Indigenous Youth Roots - IYR (Formerly CRE)

What Indigenous Youth Roots - IYR (Formerly CRE) does

Indigenous Youth Roots (IYR), formerly the Canadian Roots Exchange (CRE), is a national Indigenous youth-led nonprofit and registered Canadian charity (BN: 832296602RR0001) headquartered at 489 College St Suite 500, Toronto, Ontario. Founded in 2008 and rebranded in September 2023, the organization serves Indigenous youth aged 15-29 across Canada through programs, grants, and policy research designed to build leadership capacity and connect young Indigenous people nationally. As of recent disclosure IYR operates with a staff of 42+ and a 9-member volunteer board.

IYR's core offerings include the Creation Community Grants Program, which directs funding to Indigenous youth-led initiatives; the Indigenous Youth Policy School; the Northern Policy School (scheduled to launch June 2026); Indigenous Youth Advocacy Week, which convenes youth in federal policy processes; and the Centre for Indigenous Policy & Research. The product surface is therefore programmatic and relational rather than technology-based, with no proprietary software platforms disclosed in the input.

The revenue model is institutional grant funding rather than earned income. The dominant funder is the Government of Canada through Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC), with disclosed multi-year commitments of approximately $15.2M for 2019-2023, a $12.5M extension for 2023-2025, and an additional $12.5M announced in Budget 2024. Secondary support comes from foundation and corporate grants, most notably a $10M partnership with the Mastercard Foundation (2025) and contributions from Manulife, RBC Foundation, McConnell Foundation, Gore Mutual, H&M, Deloitte, Peter Gilgan, Pathy Family, Suncor, Future Generations, Air North, and Moneris, with individual donations accepted via CanadaHelps.

Name

Indigenous Youth Roots - IYR (Formerly CRE)

Legal name

Indigenous Youth Roots

Website

https://indigenousyouthroots.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Indigenous Youth Roots is a national Indigenous youth-led nonprofit and registered Canadian charity providing grants, policy schools, advocacy programs, and policy research for Indigenous youth aged 15-29 across Canada.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto, Ontario

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Federal Government Funding: CIRNAC funding for TRC Call to Action 66 implementation: $15.2M pilot (2019-2023), $12.5M extension (2023-2025), and $12.5M additional commitment in Budget 2024
2. Foundation and Corporate Grants: Multi-year partnerships with foundations and corporations including Mastercard Foundation ($10M gift), Manulife (2-year partnership), RBC Foundation, McConnell Foundation, Gore Mutual, and others
3. Individual Donations: Monthly donor program and one-time donations via CanadaHelps.org platform

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Indigenous Youth Roots (IYR) is a national Indigenous youth-led nonprofit that provides free leadership, policy education, and capacity-building programs alongside multi-level grants for Indigenous youth (ages 15–29) and youth-led groups across Canada. Core deliverables include the Creation Community Grants Program (grants ranging from $2,500 to $150,000 for youth-led projects), tuition-free policy schools (Indigenous Youth Policy School and Northern Policy School with participant honoraria), Indigenous Youth Advocacy Week (federal government engagement), and policy research via the Centre for Indigenous Policy & Research.

