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The Administrative Role in Governance: For Indigenous Non-Profit Organizations

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Governance administration is often learned by trial and error. This handbook brings together the practical processes, documentation practices and Board-cycle knowledge that can otherwise take years to learn on the job.

Created specifically for administrative professionals working within Indigenous governance environments, rather than adapted from a corporate governance manual.

$89.00 CAD88-page professional digital resource · Instant PDF access

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Practitioner-developed

Developed from more than 15 years of hands-on experience supporting governance, Boards, committees and organizational administration.

Designed specifically for the people doing the administrative work behind Indigenous governance.

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Format
PDF
Pages
88
Category
Handbooks & Guides

About this resource

The Administrative Role in Governance is a comprehensive handbook designed to help administrative professionals support strong, effective Indigenous governance. It translates the day-to-day responsibilities of board administration — agendas, minutes, policies, compliance, and communication — into clear, actionable guidance rooted in Indigenous foundations of governance. Inside you will find practical frameworks for preparing board packages, recording decisions, managing conflicts of interest, supporting board-executive boundaries, and running annual general meetings with confidence. Whether you are new to a governance role or looking to strengthen the systems your organization relies on, this handbook offers the tools, language, and structure to help First Nations, Inuit, and Métis organizations build stronger administrative foundations.

What this handbook is

An 88-page practitioner-developed professional handbook for the administrative professionals who hold Indigenous governance together — written from real governance experience inside Indigenous organizations, not adapted from a corporate template.

Who it is for

  • Governance administrators
  • Executive assistants
  • Governance coordinators
  • Board secretaries
  • Administrative professionals supporting Indigenous Boards and leadership
  • Teams supporting Chiefs and Councils, committees, and executive leadership

What it covers

  • Board meeting preparation
  • Board packages and agendas
  • Minutes
  • Motions and resolutions
  • Governance records
  • Committee administration
  • Policy workflows
  • Governance cycles
  • Administrative role clarity
  • Onboarding and succession

Practical, immediately usable guidance for the everyday work of Indigenous governance administration — the preparation, the records, and the professional practices that protect the Board and strengthen the organization.

Inside the Handbook

Turn the pages before you purchase.

Selected pages from the handbook — words of welcome, the table of contents, governance context, and the practical guidance that follows. Select any page to view it larger.

CoverThe Administrative Role in Governance for Administrative Professionals in Indigenous Non-Profit Organizations
Territory & TraditionsAcknowledgment of Territory and Governance Traditions
Words of WelcomeWords of Welcome from Elder Dr. Lorraine Peters-Whitman
PrefacePreface — Governance as a Relationship
How to Use ItWhy This Handbook? and How to Use This Handbook
Language & TerminologyLanguage, terminology, and an invitation to stewardship
Table of ContentsTable of Contents — governance, the administrative role, and governance in action
Section OneSection 1 — What governance means in Indigenous organizations
Why It MattersWhy administrative support matters for transparency and integrity

Preview pages are shown at reduced quality for illustration only. The complete handbook is copyrighted material available with purchase.

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