Future Generations Foundation Announces New Chair, Arnold Blackstar, and Thanks Outgoing Chair, Keith Martell

November 5, 2024 - Akwesasne, ON - The Future Generations Foundation is pleased to announce the appointment of Arnold Blackstar as the new Chair of the Board of Trustees. Mr. Blackstar brings extensive leadership experience, having served Indigenous communities through roles in higher education sector, youth development, nonprofit organizations, government sectors, as well as within the United Nations.

This appointment underscores the Future Generations Foundation’s commitment to strengthening our leadership and advancing our mission to support individuals and communities in addressing the long-term harms of the Indian Residential School System and to promote reconciliation. Mr. Blackstar’s expertise and insights will be invaluable as the Future Generations Foundation moves into this exciting new chapter.

"We are thrilled to have Mr. Blackstar join us, and we look forward to benefiting from his insights as we continue to support First Nations individuals and communities," said Naomi Racette, Future Generations Foundation, Executive Director.

The Future Generations Foundation also extends our heartfelt gratitude to outgoing Chair Keith Martell for his outstanding stewardship and dedication. Under Mr. Martell’s leadership, the Future Generations Foundation solidified its investment strategy and policies, established strong governance procedures, launched the Beyond Reconciliation Campaign to meet the needs of beneficiaries, achieved independence as a standalone organization, and adopted a new name. His contributions have significantly advanced cultural and economic preservation for First Nations and future generations.

"We thank Keith for his years of service and guidance through significant growth,” said Mr. Blackstar. “His leadership has built a strong foundation for the work ahead."

About Future Generations Foundation

The Future Generations Foundation is a First Nations-led organization dedicated to providing comprehensive grant funding for education, cultural and language revitalization, healing, and community-driven initiatives. As stewards of the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement funds, the Foundation has supported over 805 First Nation communities and organizations, as well as more than 9,000 individuals across Turtle Island, fostering traditional knowledge and self-determination for future generations.

For further information, please contact:

Jillian Morgan
Communications and Engagement Manager
Future Generations Foundation 
jmorgan@fgfoundation.ca
1 (888) 268-0520 ext. 808

Future Generations Foundation Announces 2024-2025 Individual Funding Decisions

Over 1,100 Beneficiaries Receive Support for Culture, Education, and Training Initiatives

Akwesasne, ON – The Future Generations Foundation is pleased to announce the funding decisions for the 2024-2025 individual call for applications. This year, over 1,400 applications were submitted, and more than 1,100 beneficiaries have been selected to receive funding. A total of $5.8 million has been awarded to support individuals pursuing culture and language revitalization, post-secondary education, certification, and training.

Recipients were awarded funding in the following areas:

• Cultural Learning: Funding for teachings from Elders, knowledge keepers, or experts in language, ceremonies, and traditional skills.
• Training and Trades: Funding for trades programs, vocational programs, and professional development courses.
• Scholarships: Funding available for post-secondary education at universities, colleges, CEGEP, or Indigenous institutes.

With this year’s investment of $5.8 million, the Future Generations Foundation strengthens its commitment to empowering First Nations individuals. This brings the total amount awarded to individuals since the FG Foundation began administering funds in 2015 to over $41 million.

Applications for the next call for individual funding call will open in April 2025.

About the Future Generations Foundation

The Future Generations Foundation provides grant funding to support cultural revitalization, healing, and community development initiatives for First Nations people and organizations across Turtle Island. As stewards of the IRSSA funds, the FG Foundation facilitates projects and scholarships that empower communities, preserve traditional knowledge, and promote healing and self-determination.

Contact information:

Jillian Morgan
Communications and Engagement Manager
Future Generations Foundation
comms@fgfoundation.ca

FG Foundation Approves $11.2 Million to 115 Organizations

The Future Generations Foundation is excited to announce the funding decisions for the 2024-2025 organizations. This year, the Board of Trustees has approved a total of $11.2 Million to support 115 organizations. This sum comprises of $10.05 Million of Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement and $1.2 Million in Beyond Reconciliation Donation funds.

