Spring grant recipients from across southwestern Alberta gathered today to receive funds for a variety of unique projects through the Community Foundation.
“We have 43 recipients receiving just over $437,000 for spring grants,” says Charleen Davidson, executive director. “We haven’t had an in-house grant celebration since pre-pandemic, so December 2019. We’ve been going out into the community to award the grants, but we thought it was time to bring the community back into the office.”
For some of the recipients, Davidson notes, receiving the grants is a game changer. “It’s so important for them to see this money come into their community to support their initiatives and their projects. These are people who are passionate about their community and they’re trying to make their community a better place and there’s never enough money.”
“For us to be able to give them a little bit of money to help take them over the finish line or get them started on a project, it’s really important,” adds Davidson. “It makes a big difference.”
According to Davidson, there are multiple funds the Foundation awards from. The maximum grant through the Community Priorities Fund was $15,000, which helps with capital projects, including building maintenance or repairs and buying capital items such as computers or playgrounds. This is the Foundation’s largest, oldest and unrestricted fund.
“Donors give the Community Foundation authority to determine the needs of the day with that fund and prioritize where that money needs to go. We open it up to the community to apply,” says Davidson.
The Rural Life Fund, Davidson says, has a grant amount of up to $30,000 and was a request from Pincher Creek and area rancher Bill Long, who left a gift to the Foundation. “The bulk of his estate and he wanted to maintain a high quality of life in the rural community, so only the rural community can apply to that fund.”
All of the grant money, Davidson notes, comes from donors. “We’re very fortunate to have so many generous donors supporting our work.”
“We are now consistently awarding over $1 million a year,” adds Davidson.
A fall call for applications will be announced at a later date.
