative (I3) Evaluation Interview Guide
Crafted for Indigenous Innovators
Prepared by COYA Productions for the Indigenous Innovation Initiative Evaluation Project
This evaluation and its findings will also fulfil a core requirement for the Indigenous Innovation Initiatives funding with Women and Gender Equality Canada (WaGE).
🌿 Opening — Grounding in Gifts and Story
1. Do you consent to share your Indigenous Innovation Initiative story for the purposes of
program evaluation and improvements?
2. My Indigenous Innovation Initiative innovation offered a meaningful gift to the world.
Scale (1-7) - Strongly Disagree ||||| Strongly Agree
3. What are the gift(s) you offered the world through your Indigenous Innovation Initiative funded innovation.
4. The Indigenous Innovation Initiative offers a meaningful gift to the world.
Scale (1-7) - Strongly Disagree ||||| Strongly Agree
5. How would you describe the gift(s) the Indigenous Innovation Initiative offers the world?
6. The Indigenous Innovation Initiative amplifies community or cultural strengths that matter to me or my organization?
Scale (1-7) - Strongly Disagree ||||| Strongly Agree
7. What strengths in your community or culture did Indigenous Innovation Initiative help amplify or bring forward?
🌸 Advancing Gender Equity and Rematriation
8. In your story, has the Indigenous Innovation Initiative advanced gender equality and rematriation?
Scale (1-7) Not at all ||||| Extremely
9. How important is it for the Indigenous Innovation Initiative to continue supporting rematriation and gender equality?
Scale (1-7) Not at all ||||| Extremely
10. In what ways did Indigenous Innovation Initiative support your journey as an innovator? What aspects of their support were most impactful?
11. What barriers, if any, did you experience within the Indigenous Innovation Initiative program, and how can Indigenous Innovation Initiative address them for future innovators?
12. What more can the Indigenous Innovation Initiative do to support rematriation and gender equality for Indigenous Innovators?
💸 Economic Empowerment, Capacity Building and Self Determination
13. Did the Indigenous Innovation Initiative’s support help you earn a living wage?
(Multiple Choice)
( ) Yes, I earned a living wage
( ) No, I didn't earn a living wage
( ) I don’t know
14. To what extent did the Indigenous Innovation Initiative’s support help you generate self-sustaining revenue streams
Scale (1-7) Not at all ||||| Extremely
( ) It was not part of the project goal
15. Has your dependence on external funding to support your innovation changed as a result of participating in the Indigenous Innovation Initiative?
Scale (1-7) Greatly Increased ||||| Greatly Decreased
16. Since participating in Indigenous Innovation Initiative, has your confidence increased in the following areas?
Scale (1-7) None ||||| A Great Deal
Finance
Entrepreneurship
Impact Measurement
Indigenous Investment Models
Other (fill in the blank)
17. We imagine your involvement in the Indigenous Innovation Initiative program had an impact on your innovation. Describe the most impactful change you noticed.
18. What outcomes were reached that would not have been possible without the Indigenous Innovation Initiative’s support?
🌐 Relationships and Relational Approach
19. What relationships mattered most to you throughout the Indigenous Innovation Initiative funding?
Scale (1-7) Matters the Least ||||| Matters the Most
Funding partners, GCC leadership team, The Indigenous Innovation Initiative Council ,The Indigenous Innovation Initiative Team, Indigenous communities, Innovator, Knowledge Keepers / Elders, Other
20. Throughout your Indigenous Innovation Initiative experience, how many new relationships did you form?
0-3 | 3-5 | 5-7 | 7-10 | 10-15 | 15-20 | 20+
21. What kind of ongoing relationship(s) would you like to maintain with Indigenous Innovation Initiative?
Check all that apply
[ ] Belonging: Alumni network
[ ] Mentoring: New Innovators
[ ] Reviewing: Funding Applications
[ ] Applying: Funding Opportunities
[ ] Attending: Events/Ceremonies
[ ] Volunteering: Indigenous Innovation Council Member
[ ] Employment: Indigenous Innovation Initiative Team Member
[ ] Acquisition: Owning the Indigenous Innovation Initiative
[ ] Speaking: Keynotes/ Panels
[ ] Other: (fill in the blank)
22. Is there anything else you would like to share about the relationship(s) and the relationship based investment models at the Indigenous Innovation Initiative? This relationship can come from your ancestors, family, community, nation, network, or the Indigenous Innovation Initiative community.
