The Nisga’a Nation is working to support traditional culture, to cultivate new ways of economic and entrepreneurial thinking, and to establish the basis for a diversified and sustainable economy. In support of this goal, the NLG is exploring partnership opportunities in fisheries, forestry, eco-tourism, hydroelectricity, and other areas. In August 2005 the NLG asked Dr. Brent Mainprize to help create a strategy and effect positive change toward economic prosperity while preserving Nisga’a culture.

Goal & Objectives:
Modern entrepreneurship is focused upon the commercialization of innovation. A prime motive for the Nisga’a Nation’s desire for self-determination is preservation of heritage. The superficial temptation is to classify the Nisga’a heritage orientation as “looking back” and contrast it with the mainstream entrepreneurship ethic of “looking forward”. This is a false dichotomy and a real impediment to creating a well-grounded framework and the practical tools to positively affect change for Nisga’a citizens. The challenge is to understand the dynamic potential inherent in heritage, not simply regard it as a roadblock to future-oriented commercial development.

The main outcome of this project is capacity building that will cultivate economic self-sufficiency within each of the four communities and the Urban Locals of the Nisga’a Nation. By facilitating the reconciliation of innovation with heritage, a greater understanding was developed collaboratively between Brent Mainprize (as the facilitator of change), the NLG, and Nisga’a citizens to provide a map to foster policies that enable sustainable economic development while preserving heritage and culture. The outcomes of the project provide the Nisga’a Lisims Government with a compass, in the form of tools based on research and programs rooted in best practices, to navigate the challenging frontier to economic prosperity.

The goal of this project is to understand and effect how the Nisga’a People can best achieve sustainable economic prosperity while preserving heritage and culture. The explicit objectives are:

1. To determine how the natural resources and financial capital of the Nisga’a Lisims Government can best be used to develop infrastructure to enable business development and the sustainability of resources;
2. To understand the characteristics that define the current beliefs of the Nisga’a citizens as they relate to entrepreneurship
   • The role of innovation and heritage
   • Important to define ‘entrepreneur’ in a way that Nisga’a citizens can identify with
3. To determine how entrepreneurial development initiatives and business tools (based on local industry clusters) can be best designed and implemented within the four Nisga’a communities (Gingolx [Kincolith], Laxgalts’ap [Greenville], Gitwinksihlkw [Canyon City], Gitlakdamix [New Aiyansh]) and for the Nisga’a Urban Societies.
4. To design and develop business tools collaboratively with the four Nisga’a communities and the Nisga’a Urban Societies so as to enable effective implementation of the entrepreneurial development initiatives.
5. Clarify the role of Government to enable and encourage business.