NICHI

What NICHI does

NICHI (National Indigenous Collaborative Housing Inc.) is a Canadian non-profit corporation incorporated on December 22, 2022, and headquartered in Batchewana First Nation, Ontario. It operates as the national coordinating mechanism for Indigenous-led, off-reserve housing providers, distributing federal funding and convening members across Canada. The organization's core function is to flow $281.5 million in Government of Canada Budget 2022 funding — part of a $300 million commitment to co-develop an Urban, Rural, and Northern (URN) Indigenous Housing Strategy — to Indigenous-led non-profit housing organizations through two funding streams: Capacity & Organizational Development (up to $1 million) and Capital Development ($1 million to $10 million). Selection is governed by the Project Selection Advisory Council (PSAC), with application processing supported by the Community Housing Transformation Centre (CHTC). NICHI's deliverables also include a free membership program for over 100 Indigenous housing organizations, annual capacity-building events, the NICHI Connects federal advocacy day, and an Annual Awards Gala inaugurated in September 2025.

NICHI operates under a "For Indigenous, By Indigenous" (FIBI) approach, aligning with UNDRIP Articles 21 and 23, and is governed by an 11-member Board of Directors. Members include friendship centres, tribal councils, and housing societies such as Lu'ma Native Housing Society, the Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres, YWCA Agvik Nunavut, and the Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak Inc. The organization employs a lean team of approximately 10 staff led by CEO John Gordon, with no proprietary technology stack; the application portal is operated by CHTC. Revenue is exclusively non-commercial: the $281.5 million is pass-through funding for projects, with operational costs funded separately by government grants. The organization explicitly excludes on-reserve housing, focusing on urban, rural, and northern communities where over 80% of Indigenous households live without the support of their Nations or cultural community.

Name

NICHI

Legal name

National Indigenous Collaborative Housing Inc.

Website

https://nichi.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

NICHI is a Canadian non-profit that distributes federal housing funding to Indigenous-led organizations across Canada, convening over 100 members under a "For Indigenous, By Indigenous" approach to address urban, rural, and northern Indigenous housing needs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Indigenous Housing Coordination Services

NAICS

Administration of Housing Programs (925110), Administration of Housing Programs (92511), Administration of Urban Planning and Community and Rural Development (925120), Administration of Urban Planning and Community and Rural Development (92512)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Rural, Tribal & Special-Population Housing Programs (FSALAKAL), Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC)

Keywords

• Indigenous housing services
• Affordable housing programs
• Non-profit housing coordination
• Housing funding allocation
• Indigenous community development

Headquarters

HQ city

Ottawa

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding Distribution: NICHI receives federal government funding ($281.5 million from Government of Canada Budget 2022) and distributes it to Indigenous-led non-profit housing organizations through two funding streams: Capacity & Organizational Development (up to $1 million) and Capital Development ($1 million to $10 million). The organization itself operates with separate operational funding.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

NICHI is a non-profit organization that distributes federal government housing funding (notably $281.5 million) to Indigenous-led housing organizations across Canada. It serves as the national coordinating mechanism for more than 100 member Indigenous housing providers, advocates for Indigenous housing rights on Parliament Hill, and runs capacity-building events under a "For Indigenous By Indigenous" framework.

Product overview

NICHI (National Indigenous Collaborative Housing Inc.) is a non-profit organization that serves as a national coordinating mechanism for Indigenous housing providers, not a technology product company. It offers a suite of coordination and funding services including funding allocation for Indigenous housing projects (distributing $281.5 million in federal funding), membership for Indigenous housing organizations, annual capacity-building events, advocacy programs through NICHI Connects, and an annual awards gala. These services are delivered through a For Indigenous, By Indigenous (FIBI) approach to address the housing crisis affecting Indigenous peoples in urban, rural, and northern communities across Canada.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Federal Housing Funding Distribution Core service of distributing federal government housing funds (including $281.5 million) to Indigenous-led non-profit housing organizations across Canada.
• National Membership Program Free membership program for Indigenous-led housing organizations, providing access to NICHI's coordination network, advocacy, and capacity-building resources. Currently includes 100+ member organizations.
• NICHI Connects (Advocacy Day) Member advocacy event held on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, bringing Indigenous housing leaders together to engage with federal policymakers on Indigenous housing priorities.
• Annual Indigenous Housing Capacity Building Events Yearly convening of Indigenous housing practitioners focused on knowledge-sharing, best practices, and operational capacity development for member organizations.
• Annual NICHI Awards Gala Annual recognition event celebrating excellence and contributions within the Indigenous housing sector, honoring member organizations and individuals.

