R.J. Simpson: Update on Non-Government Organizations Sector Support Initiative

Press Release

October 31, 2025

Check against delivery

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to update you on progress made by the Government of the Northwest Territories’ Sector Support Initiative for Non-Governmental Organizations.

In response to the 2023 External Advisory Committee report on Strengthening the Non-Profit and Charitable Sector, the GNWT has committed to building stronger relationships, cutting red tape, and making funding more reliable for NGOs.

A cross-departmental committee is actively addressing the report’s recommendations. This includes updating the NGO funding guide, developing training on implementing the guide, and strengthening relationships between the GNWT and NGOs. As part of this work, we are taking a fresh look at how we fund NGOs to make sure our support helps them deliver services that contribute to GNWT priorities and meet government goals.

NGOs now have access to GNWT training courses, and we have set up regular ways to share information, work together, and hear feedback from people in the sector.

Our territory-wide survey on the Anti-Poverty Fund and on the NGO Stabilization Fund led to immediate changes to application processes. We made it easier to apply by eliminating the need for applicants to provide the same information more than once, and new processes allow us to notify applicants earlier about whether their application was successful and how much funding they will receive.

Mr. Speaker, the Department of Executive and Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs are leading the development of an Emergency Social Supports framework to better integrate NGOs into emergency management planning. We will be asking NGOs that provide human safety and security services to vulnerable residents to help shape this framework.

We have also asked GNWT departments to work with their key NGO partners when developing departmental Business Continuity Plans. These plans lay out how departments will keep their most important services running during and after major disruptions like natural disasters, a cyber-attack, or a pandemic.

Mr. Speaker, NGOs often deliver services more effectively than government and play a vital role in supporting our most vulnerable residents. By moving to a new partnership model based on mutual respect, we can better align our goals, streamline processes, and improve how services are delivered.

By working together more closely; with clear roles, shared accountability, better communication, simpler processes, and more stable funding, the GNWT and our NGO partners can deliver stronger, more coordinated, and people-centered support to residents across the Northwest Territories.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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