🔥 Cultural Grounding
23. The Indigenous Innovation Initiative honours and implements Indigenous values in its grant-making process.
Scale (1-7) Strongly Disagree ||||| Strongly Agree
24. Has the Indigenous Innovation Initiative funding contributed to decolonizing access to capital at the ecosystem level?
Scale (1-7) None ||||| A Great Deal
25. To what extent were ceremonies and Indigenous ways of knowing/being integrated into your experience of Indigenous Innovation Initiative funding?
Scale (1-7) None ||||| A Great Deal
26. How many Indigenous Innovation Initiative hosted ceremonies did you attend or witness?
Scale (1-7) 0 | 1 | 2-3 | 4-5 | 6-10 | 11-15 | 15+
27. How has the Indigenous Innovation Initiative integrated, honoured, and implemented Indigenous values in its program as a grant making organization?
28. How might you describe Indigenous Innovation Initiative's contribution to decolonization, Indigenous self-determination, and reconciliation at the ecosystem level?
29.To what extent did the integration of ceremonies and Indigenous ways of knowing/being culturally affirm your innovation?
🌍 Systems Change and Policy Influence
30. In your view, how effectively did the Indigenous Innovation Initiative contribute to building an ecosystem of Indigenous Innovation across Turtle Island?
Scale (1-7) Not at all ||||| Extremely
31. How important is the Indigenous Innovation Initiatives role as a catalyst for broader policy changes that support Indigenous Innovation at a federal level?
Scale (1-7) Not at all ||||| Extremely
32. How was your experience applying for funding, accepting, receiving and reporting for your Indigenous Innovation Initiative project?
33. Where have you seen Indigenous Innovation Initiative influence any changes that reflect Indigenous perspectives on innovation, if any?
34. Please use this space to elaborate your experience with systems change or policy influence with the Indigenous Innovation Initiative?
⚕️ Social and Health Impacts
35. To what extent has Indigenous Innovation Initiative supported positive outcomes for Indigenous communities in the short term (1–2 years)?
Scale (1-7) None ||||| A Great Deal
36.To what extent did you or your community experience improvements in well-being, health, or social conditions due to the Indigenous Innovation Initiative’s support?
Scale (1-7) None ||||| A Great Deal
37. What lasting social and health impacts do you believe the Indigenous Innovation Initiative has made on the Indigenous innovation ecosystem?
🌱 Investment Areas, Priorities, and Natural World
38. Which investment areas have you seen the Indigenous Innovation Initiative advance?
Scale (1-7) Least advanced/Don’t know/ Somewhat advanced/Most advanced
Technology ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
Land ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
Wellness ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
Food ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
39. What other investment areas would you like to see the Indigenous Innovation Initiative prioritize in future funding rounds?
40. Please rank the following guiding strengths by importance to the Indigenous Innovation Initiative’s future.
Drag and drop to rank 1-10
Relationships and Relational Approach ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
Decolonized Funding and Investment ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
Capacity Building ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
Cultural Grounding and Self-Determination ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
Visibility and Knowledge Mobilization ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
Economic Empowerment ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
Social and Health Impact ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
Rematriation and Gender Equity ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
Systems Change and Policy Influence ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
Other (fill in the blank)
41. If Mother Earth could speak, where would she say your impact was felt the most?
📣 Visibility and Knowledge Mobilization
42. How effectively has Indigenous Innovation Initiative raised public awareness or visibility of Indigenous innovation?
Scale (1-7) Not at all ||||| Extremely
43. Did Indigenous Innovation Initiative respectfully share stories that reflect your values, strengths, and knowledge?
44. Where did you observe Indigenous Innovation Initiative respectfully share stories
that reflect Indigenous values, strengths, and knowledge, if at all?
✨ The Consequences Of Your Actions and Heart Reflections
45. What consequences of your actions are you most proud to share from your time with Indigenous Innovation Initiative?
46. Based on your Indigenous Innovation Initiative experience, what's next for you or your innovation?
47. What else is on your heart to share with the evaluators?
48. Should we be interested in understanding more about any of your feedback, are you open to being contacted for further storytelling?
a). If you’re open to further storytelling, what email should we use to contact you?