Product overview

Indigenous Youth Roots (IYR) is a national Indigenous youth-led nonprofit organization that provides a portfolio of interconnected programs, grants, and opportunities grounded in Indigenous ways of knowing and being. The core offerings include: the Creation Community Grants Program (multi-level funding for youth-led projects), the Indigenous Youth Policy School and Northern Policy School (tuition-free policy education programs), Indigenous Youth Advocacy Week (government engagement initiative), and the Centre for Indigenous Policy & Research (policy development and research hub). Supporting products include The Rundown (policy news publication), IYR Explains (policy education series), and the Indigenous Youth Reconciliation Barometer (research initiative). Together, these programs provide Indigenous youth with leadership development, learning experiences, funding opportunities, and pathways to influence policy decisions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Creation Community Grants Program A multi-level funding program that supports strengths-based, community-focused, and youth-led projects taking place in communities across Canada. Grassroots youth groups and collectives (comprised of Indigenous youth ages 15-29) are eligible to apply for funding ranging from $2,500 to $150,000 to support community programs and projects while receiving mentorship, training, and capacity-building opportunities. Includes streams such as Youth Empowerment, Entrepreneurship and Social Enterprise (with H&M), Youth and Community Wellness (with Manulife), Small Project, Land and Food Sovereignty, Medium Project, Scaling Grants, and Multi-Year Funding.
• Indigenous Youth Policy School (IYPS) A tuition-free 9-month program (September 2026 - May 2027) for Indigenous youth ages 18-29 providing interactive sessions on policy development at local and national levels. Includes in-person events in Winnipeg and Ottawa with travel covered, provides a $1,500 honorarium to participants, and has no academic or professional requirements. Designed to give Indigenous youth tools to advance their priorities and have their perspectives reflected in policies. Operated within the Centre for Indigenous Policy and Research.
• Northern Policy School A new program within the Centre for Indigenous Policy and Research that brings together Indigenous youth from Northern Canada to strengthen skills in policy, leadership, and governance. Rooted in Northern realities and community priorities, designed by and for Northern Indigenous youth and communities. The pilot launches in Inuvik, NT in June 2026.
• Indigenous Youth Advocacy Week Provides Indigenous youth with opportunities to connect with government leaders and policymakers to share their ideas, visions, and priorities on key issues. Engages Indigenous youth in impacting federal policies and programs through direct advocacy with federal decision-makers.
• Centre for Indigenous Policy & Research (CIPR) Prioritizes youth policy development and research to support Indigenous youth in advancing their vision of meaningful reconciliation. Creates space for new leadership and provides tools and resources. Operates as the parent hub for the Indigenous Youth Policy School, Northern Policy School, Indigenous Youth Advocacy Week, The Rundown newsletter, IYR Explains, and the Indigenous Youth Reconciliation Barometer.
• Indigenous Youth Reconciliation Barometer A social research study engaging Indigenous youth to understand how they envision their own empowerment and futures through themes like culture, wellness, education, and reconciliation. The 2024 edition engaged 1,125 Indigenous youth from coast-to-coast-to-coast.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 200 youth engaged in national Gathering events
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Emerging players

• TakingITGlobal: International youth-led non-profit offering programs, grants, and digital platforms for young changemakers; comparable grants-plus-advocacy model with younger-skewing programming.
• Native Youth Sexual Health Network (NYSHN): Indigenous youth-led organization across Turtle Island focused on sexual health, rights, and community-based activism; comparable grass-roots Indigenous youth voice and policy engagement.

Broad incumbents

• National Association of Friendship Centres (NAFC): National network of Indigenous community Friendship Centres serving Indigenous youth and families across Canada; broader network model than IYR but serves overlapping populations with programming and advocacy.
• Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK): National representational organization for Inuit in Canada, including Inuit youth policy; relevant comparator for IYR's Northern Policy School and Inuit youth engagement strategy.
• Assembly of First Nations (AFN): National advocacy organization representing First Nations citizens, including youth; overlapping mission on Indigenous policy and youth engagement, though AFN operates as a political advocacy body at national scale.

Direct peers

• AFOA Canada (Aboriginal Financial Officers Association): National Indigenous-led organization delivering professional development, training, and capacity-building for Indigenous professionals and organizations; similar training-plus-capacity model to IYR's Policy School and grant support.
• A Way Home Canada: National youth-sector coalition working to prevent and end youth homelessness; comparable youth-focused non-profit with national convening, research, and grant-adjacent programming aimed at vulnerable young people.
• Indspire: National Indigenous-led charity providing scholarships, grants, and educational programming for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis youth; directly comparable to IYR's combined grants-plus-education model.
• Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business (CCAB): National Indigenous-led organization supporting Indigenous-owned businesses and entrepreneurs through grants, mentorship, and programming; aligns with IYR's Entrepreneurship and Social Enterprise Stream and broader youth capacity-building.

Regional players

• Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres (OFIFC): Provincial network serving Indigenous youth through Friendship Centres in Ontario; operates in the same geography with programming and policy work similar to IYR's provincial touchpoints.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/indigyouthroots
• Instagraminstagram.com/indigenousyouthroots

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Indigenous Youth Roots - IYR (Formerly CRE)