Fall 2023 Community Grant Recipients

Community Foundation of Southeastern Alberta Distributes Over $130,000 in Community Grants!

 

Medicine Hat, Alberta (December 7, 2023) – The Community Foundation of Southeastern Alberta (CFSEA) distributed $138,000 to 17 charities through their Community Grants. CFSEA is a registered charity that creates meaningful connections between donors and local charities for the permanent benefit of Southeastern Alberta. Community Grants support communities throughout Southeastern Alberta by enhancing belonging of all citizens and strengthening the non-profit sector. Donors choose this fund as a way to allocate their contributions to support the community’s greatest needs.

 

“We are so grateful to work alongside the Rural Advisory Committees in Brooks, Cypress County, the County of Forty Mile, and Special Areas 2, 3 & MD of Acadia, to ensure the greatest needs in our communities are being supported. Our funding priorities this grant cycle focused on Mental Health, Work & Economy, and Vulnerable Populations. Thank you to our incredible group of volunteers who make up our Grants Committee.” – Glenda Hawthorne, CFSEA Grants Committee Chair

 

For Medicine Hat, the seven recipients include The Veiner Centre’s Senior Supports Program ($9,693), Medicine Hat Pregnancy Support Centre’s Hatter Babies Matter Program ($4,000), Medicine Hat Family Service for EMDR and Play Therapy Training ($20,000), Root Cellar Food and Wellness Hub’s Emergency Food Pantry ($20,000), Firekeeper’s Women’s Society for their Round Dance event ($4,500), Big Brothers Big Sisters of Medicine Hat’s Group Mentoring Program ($15,000), and the Be Youth Centre’s Youth Mobility and Connectivity Initiative ($3,500).

Community Grants awarded in Special Areas and the MD of Acadia include the Hanna Food Bank’s Hamper program ($3,075), Oyen and District Food Bank Hamper program ($6,560), Empress Friendship Centre’s Community Centre Upgrades ($3,180), and Chinook Applied Research Society’s CARA Soil Health ($10,000).

Cypress County received two Community Grants for Irvine and District Agricultural Society’s After School Curling and Free Skating program ($9,275) and Dunmore Equestrian’s Community Ranch Arena Accessibility ($5,000).

The Brooks and District region received three grants including Silver Sage Agricultural Society’s Facility Equipment Upgrades ($10,000), Rosemary Community Agricultural Society’s Recplex Kitchen Upgrade ($10,000), and the City of Brook’s Youth Police Academy ($1,400).

The County of Forty Mile received one Community Grant for the Forty Mile Regional FCSS to support a Summer Theatre Camp for all youth in Bow Island and area ($3,324).

In awarding grants, CFSEA conducts a comprehensive procedure to determine the most crucial community needs from data and evidence-based practice. Grants are then awarded based on potential impact and fund availability. Each year the Community Foundation hosts a Vital event to help determine the community’s greatest needs which guides their funding priorities. The 2023 priorities, in no particular order, are as follows: Mental Health, Work & Economy, and Vulnerable Populations – particularly food security, domestic violence, and housing stability. The 2024 priorities are set as, Connection & Belonging, Work & Economy, and Basic Needs including Food, Health, and Housing.

 

“We are incredibly grateful for the dedication and commitment of donors, volunteers, staff, and ambassadors of CFSEA. Through their vision and generosity, we are able to continue supporting communities across Southeastern Alberta.” – Niki Gray, Executive Director

 

The next Community Grant cycle will open to applications in early February 2024 with a virtual Grant Writing Workshop at noon on February 6^th, 2024.

 

To learn more, connect with CFSEA by calling 403.527.9038, emailing grants@cfsea.ca or by visiting https://cfsea.ca/we-give/smart-caring-grants/.

 

For more information, please contact:

Niki Gray

Niki@cfsea.ca

403.527.9038