Community Grants
Community Grants address the greatest needs across the Southeastern Alberta region. They provide essential funding to local charities & non-profit organizations, helping enhance our communities’ quality of life.
These grants are made possible by donors who contribute to the Community Fund. Investment income is distributed through an application-based granting process held twice a year.
Grant Cycles occur in the Spring and Fall. For detailed dates and information on the application process, please refer to the Grant Guidelines.
CFSEA has a two-step application consisting of a Letter of Intent (Phase 1) and Application (Phase 2). Feedback from Phase 1 may take up to 7 business days. The deadline for the Letter of Intent will be at least 2 business days before the Application deadline.
NEW for Fall 2024: If you are a registered, non-profit society in Alberta, currently in good standing and have existed for at least five (5) years, you can request up to $5,000 without completing the Declaration of Affiliation. If you are requesting more than $5,000, you will still need to complete the affiliate process.
- Application Opens: February 10, 2025
- Letter of Intent (LOI) Deadline: March 10th, 2025 at 4:30pm.
- Application Deadline: March 17, 2025 at noon.
To view a full listing of past grant recipients, click here
Spring Grant Cycle Applications Open
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The Granting Priorities for 2024 are:
Basic Needs – Food, Housing, Health
Work & Economy
Connection & Belonging
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Charitable Purpose?
CFSEA ACT Definition: “The objects of the Foundation are to promote such charitable educational, recreational, cultural, and benevolent purposes as will, in the sole discretion of the Board, most effectively assist, encourage, and promote the well being of Mankind, primarily the inhabitants of the City of Medicine Hat and Southeastern Alberta regardless of race, national origin, colour, or religion”.
CRA Definition: “Registered charities must have formal purposes that are exclusively charitable and fall into one or more of the following categories:
- Relief of Poverty
- Advancement of Education
- Advancement of religion
- Other purposes beneficial to the public in a way that the law has recognized as charitable”. For example: protect the environment; promote health; uphold human rights; animal welfare; arts and culture; emergency and disaster relief; address or prevent specific problems faced by children, youth, or families, promote volunteerism, relief of the aged, relief of conditions associated with disability, promote racial equality, rehabilitation of those involved in the criminal justice system.
Am I Eligible to Apply for Funding?
If you can answer, “yes” to the following questions, you are eligible to apply.
1. Will your project provide services within the Southeast Alberta Region?
2. Are you a qualified donee (registered charity, church, school district, municipality), a registered Alberta non-profit society, OR an agency partnering with a qualified donee?
How Are Grants Decided?
Applications are reviewed by the Community Foundation of Southeastern Alberta (CFSEA) Grants Committee or by Community Fund Advisory Committees if you are applying in one of our Rural Community Fund Areas. These committees are composed of members of the Board of Directors and individuals from the community.
CFSEA prioritizes impact and equitable granting distributions across the region. The committees review all eligible applications and make funding recommendations to the Board of Directors.
We’re Here to Help!
Speak with our Grants and Communications Coordinator, Sydney today!
For more information, contact: