Takeaways: IIPWG September 2025
Items excerpted from the September 2025 Investors & Indigenous Peoples Working Group (IIPWG) Newsletter. IIPWG strategy calls take place the third Thursday of the month. Learn more.
IIPWG Presentation Takeaways: Tribal Benefit Agreements
On the September IIPWG call, Maranda Compton (attorney, adviser, and founder of Lepwe) and Melanie Matteliano (Research Manager at Tallgrass Institute) shared findings from the research paper, Tribal Benefit Agreements: Designing for Sovereignty. The paper contextualizes Tribal benefit agreements (TBAs) within the legal and regulatory history of the U.S. and elevates Tribal and Native perspectives on rights respecting agreements.
Compton shared how Tribal benefit agreements are incomplete without consideration of Tribal sovereignty, treaty rights, and the federal trust responsibility. According to Compton, “it's the unique and particular features of that Tribal nation that are really important to embed in the agreement.” She emphasized the importance of consent and relationship building and explained how effective Tribal engagement requires adequate preparation to understand a Tribe’s history, culture, governance, and treaties.
The presenters also discussed how TBAs have shifted over time, example agreement provisions, and best practices. Interested participants may read the summary article and a recording of the presentation is available upon request.
IIPWG Canada Presentation Takeaways: Keewaywin Capital and IRMA 2.0
On the September IIPWG Canada call, Tracee Smith, President and CEO of Keewaywin Capital, presented on the Keewaywin Fund I– a private credit fund that supports housing developments in Indigenous communities in Canada. Representatives of Addenda Capital and Rally Assets joined to discuss their due diligence process as investors in the Indigenous-led opportunity. The conversation highlighted the importance of relationship building with communities where capital is deployed, ongoing reporting expectations that demonstrate impact, and other insights.
In a separate presentation, Bob Walker, Finance Sector Lead at the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA), discussed how IRMA updated language on Indigenous Peoples’ rights in IRMA 2.0. The second version is open for public comment until October 22.
A recording of the presentations is available upon request
Resources
The Case for Phase 0: Improving Impact Assessment Efficiency and Effectiveness | First Nations Major Projects Coalition
Renewable Energy and Human Rights Benchmark 2025, "Deep Dive #2, Indigenous Peoples’ rights," pg. 19 | Business & Human Rights Resource Centre
The Impact and Opportunity of Investing in Native Communities | The Bridgespan Group and Native American in Philanthropy
Including Indigenous Knowledge in Land Use Governance and Decision-Making | Arctic Review on Law and Politics
Mining and Money: Financial Faultlines in the Energy Transition | Forests & Finance
Cultural Survival Quarterly - September 2025 | Cultural Survival
Debates Indígenas September 2025 | International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs.