North American Indigenous Games Council (Canada) Inc.

What North American Indigenous Games Council (Canada) Inc. does

The North American Indigenous Games Council (NAIG Council) is an incorporated non-profit organization that serves as the International Governing Body for the North American Indigenous Games, exercising exclusive jurisdiction over all matters pertaining to the Games directly or through its affiliate members. The Council supervises the overall development and implementation of the Games, including the selection of host communities through a formal bid process, and enters into formal Hosting Agreements that stipulate the terms of each edition. The organization is headquartered in Marysville, Washington, USA, and is concurrently registering non-profit status in Canada, with operational staff size of 1-10 (including a Coordinator role) and governance provided by a Board of up to 26 members mandated by 13 Canadian Provincial/Territorial Aboriginal Sport Bodies and 13 US regional bodies. Each Games edition brings together 5,000+ participants from up to 700 Indigenous Nations across Turtle Island, featuring 15 contemporary and traditional sport competitions alongside a cultural program. Past editions have generated up to $50 million in economic benefits for host communities.

Name

North American Indigenous Games Council (Canada) Inc.

Legal name

North American Indigenous Games Council

Website

https://naigcouncil.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The North American Indigenous Games Council is a non-profit International Governing Body that sanctions and oversees the North American Indigenous Games, a multi-sport and cultural event for Indigenous youth held across Canada and the USA every 3-4 years.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Multi-Sport Event Governance

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events without Facilities (71132), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Olympic & Multi-Sport Governing Bodies (IOC/IPC, Continental Games Federations) (MPAKAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

International Multi-Sport Games Organizing Committees (e.g., Olympics, Commonwealth) (MPAKADAJ), Indigenous, Ethnic & Folk Arts/Heritage Organizations (BPAGAHAI)

Keywords

• Multi-sport event governance
• Indigenous youth athletics
• Sport governing body
• Cultural celebration events
• International games hosting

Headquarters

HQ city

Winnipeg

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: The Games receive funding from federal, provincial/territorial, and municipal governments. For 2023 NAIG, Government of Canada provided up to $4.5M additional + $3.813M committed; Province of Nova Scotia provided $2.5M additional + $3.5M committed.
2. Corporate Sponsorship: The Host Societies secure corporate sponsors for the Games, including cash and value-in-kind contributions. Major sponsors like Saskatchewan First Nations CDC have sponsored medals.
3. Participant Registration Fees: Teams pay registration fees per participant to compete in the Games. The 2014 registration required 50% of fees per participant at January deadline.
4. Regional Membership Fees: Regional member bodies pay annual membership fees of $500 to NAIG Council.
5. Legacy Fund Distributions: NAIG Council receives legacy fund distributions from past host societies. 2002 NAIG provided $100,000 and 2008 NAIG provided $200,000 financial contributions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The North American Indigenous Games Council (NAIG Council) is an incorporated non-profit organization that serves as the International Governing Body for the North American Indigenous Games (NAIG). It exercises exclusive jurisdiction over all matters pertaining to the Games, including policy development, rules and regulations, host community selection through a formal bid process, and coordination with 26 regional member bodies across Canada and the United States. The core offering is the periodic North American Indigenous Games themselves—a multi-sport and cultural celebration for Indigenous youth held every 3-4 years, featuring 15 contemporary and traditional sport competitions alongside a vibrant cultural program.

Product overview

The North American Indigenous Games (NAIG) Council operates as a single unified offering — the organization runs the periodic North American Indigenous Games, which is the largest multi-sport and cultural event for Indigenous youth in North America. The core product is the Games event itself, which includes competitive sports (14-16 sports across contemporary and traditional disciplines), a cultural program (Cultural Village, performances, ceremonies), opening ceremonies, and various supporting programs including the Hall of Honour recognition initiative. The organization also publishes Sport Technical Packages and Governing Rules as supporting documentation products. The Games are delivered on a rotating basis across host communities in Canada and the USA approximately every four years.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• North American Indigenous Games (NAIG) An international multi-sport and cultural celebration event for Indigenous youth aged 13-19, held periodically across Canada and the United States. The Games feature 15 contemporary and traditional sport competitions alongside a vibrant cultural program including a Cultural Village, opening ceremonies, and performances. Brings together over 5,000 participants from 750+ Indigenous Nations across Turtle Island (Canada and USA) every 3-4 years.
• NAIG Hall of Honour A recognition program that celebrates sporting excellence and outstanding achievement by inducting accomplished NAIG alumni who have distinguished themselves during the Games and beyond, contributing to the growth of the NAIG movement. Nominations are accepted in two categories: Athletes and Builders.