During the 2024-2025 organization call, a wide array of qualified donees and charitable organizations vied for funding opportunities extending up to five years. Approved organization funding varied from $12,000 to $200,000, with proposals focusing on areas where support is most critical for First Nation and Métis communities. These areas include education, healing and reconciliation, training certification, and the preservation of cultural and traditional knowledge.

Guided by its core mission, the FG Foundation channels resources into initiatives that promise long-term benefits for future generations. With this latest round of funding, the total investment in organization beneficiaries by the FG Foundation now stands at an impressive $71.02 Million funding a total 805 organizations.

Looking ahead to continued collaboration and impact, the Foundation announces that the next call for applications for organizations is scheduled to be accepting applications November 2024, closing in January 2025. Interested parties are encouraged to visit https://www.fgfoundation.ca/ for further details about the Future Generations Foundation and its initiatives.

Important Announcement from NIB Trust Fund: Protecting Your Personal Information

Future Generations Foundation (formerly NIB Trust Fund) is reaching out to all current and former funding applicants and recipients to inform them of a recent incident that may have affected the privacy of their personal information. We take this matter very seriously and want to assure our applicants and recipients that we are committed to safeguarding their data.

In late May 2023, NIB Trust Fund discovered that its servers were subjected to a ransomware attack, which led to the encryption of the data stored on these servers. Acting swiftly, we immediately took the affected servers offline, purged their contents, and commenced data restoration from our secure backup facilities. We are pleased to report that our servers were successfully recovered within a few days.

Following a thorough investigation involving our internal and external cybersecurity advisors, we have not been able to ascertain whether any data was copied or removed from the compromised servers. It is important to note that no ransom demand has been received by NIB Trust Fund. As of now, we have no evidence of any ongoing exposure of your information, and there have been no reported instances of misuse. However, to ensure complete transparency and as a proactive measure, we want to share information about the incident, our response, and steps you can take to protect your data.

The personal information potentially exposed on the affected servers includes data from your completed Application Form for the Education Program. This information may include:

• First and Last name
• Address and contact information
• Date of birth
• Social Insurance number
• Indian status card number

We reiterate that we have no confirmation that this information was copied or removed from our servers, but it could have been exposed and potentially used for fraudulent purposes, such as identity theft.

Our Actions and Enhancements:

As part of our commitment to data security and your privacy, we have taken the following actions:

• Erased and reconstructed the contents of the compromised servers.
• Enhanced monitoring of our systems to detect any unusual behavior.
• Updated our anti-malware and intrusion detection software.
• Conducted refresher training for our staff on cybersecurity awareness and email hygiene.
• Implemented multi-factor authentication for access to our systems.

Credit Protection Service:

As an additional precaution, NIB Trust Fund is offering a 12-month credit protection service, myTrueIdentity through TransUnion, at no cost to you. For any inquiries, please contact us at confidentiality@fgfoundation.ca.

Protecting Yourself:

To protect yourself from identity theft or fraud, we recommend the following:

• Use strong passwords for all online accounts.
• Stay vigilant against phishing attempts.
• Be cautious when sharing personal information via phone, online, or email.
• Regularly monitor your benefit and bank account activity.

References:

For more information about your privacy rights and protection of personal data, as well as potential risks of identity theft, please refer to the following references:

• Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC): www.priv.gc.ca, 1-800-282-1376
• Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia (OIPC): www.oipc.bc.ca, 1-250-387-5629
• Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta: www.oipc.ab.ca, 1-888-878-4044
• Commission d’accès à l’information du Québec: www.cai.gouv.qc.ca, 1-888-528-7741
• Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre: www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca, 1-888-495-8501
• Service Canada: 1-800-206-7218 to report a stolen Social Insurance Number (SIN)

We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this situation may have caused you. Please be assured that we take our responsibility to protect your personal information very seriously and are dedicated to continuously enhancing our information security program.

