Every year, Chestermere opens grant funding opportunities that are used to support local initiatives and engage the community.
The City of Chestermere’s Human Services Advisory Board (HSAB) is offering community grants and vitality grant opportunities for social service agencies, community support organizations, and resident initiatives again this year.
“These grants support community organizations, service agencies, and residents so they can develop social programs, facilitate local activities, enhance amenities, strengthen connections in neighbourhoods and promote the social well-being of the residents of Chestermere,” community support services manager Danielle Fermin said in a City of Chestermere media release.
The funding applications for each of the grants open at different times each year, and each grant has been designed to serve a specific need within the community.
The HSAB grant application is open until March 30, with $173,394 available from the Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) and United Way Chestermere partnership.
Social service agencies and community-serving organizations that are developing programs for Chestermere that specifically help meet the needs identified in the Social Investment Framework (SIF) can apply for the HSAB grant.
The SIF is a vision created by the city to coordinate funding and social programs offered to individuals, families, and community groups that contribute to advancing equity and social inclusion.
The goals of the SIF include having healthy, connected, and engaged residents, having vibrant, connected, and engaged neighbourhoods, and promoting positive mental health.
The grant application has been developed with the prevention, early intervention, and community development as the foundational program delivery strategies, the release said.
“HSAB funds have been allocated to many different organizations in the past and supported important programs like home visitations, volunteer mentorship, food security programs, financial literacy classes, teen leadership, mental health services, and more,” Fermin said.
To ensure all community organizations have appropriate access to a portion of the funding, no more than 35 per cent of the available funding will be allocated to each organization.
Projects are chosen by the HSAB and are funded for one year, from January to December.
Organizations that want to apply for the HSAB grant should email grants@chestermere.ca to receive a copy of the 2023 funding proposal form.
The Chestermere Community Grant Funding Program is available from April to May 31.
Funding will start at $30,000, but it is subject to the approval of the annual budget by council.
Local community groups and community-serving organizations that are creating new and innovative programs or initiatives can apply for this grant by submitting funding proposals.
“Applications should enhance local amenities in sports and recreation, arts, culture, history, and the social well-being of the residents of Chestermere,” Fermin said.
The proposals should benefit residents by facilitating local activities that engage the community.
To be eligible for community grant funding, projects must primarily serve Chestermere residents, be open to the public, demonstrate the need for financial assistance, and demonstrate active fundraising efforts.
To receive this grant, projects cannot be eligible for funding through other city grant funding sources and must not be a duplicate of an existing program, program, service, or event.
Applications will be evaluated by the Community Grant Funding Adjudication Committee, and recommendations will be presented to council.
Organizations can visit chestermere.ca/communitygrants
to view the community grant funding information package and to apply for the funding.
The final grant funding stream is Vitality Grants, which will be open from June 1 until June 30, with $5,000, or $500 per project, of funding available through the FCSS.
A second call for proposals could be issued in the late summer or early fall if there are remaining funds.
Chestermere residents and community groups who lead neighbourhood projects, community building projects, festivals, or cultural events that are inclusive and engage all members of the community can apply for this grant.
The goal of the Vitality Grants program is to encourage community building and inclusion and strengthen connections in neighbourhoods.
“We offer a grant of up to $500 to support your idea to help connect and engage residents in their neighbourhood and communities,” Fermin said.
Final grants are reviewed and approved by the HSAB which is made up of appointed volunteer residents and city councillors.
Residents and community groups can visit chestermere.ca/vitalitygrants to submit the proposed project budget, and the project using the city’s proposal form.
