Members of Factions get extra rewards for advancing the agenda of their faction.

You belong to a family who owns shares in the FFTC - and the FFTC has a strong trading presence in this region - almost a monopoly. FFTC is a massive organization, with many small owners working together to compete with other, larger, Merchant Houses. Part of the organization's income is paid to the individual owners, while part is aggregated and shared out, as a dividend, between all of the owners and shareholders. Someone in your family gets a regular dividend from the FFTC, and they have written you a letter of introduction to the local FFTC representatives. Once that letter has been presented, you will be able to buy into the FFTC in your own right. Then you will get a regular dividend from the company (each time you advance a level). You buy into the company by giving them trade infrastructure. This might involve opening up a new trade route (eg. Build a merchant store in new town or village) or establishing a new trade route and ship to service it - In some cases, you might be able to do both at the same time. However, to get the benefits you must give the assets to the FFTC - however, that dividend will always be available to you - anywhere in the world and makes a marvellous pension.

I need to work out Dividend rates.

Your family has a history of military service - Imperial, National or Mercenary - and you wish to continue in that heritage. If you build defensive buildings (a development with Def Points) and pledge them to the Governor's Service, she will give you a small pension (paid each time you level up). Pledge enough support, and you could even finish up with a rank and titles!

It is semi-national / semi-mercenary - but then again, most feudal arrangements area bit like that. There are certainly nobles in the Empire that retain their titles and lands because they have pledged their support to their overlord. Not quite sure of the details yet - nor how to make the pledge to the governor. I'll have to think about that.