Frequently asked questions

Reconciliation Action Planning

What is the RAP Sprint™?

The RAP Sprint is an 8-week structured engagement that produces a board-ready Reconciliation Action Plan. It moves your organization from wherever you currently stand on reconciliation to a specific, measurable, accountable plan of action. It runs in four phases: Discover (establishing an honest baseline), Design (building shared understanding), Draft (writing the plan with measurable commitments), and Deliver (finalizing, roadmapping, and handing off).

What does our organization get at the end of a RAP Sprint™?

You receive four deliverables: a Readiness Scorecard that establishes your baseline across six reconciliation pillars, a board-ready Reconciliation Action Plan with specific and time-bound commitments, a 12-month Implementation Roadmap with phased priorities and resource requirements, and a Quarterly Check-In Framework for ongoing accountability over the following year.

We’re not sure if we’re ready for a full Reconciliation Action Plan. Can Balsam still help?

Yes. Many organizations come to Balsam before they know what they need. Our advisory work starts with listening: understanding where your organization is today, what relationships exist with Indigenous communities, and what internal capacity looks like. From there, we help identify the right first steps, whether that’s training, a readiness assessment, or something else entirely.

Advisory Services

How is Balsam’s advisory work different from a one-time consultation?

Balsam’s advisory services are designed around ongoing support, not a single deliverable. We work alongside your team over time, helping navigate decisions as they come up, building internal capacity, and ensuring your reconciliation commitments stay grounded and accountable.

What kind of advisory support does Balsam provide?

Balsam provides guidance on Indigenous engagement strategy, policy review, procurement practices, community relationship-building, and internal reconciliation planning. The scope depends on where your organization is and what you’re trying to accomplish. We work with leadership to define the engagement and adjust as the work unfolds.

Speaking & Land Acknowledgement

Can Balsam provide a speaker for our event or conference?

Yes. Balsam offers keynote presentations, panel participation, and facilitated discussions tailored to your audience. Speaking engagements focus on Indigenous histories, contemporary realities, and what reconciliation looks like in practice. We work with organizers beforehand to make sure the content fits the context.

We want to develop a meaningful land acknowledgement. Where do we start?

Balsam facilitates multi-hour workshops where your team explores the history and present-day context of the land your organization operates on. Participants learn what makes an acknowledgement meaningful versus performative, and leave with a draft statement and guidance on how to use it.

General

Does Balsam only work with large organizations?

No. Balsam works with organizations of all sizes, from national companies to regional nonprofits. What matters more than size is willingness to engage in the work with genuine intent.

How long does a typical engagement with Balsam last?

It depends on the scope. Training can be delivered in a single session or over several weeks. Advisory and Reconciliation Action Planning engagements typically run over months, because the work requires time, trust, and internal capacity-building. We scope every engagement to fit your timeline and readiness.

What industries or sectors does Balsam work with?

Balsam works across sectors including government, healthcare, education, engineering, mining, financial services, and nonprofits. Reconciliation touches every industry, and we tailor our approach to your specific context and community relationships.

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Frequently asked questions

Reconciliation Action Planning

Advisory Services

Speaking & Land Acknowledgement

General