Indigenous Services
Indigenous Services
Dedicated services for First Nations bands, tribal councils, and Indigenous organizations. Fractional CAO, CFO, controllership, governance support, and economic development planning. Serving communities across British Columbia and Canada.
Indigenous services built around your Community’s goals.
Your community is building toward a prosperous future. Whether it is advancing sustainable economic development and benefiting from resources, strengthening your organizational structure or governance, ensuring strong financial management or assuming jurisdiction in a number of areas, we at Treewalk are here to work alongside you as a dedicated partner.
First Nations governments and organizations operate in an environment unlike that of any other organization. Multiple reporting streams. Complex funding agreements. High expectations from community members and federal funders alike. And sometimes, a small management and staff team of just a few people manages it all.
Treewalk has a dedicated Indigenous services practice. Not a side offering. Not a checkbox. A team that understands the unique governance, compliance, and capacity challenges facing First Nations communities, and works alongside your leadership to serve your nation’s priorities.
SERVICES
Financial Management
Bookkeeping, financial reporting, and controllership adapted for Indigenous organizations. We understand ISC reporting requirements, Data Collection Instruments, and the nuances of managing multiple funding streams. Whether you need day-to-day bookkeeping support or oversight of your entire finance function, our team delivers accurate, compliant financials on time.
Fractional (Interim, Temporary or Ongoing) Leadership
Our work needs to be meticulous, so our standards are high. We’re helping to propel industry-shaping businesses so we look for industry-shaping talent. We hire top graduates and equip them with training and tools to do their best work.
With our experienced roster of CFOs, expertise in taking companies public and keeping them there and dedicated CPA training—we offer an ecosystem of support.
Governance and Policy
At Treewalk we embrace change and believe everyone is empowered to fix what’s not working. There’s no cookie-cutter path. No rigid schedule.
We want you to leverage your own talents and strengths and pursue whatever opportunities cross your path.
We don’t just list how to live a healthy and balanced life—we add real value with benefits from day one, like parental leave top-ups, wellness programs, remote work options and a no-strings-attached path to earning your CPA.
It’s with this collective entrepreneurial spirit that we’re building the accounting firm of the future. Join us for the ride.
Grant and Proposal Writing
Securing funding requires proposals that are technically sound and strategically aligned with funder priorities. We support communities with grant applications, funding proposals, and the financial components that make submissions competitive. We can also provide grant and proposal reporting to ensure compliance and ongoing funding.
Economic Development Planning
From feasibility studies to entity structuring, we support communities pursuing economic development opportunities. Whether you’re establishing a development corporation, negotiating an impact benefit agreement, or planning community infrastructure, our team provides the financial planning and analysis to move projects forward.
Community Planning and Engagement
Strategic plans, community engagement processes, and demographic research help to set your nation’s priorities and we are here to assist you. We help communities develop plans that reflect what members actually need, grounded in data and built for implementation.
Jurisdiction
Supporting First Nations in land code development, jurisdiction work and related governance initiatives. This is complex, long-term work that requires a partner who understands the legal, financial, and community dimensions.
Health, Education and Social Services
We provide planning, jurisdiction work, and implementation support for communities building their own service delivery capacity in health, education, and social services. As more Nations move toward self-governance and jurisdiction, the agreements, structuring and financial arrangements need to be right.
Negotiation Support
We provide financial analysis, modeling, and advisory support for communities in negotiations, whether with industry partners, government bodies, or other parties. Our team provides the numbers and the context your negotiators need at the table.
WHO WE WORK WITH
We work with First Nations bands, tribal councils, and Indigenous organizations across British Columbia and Canada. Our clients range from small communities to large multi-service organizations. Every engagement is built around your community’s specific needs and priorities.
OUR TEAM
Diane Janzen MA
Managing Director, Indigenous and Government Services
Diane brings extensive experience in the public sector and Indigenous management. She has led engagements with governments, First Nations, and agencies, with a focus on getting results. She has worked for governments, First Nations and non-profit agencies bringing hands-on knowledge to the table. For First Nations she has worked in the areas of administration, education, economic development, health and social services, land code, and finance. She brings particular expertise in proposal and grant-writing achieving an 82% success rate.
David Dick CPA
Director, Indigenous and Government Services
David leads Treewalk's Indigenous services practice. He works directly with First Nations bands, tribal councils, and Indigenous organizations across Western Canada, delivering strategic financial leadership to support long-term goals, priorities and nation-building initiatives.
WHY TREEWALK
Large firms treat Indigenous services as one line item in a long list of industries they serve. We built a dedicated practice because we are committed to First Nations and indigenous prosperity, governance and community wellness.
Your community isn’t a standard contract. The reporting requirements are different. The governance structures are different. The accountability, to your members, to funders, to future generations, is different. Our team understands that and our approach reflects it.
We’re here to strengthen your community’s capacity, not to create dependency on external advisors. Our focus is not on long consultancy reports that sit on a shelf but real-life work that shows results.
FAQ
We work with First Nations bands, tribal councils, and Indigenous organizations across British Columbia and Canada. This includes governance bodies, service delivery organizations and economic development entities.
Yes. Our team understands ISC reporting requirements, Data Collection Instruments, and the specific templates and timelines that apply to funded programs. We also support communities transitioning to the New Fiscal Relationship 10-Year Grant, which significantly reduces reporting requirements.
Yes. We help communities maintain the financial performance standards required for FMB Financial Performance certification, which is the gateway to FNFA financing. This includes ensuring your audited financials meet the six financial ratios assessed over a five-year period.
Yes. Our fractional CFO and CAO services are designed for exactly this situation. We provide experienced management and finance leadership to maintain continuity through staff transitions, council changes, or extended vacancies.
Treewalk is headquartered in Vancouver, BC. Our team works remotely across Canada, and we travel to communities as needed.
Let's talk about what your community needs
Call or email Diane Janzen, Managing Director of Indigenous and Government Advisory Services at diane.janzen@treewalk.com or phone/text at 604-790-1496.