Quantifiable outcome

• $281.5 million distributed to Indigenous housing projects with families receiving keys to new homes by December 2024
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered founding and core.

• Canada Housing and Renewal Association (CHRA) Indigenous CaucusfoundingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 November 2022The CHRA Indigenous Caucus, which existed for 13 years bringing together Indigenous housing experts from across Canada, was instrumental in the formation of NICHI. On November 25, 2022, they agreed to participate in a For Indigenous By Indigenous Housing Coalition and created the URN Declaration, leading to NICHI's creation.
• Community Housing Transformation Centre (CHTC)coreTechnology or IntegrationNICHI partnered with CHTC to create an application platform accessed through a portal on the NICHI website. CHTC provides the funding platform and assists with application screening, eligibility verification, and ensuring required information is submitted for review.
• Project Selection Advisory Council (PSAC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPSAC is comprised of impartial Indigenous leaders who are housing experts from across Canada. They developed the allocation process, framework, program criteria, application form development, and formal review process. They review all applications and make recommendations to the NICHI Board of Directors.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• BC Housing: Provincial housing agency managing subsidized and social housing in BC including Indigenous units. Comparable as a government-funded housing coordinator but provincial rather than Indigenous-led, and includes broader non-Indigenous housing programs.
• Assembly of First Nations (AFN): National advocacy organization representing First Nations citizens, including on housing policy. Comparable as a national Indigenous advocacy body but broader in scope, with political mandate and on-reserve focus that NICHI does not cover.
• Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC): Canada's federal housing agency and primary funder of national housing programs. NICHI was created to receive CMHC-adjacent funding flows for Indigenous housing; CMHC is the upstream incumbent whose funding NICHI administers for the URN Indigenous segment.

Direct peers

• Aboriginal Housing Management Association (AHMA): BC-based Indigenous housing management association representing off-reserve Indigenous housing providers. Closely comparable to NICHI as a regional Indigenous housing coordinating body, though narrower in geography, and often partners with NICHI.
• Native Women's Association of Canada (NWAC): National Indigenous women's organization that has been involved in Indigenous housing advocacy and received federal funding for Indigenous women-specific housing initiatives. Comparable as a national Indigenous advocacy and service delivery body.
• Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres (OFIFC): Provincial-level Indigenous organization representing 29 friendship centres that deliver Indigenous housing and wrap-around services. Comparable to NICHI in mission and member-driven model, but at provincial scope, and is itself a NICHI member.
• Canada Housing and Renewal Association (CHRA): National housing and renewal association whose Indigenous Caucus was instrumental in NICHI's formation. Directly comparable as a national coordinating body for housing providers, with broader housing scope and historical relationship to NICHI.
• Community Housing Transformation Centre (CHTC): National organization supporting community housing providers. Directly comparable as a sector-support body and is NICHI's technology partner for the application portal, making it a close operational peer.

Emerging players

• Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health: Ottawa-based Indigenous organization delivering health, housing, and cultural programs including supportive housing. Comparable as an Indigenous-led service provider in the urban Indigenous ecosystem with adjacent housing delivery scope.
• Lu'ma Native Housing Society: Vancouver-based Indigenous housing society with 30+ years of service and nearly 300 units delivered. Comparable as a long-tenured Indigenous housing provider and a NICHI member that has received NICHI funding.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NICHI_housing
• Facebookfacebook.com/NICHIhousinglogement
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nichi-national-indigenous-collaboration-housing-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments15 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about NICHI