Quantifiable outcome

• 96% of participants indicated intent to stay actively involved in competitive sport after NAIG (2014 Study)
• +4 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• The Pin PeopleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedal production company awarded the contract to produce nearly 3,000 gold, silver and bronze medals for 2023 NAIG through a request for proposals process.
• Grey Sea Artist & Event ManagementcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey partner for NAIG 2020/2023 responsible for designing, producing, and managing opening ceremonies and the Cultural Village showcasing Mi'kmaw and Indigenous cultures.
• Mi'kmaw Sport Council of Nova ScotiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost society partner for 2023 NAIG, led the hosting in partnership with Halifax Regional Municipality and Millbrook First Nation. Chief Norman Bernard served as President.
• Millbrook First NationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost partner for 2023 NAIG, hosting the 3D archery competition and participating in the Games in Kjipuktuk (Halifax) and Millbrook First Nation. Chief Bob Gloade was involved.
• Aboriginal Sport & Wellness Council of Ontario (ASWCO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLed the successful bid to host 2017 NAIG in Toronto in partnership with Mississaugas of New Credit First Nation. ASWCO is a key regional member body in Canada.
• Mississaugas of New Credit First NationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with ASWCO to host 2017 NAIG in Toronto. Chief Bryan LaForme attended the final bid presentation in support of the Ontario bid.
• Nike N7 ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresented to NAIG Council at the November 2013 Board meeting regarding Nike's N7 Program supporting Indigenous youth sport.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• World Indigenous Games: An international multi-sport and cultural event for Indigenous peoples, first held in Palmas, Brazil in 2015 under the patronage of the Intercontinental Indigenous Organization. Directly comparable to NAIG as an Indigenous-led multi-sport gathering combining traditional sport and cultural exchange across nations.
• Special Olympics Canada: A national sport federation delivering multi-sport training and competition for athletes with intellectual disabilities across Canada. Comparable to NAIG in governance of a population-specific multi-sport Games cycle with similar volunteer, sponsor, and government funding architecture.
• Arctic Winter Games: A biennial international multi-sport and cultural event for circumpolar/Indigenous athletes from northern regions of North America, Europe and Asia. Highly comparable to NAIG in participant scale, sport/cultural mix, host-bid model, and Indigenous community leadership.
• Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity and Recreation Council (I·SPARC): The British Columbia Provincial/Territorial Aboriginal Sport Body that is a NAIG Council founding member and whose CEO (Rick Brant) serves as current NAIG Council President. Operates the same regional Indigenous sport delivery model feeding athletes into NAIG.
• Manitoba Aboriginal Sport & Recreation Council (MASRC): The Manitoba regional Indigenous sport body and NAIG Council regional member (with Treasurer Mel Whitesell on the Council). Operates the regional Indigenous sport pipeline identical to the other 12 Canadian member bodies.
• Aboriginal Sport & Wellness Council of Ontario (ASWCO): An Ontario-based Indigenous sport body that is a NAIG regional member and led the successful 2017 Toronto NAIG bid. Operates the same model of regional athlete development and NAIG coordination as the other 12 Canadian member bodies, making it a direct governance peer.
• World Eskimo-Indian Olympics: An annual Indigenous traditional-games event held in Fairbanks, Alaska, featuring traditional Arctic athletic competitions with cultural components. Comparable to NAIG's traditional sport offering and Indigenous-led governance, though smaller in participant scale.
• Indigenous Sport Council Alberta: Alberta's Provincial Aboriginal Sport Body and a core NAIG Council member, chaired by former NAIG President Shannon Dunfield. Delivers the same regional Indigenous sport coordination and team preparation pipeline as the other Canadian member bodies.

Broad incumbents

• Commonwealth Games Federation: The international federation governing the Commonwealth Games, a multi-sport event held every four years across Commonwealth nations. Operates the same broad multi-sport governance, host-bid process, and government-funding model as NAIG, but at much larger scale and with a different cultural framing.

Emerging players

• Maccabi Canada: The Canadian arm of the Maccabi Movement, which organizes the Maccabiah Games (Israel) and Maccabi Canada Games for Jewish community athletes. Structurally analogous to NAIG as a cultural-identity-based multi-sport event, though smaller and without NAIG's pan-Indigenous reconciliation framing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/naigcouncil
• Facebookfacebook.com/naigcouncil
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/north-american-indigenous-games-council-inc.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 North American Indigenous Games Council (Canada) Inc.