Applications are now being accepted until Mar. 13, 2026 for funding under the Community Wellbeing call for proposals, according to the City of Lethbridge.
Funding is available through:
- Government of Alberta’s Family and Community Support Services program
- Government of Canada’s Reaching Home program
- City of Lethbridge’s Diversion Outreach program
This opportunity is open to individuals (including independent contractors), non-profit organizations and for-profit organizations – provided the proposed activity is non-commercial and not intended for profit.
“This call for proposals process and the resulting funded services and programs have delivered meaningful results for our community in the past,” says Andrew Malcolm, GM of Community Social Development. “We’re confident this round will bring forward innovative projects that will allow us to build on progress made and continue to address urgent needs and strengthen overall community wellbeing in Lethbridge.”
Proposals must align with the relevant funding source’s directives and eligibility, and address needs, gaps and strategic priorities identified in the Community Wellbeing and Safety Strategy, the Municipal Housing Strategy and the Lethbridge Community Needs Assessment.
Funding is provided over set two-year periods:
- FCSS and DOT programs: Jan. 1, 2027 – Dec. 31, 2028
- Reaching Home programs: Apr. 1, 2027 – Mar. 31, 2029
All approved expenses must be incurred within these timeframes. Applicants are required to maintain appropriate insurance for the full duration of their projects.
Groups can combine money from this CFP with other City or non-City sources to build a stronger mix of support for one project.
Reaching Home funding covers both operational and capital costs. This helps organizations cover urgent needs now and build for the future.
“These are opportunities for community groups and initiatives to be brought forward through the proposal process, identifying new opportunities to address the gaps that exist in our community,” Malcolm adds.
In 2024, Malcolm notes, the City updated its Community Wellbeing and Safety Strategy, which outlined gaps and needs in the community’s social sector. “In 2024, we opened a similar call for proposal process. Through that we awarded a variety of great programs in our community, including the Boys and Girls Club, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Wood’s Homes, YWCA and others.”
“We’re hopeful there are programs that exist today that will be able to apply and take their programming to the next level, but we’re also really excited to hopefully see new groups and new initiatives brought forward again – recognizing the needs of our community are in a constant state of change. We want to make sure the programs and the funding we’re putting out reflect the needs of the community today,” Malcolm explains.
Malcolm says the total funding available is over $5 million for the two years of 2027 and 2028, “so we’re early in the process.”
“This call will be open until March, giving organizations an ample amount of time to put forward strong proposals. Once the process closes in March, we will take several months to evaluate and award those funds and work towards new agreements with those organizations,” adds Malcolm.
The programs will start Jan. 1 or Apr. 1, 2027, depending on the funding source.
There’s a wide-range of gaps across the social sector, notes Malcolm. “The different funding sources have different eligibility requirements, so the federal Reaching Home is focused on homelessness that can be prevention, as well as intervention. It can be capital, as well as operating.”
“The provincial FCSS funding is targeted toward prevention. That can be more focused on a number of services, including building capacity – so life skills and resiliency promoting healthy lifestyles, as well as supporting social development programs. Again, hoping to get ahead of crisis situations and building a more resilient community,” says Malcolm.
Applications can be submitted online.
