Pakitinâsowin Fund at King's
The King's University takes the biblical call to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with our Creator, seriously (Micah 6:8). It is a call to support and renew our relationships with our neighbours and, as Edmonton's Christian university, we're excited to work alongside local churches and organizations to turn expressions of reconciliation into meaningful action.
The Need
There are many Indigenous grass roots organizations engaging in phenomenal work in their communities, but access to grants and other funding can be a challenge for smaller organizations and initiatives.
That's where the Pakitinâsowin Fund comes in. Through this fund, we're pooling our resources together to create an endowment built for sustainability and continued giving.
The fund disburses grants that support Indigenous non-profits and initiatives early on, when funding is needed most. Each year, the fund's principal will remain invested with a portion of the interest disbursed. As the fund grows, so will the grant amounts.
How does it work?
- An Indigenous-led advisory circle is responsible for fund disbursement and investment decisions.
- Three grants are disbursed annually to children's, women's, and community-based initiatives.
- Accessible, low-barrier eligibility criteria ensures funds get to initiatives that need them most.
- Partnerships extend across churches and denominations, allowing us to do more together than we could ever hope to do on our own.
Why "Pakitinâsowin"?
In the nêhiyawêwin (Cree) language, pakitinâsowin can be referred to as "the give-away ceremony." While differing somewhat from place to place and people to people, the central purpose is the same: to establish relationships between communities and signify a mutual dependence on each other and the Creator through the giving and receiving of gifts.
Inspired by this vision, the Pakitinâsowin Fund aims to establish relationships between Indigenous communities and non-Indigenous churches.
Who is participating?
It's a big group! In addition to King's and the Micah Centre for Justice and Development, key partners include the Northern Alberta Diaconal Conference and churches from Anglican, Christian Reformed, and Mennonite communities.
As an ecumenical institution, King's has a unique opportunity to invite churches and denominations of all traditions to join together in this work. We look forward to continuing to expand this partnership to more churches, individuals, and community groups.
