Support Ch'nook

Corporate & individual giving

Effective and knowledgeable leadership is vital to the sustainable economic growth and success of Indigenous communities in British Columbia and across the country. In support of this goal, we invite our partners to join us in our efforts to increase Indigenous participation in business education and foster the next generation of Indigenous business leaders.

By supporting the Ch’nook Indigenous Business Education initiative, you do so much more than help a future community leader – you will help create a foundation for community success and prosperity for the betterment of all Canadians. Together, we can build management capacity in Indigenous communities, learn from one another, and continue to advance reconciliation.

Contact Heather Berry for more information on how you can support this innovative initiative.

How you can help

The support of our alumni, community and corporate partners has been crucial to the growth and continued success of Ch’nook Indigenous Business Education (Ch'nook) at the UBC Sauder School of Business. Since its inception, Ch'nook has impacted more than 500 Indigenous students from 130 communities in 9 provinces across Canada. Your donation contributes to reconciliation in Canada by supporting business education opportunities for Indigenous learners enrolled in Ch'nook's three core programs: the Aboriginal Management Program (AMP), Scholars and the Accelerated Business Program (ABP).

All Ch'nook's business education programs integrate Indigenous ways of knowing, content, connections and Indigenous community values that resonate with students. Each program will be described brieﬂy to provide context for Ch'nook's overall learning ecosystem.

Designed for Indigenous business professionals and taught by UBC faculty, the AMP is delivered over ﬁve months and provides professional development for business and career progression. The AMP curriculum integrates Indigenous content with core business disciplines, management skills, practical experience and leadership development. The program concludes with the presentation of the students' capstone business plan project.
Developed for Indigenous post-secondary business students, the Scholars program complements the students' business education by providing examples of Indigenous business success and opportunities to develop leadership and management skills. Scholars beneﬁt from networking opportunities, ﬁnancial support and connections to Indigenous business professionals and students to help them succeed at school and in their careers. Scholars are full-time commerce students from post-secondary institutions throughout BC and Alberta.
The ABP oﬀers customizable modules on entrepreneurship and project management for Indigenous individuals, communities and organizations delivered where they live. Course content, delivery format, time-frame and learning outcomes are designed with the community partner to meet the needs of the learners and to incorporate relevant Indigenous content. ABP takes place over the summer and is taught by MBA and Bachelor of Commerce students. ABP has served communities across BC from Bella Bella (the Great Bear Rainforest) to Vancouver's Downtown Eastside.