A Functional Fund
Many First Nations leaders want to make homeownership attainable to expand options beyond social housing. However, the complex preparations needed to establish a successful homeownership program are often a major obstacle.
This is where the First Nations Market Housing Fund (“the Fund”) comes in—
we provide crucial support in overcoming these obstacles.
We’ll work with you to create the capacity your First Nation needs to support and sustain loan-based housing programs.
First Nations’ owned housing contributes to the social welfare and civic improvements for residents on-reserve and the whole community.
We empower First Nations communities across Canada by providing the tools needed to secure homeownership on reserve lands.
About Us
The First Nations Market Housing Fund (“the Fund”) is dedicated to empowering First Nations communities across Canada by providing the tools needed to secure homeownership on reserve lands. We believe that homeownership can significantly improve housing challenges in on-reserve communities.
Many First Nations leaders want to make homeownership attainable to expand options beyond social housing. However, the complex preparations needed to establish a successful homeownership program are often a major obstacle.
This is where the Fund comes in – we provide crucial support in overcoming these obstacles.
Vision
First Nation Prosperity Through Homeownership
Mission
Provide Pathways to Homeownership for First Nations people
Mandate
Financing for Loan-based Housing in First Nations Communities
Values
We are guided by the unique traditional values and governance structures of each community we serve. The values of the Fund are the seven sacred teachings.
Responsible Investing
The Fund invests responsibly to protect capital and ensure we can afford to meet our mandate, but we also invest to align with First Nations values.
For instance, we invest in First Nations Finance Authority Bonds, and are members of the Values in Action Engagement Program that helps investors engage with companies on improving their performance in matters important to Indigenous peoples.
Your Teachings. Your Journey.
Your Nation’s values are at the heart of sustainable housing.
Our stories help us understand each other, and through our commissioned art program, we are driving the conversation about First Nations housing through Indigenous ways of knowing and being.
Each Nation has its own path and you deserve to lead your way. We want to understand your values and governance so that we can find the best homeownership solutions for your people.
When we lead with the seven sacred teachings and embrace creative solutions through traditional knowledge, we can create a stronger and more sustainable future for First Nations communities.
The values of the Fund
are the seven sacred teachings:
Love
Respect
Courage
Honesty
Wisdom
Humility
Truth
Indigenous Art
We share our gallery of commissioned artwork so all of our partner nations can see themselves reflected in art from artists within their regions.
Brent Hardistry
Brent Hardisty is a woodland style painter who works in acrylics on canvas.
In this commissioned piece, a man dreams and manifests his future and perfect home for his family.
This current style and medium was influenced by his bringing up in a first nation community in Northern Ontario and of course the iconic Norval Morrisseau.
His work depicts deep spiritual significance yet they always beckon the viewer to look inside themselves. For there is much to be said of the individual and their own interpretations. Much like our dreams or the colors and symbols placed throughout the work.
Sheldon Louis
The tule mat lodge, one of our traditional seasonal homes, symbolizes the enduring foundation of our cultural teachings.
Surrounding it are contemporary houses to reflect the evolution of our communities, modern spaces still deeply rooted in traditional knowledge.
In the sky above, Senklip (coyote) watches over the scene. Known by many names across the Interior, Senklip is a unifying figure among our nations. A protector, a storyteller, and a reminder of our shared histories and values.
Throughout the landscape, the sunflower emerges; a vibrant and familiar presence on the hillsides of our homelands. Beyond its natural beauty, it marks the change of seasons and represents new growth; a symbol of the regenerative and transformative work that the Fund is leading.
Together these elements speak to a vision of community that honours the past while growing into the future.
Kalum T. Dan
Kalum Teke Dan is a talented Blackfoot artist based in Calgary, with roots in the Blood Tribe of Southern Alberta.
Over the last three decades, he has built an impressive portfolio, renowned for his striking portraits and expressive wildlife artwork.
In this piece, a mother holds her child close, symbolizing family as the foundation of community and culture. She looks upward, a sign of hope and spiritual connection. In the background to the left, modern city buildings rise, representing contemporary life.
To the right, traditional tipis and the Rocky Mountains stand as reminders of ancestral homelands and enduring traditions. The sun radiates energy while a flock of birds in flight represent freedom, movement, and our collective journey.
Our Team
Our professional team is here to help put First Nations people on the path to homeownership, with the help of partners and lenders.
Governance
To increase homeownership on reserve lands, we are improving our products & services, and have assembled an Indigenous-led team to be more responsive to First Nations.
Our Board of Trustees is pursuing transformational reforms to revitalize and strengthen the Fund to expand our services to make homeownership a reality sooner for those who want it.
Timeline
The overall goal is to promote a system in which First Nations residents have the same housing opportunities on communally held lands – reserve, settlement, or lands set aside – as mainstream Canadians have in their communities.
The Fund is active in 41% of all First Nations communities in Canada. Its most impactful contribution is capacity development support, empowering First Nations to enhance their institutional capabilities for successful homeownership.
Our success is measured by the number of homes built through Credit Enhancement, mainly through Fund-backed loans. – See also 2024 Annual Report
2005
The concept for a market-based housing fund tailored to First Nations takes shape during the 2004–05 Canada-Aboriginal Peoples Roundtable and the Kelowna Accord, aiming to improve access to housing finance on reserve.
2007
The First Nations Market Housing Fund (FNMHF) is officially created with a one-time investment of $300 million from the Government of Canada.
2008
FNMHF opens its doors and begins outreach to First Nations communities across the country.
Initial partnerships are formed, and the Fund’s foundational Capacity Development and Credit Enhancement programs are launched.
2010–2016
Dozens of First Nations join the Fund, with early adopters leading innovative approaches to community housing.
First guaranteed loans are issued, supporting individuals and communities to build, buy, or renovate homes on reserve.
Capacity development programs expand to include housing policies, governance, and training tailored to local needs.
2017–2019
The Fund surpasses 200 Participating First Nations.
New training modules and mentorship support are added to enhance governance and financial literacy.
2020
FNMHF adapts its support model to meet pandemic-related challenges, including remote delivery of services and increased flexibility in programming.
Support continues uninterrupted for housing projects in progress.
2021
A revised Indenture of Trust stipulates that all Trustees of FNMHF must be First Nations individuals.
2022
The Fund strengthens partnerships with Indigenous housing organizations, financial institutions, and government partners to align with national housing priorities with a focus on innovative financing models.
2024
FNMHF strengthened its strategic partnerships by signing five MOUs with key Indigenous organizations: the First Nations Housing Professionals Association (FNHPA), First Nations Financial Management Board (FMB), Lands Advisory Board (LAB), Naut’sa mawt Tribal Council, and Yänonhchia’ Housing Finance. These collaborations aim to enhance capacity, improve access to housing finance, and support sustainable housing solutions for First Nations communities across Canada.
Launch of new communications tools, including podcasts and regional outreach strategies.
Increase in staff and expansion across the country to better meet the needs of First Nations.
Renewed focus on youth education, readiness assessments, and digital capacity-building.
Today
The Fund has engaged with nearly 270 First Nations communities.
225 communities have qualified for CE/CD, with over 1,700 CD initiatives undertaken.
FNMHF remains committed to supporting First Nations-led solutions that promote self-sufficiency, homeownership, and community growth.