For any inquiries related to this matter, please contact us at confidentiality@fgfoundation.ca.

National Indian Brotherhood Trust Fund (NIBTF) announces launch of Beyond Reconciliation Fundraising Campaign and name change

Ottawa, September 28, 2023 — Today the National Indian Brotherhood Trust Fund (NIBTF) announced the launch of the Beyond Reconciliation $100 Million Fundraising Campaign – a landmark initiative aimed at addressing the profound impacts of the Indian Residential Schools system and uplifting First Nation and Métis individuals and communities. NIBTF also announced the change of its name to Future Generations Foundation (FGF) today.

In alignment with the FGF's mission to reach beyond reconciliation to empower future generations and create lasting impacts for First Nation and Métis peoples, families, and communities, the Campaign aims to provide critical resources in education, culture, language, and healing, bridging historical gaps and fostering positive change for generations to come.

To kick start the campaign, TD Bank Group (TD) has pledged a transformative donation of $5 million through the TD Ready Commitment, the Bank’s global corporate citizenship platform.

"We are grateful to TD for their transformative $5 million donation," said Keith Martell Chair of the Board of Trustees for the Future Generations Foundation. "This contribution propels us towards realizing our vision of creating an empowered future for First Nation peoples. Our new name, Future Generations Foundation, reflects the mission and commitment to fostering long and lasting impacts for the community and beneficiaries we serve."

Despite a track record of touching over 184,161 lives in the past five years, limited available funding has compelled the Future Generations Foundation to decline approximately 55% of individual applicants and 63% of group applicants requests for funding. The Beyond Reconciliation Campaign aims to narrow these gaps and make a significant difference. FGF and TD invite partners, allies, corporations, and philanthropic collaborators to join hands in driving change. The campaign will support vital initiatives in community development, addressing the deep-rooted challenges faced by First Nation and Métis communities.

"The Future Generations Foundation is helping address the deep and lasting impacts of the Indian Residential Schools system," said Bharat Masrani, Group President and Chief Executive Officer, TD Bank Group. "TD is pleased to make a founding contribution to the Beyond Reconciliation campaign and support their work to bring positive change to First Nation and Metis individuals, families and communities for years to come."

For more information about the FGF and the Beyond Reconciliation Fundraising Campaign, please visit beyondreconciliation.ca or fgfoundation.ca.

About Future Generations Foundation:

The Future Generations Foundation, formerly known as the National Indian Brotherhood Trust Fund, is dedicated to empowering Indigenous communities through education, healing, culture, and language initiatives. With a vision for positive and lasting change, the Foundation's Beyond Reconciliation Fundraising Campaign seeks to uplift First Nation individuals, families, and communities, supporting future generations for years to come.

Media Contact:

Jillian Morgan

Communications and Engagement Manager

jmorgan@nibtrust.ca

About TD Bank Group

The Toronto Dominion Bank and its subsidiaries are collectively known as TD Bank Group ("TD" or the "Bank"). TD is the sixth largest bank in North America by assets and serves over 27.5 million customers in four key businesses operating in a number of locations in financial centres around the globe: Canadian Personal and Commercial Banking, including TD Canada Trust and TD Auto Finance Canada; U.S. Retail, including TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank®, TD Auto Finance U.S., TD Wealth (U.S.), and an investment in The Charles Schwab Corporation; Wealth Management and Insurance, including TD Wealth (Canada), TD Direct Investing, and TD Insurance; and Wholesale Banking, including TD Securities and TD Cowen. TD also ranks among the world's leading online financial services firms, with more than 16 million active online and mobile customers. TD had $1.9 trillion in assets on July 31, 2023. The Toronto Dominion Bank trades under the symbol "TD" on the Toronto and New York Stock Exchanges.

Media Contact:

Isabella Nasak Kima

Manager, Corporate Communications

Isabella.nasakkima@td.com