Community Grants Program
Grant request deadlines are 11:59pm on February 15 and September 15 each year.
Calgary Foundation is currently accepting grant requests for the Community Grants Program for the September 15, 2019 deadline. Prior to submitting your request please consult the Community Grants Guidelines and contact foundation staff to discuss eligibility. The program supports initiatives that engage citizens and strengthen charities.
About Community Grants
The Community Grants Program helps make Calgary and area a great place to live for everyone by strengthening all parts of the charitable sector and/or engaging citizens in building their communities.
Engage Citizens supports initiatives that:
- Enhance the ways that volunteers participate in a charity’s work.
- Create new opportunities for community problem solving.
- Develop, test or enhance initiatives that focus on the meaningful participation of marginalized populations
Strengthen Charities supports initiatives that:
- Conduct strategic activities that expand an organization’s reach, share experiences or sustain impact.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of an organization, programs, or services.
- Invest in tools, technology and specialized equipment that are essential for effective work or for meaningful community engagement.
Grants come in a variety of sizes depending on the scope and scale of activities.
Vital Priorities
One of the Calgary Foundation’s five vital priorities is living a creative life. Through this priority, we seek to promote a diverse arts sector that supports initiatives that align with Calgary Arts Development’s Living a Creative Life strategy in order to:
- Build community and engage citizens through arts participation.
- Raise awareness of the arts as an essential part of creating a vibrant community.
Though we have identified areas that require greater leadership, the work we support is never siloed. It would be impossible to focus on one single priority because there are connections and crossovers among all the issues we face as a community. Priorities help focus some of our work, but one thing remains clear: We will continue with our robust 360º grantmaking process to touch every corner of our community.
Eligibility
The Community Grants program can only accept applications from registered charities and other qualified donees. Go to the Canada Revenue Agency’s Charities Listings website to determine whether your organization is a qualified donee.
If you are not a registered charity but wish to apply for funding, you can consider establishing a partnership with a registered charity that would apply for funds for the proposed project. Charities and non-charities will often partner to increase their impact in the community. The charity must retain direction and control of the charitable funds and the activities of the non-charity must align with the charity’s mandate and contribute to the achievement of that mandate.
The proposed initiative must significantly benefit Calgary and area communities, which includes Calgary, Banff National Park, Canmore, Rocky View County, the Municipal Districts of Big Horn, Foothills, Kananaskis, and Wheatland, and the surrounding First Nations of Treaty 7 territory.
How to Apply
First, contact Calgary Foundation grants staff before the deadline to discuss the initiative. Applications are accepted through our online grant portal. For more information or to view the portal visit grantinterface.com.
Grants staff are available to assist you through the application process.
Completing your Application
Step 1 – Eligibility
In this step, you will identify whether you have a profile on Calgary Foundation’s Community Knowledge Centre (CKC) and assess the eligibility of your application. You must complete Step 1 in order to move your application to Step 2. Step 1 must be completed by September 10 to give sufficient time to move your application to Step 2.
Step 2 – Application
In this step, you will describe your initiative. Step 2 must be completed by September 15, 2019, 11:59pm.
The Community Grants program now offers the option of submitting a video/multimedia application instead of the written application. You have two options for submitting your application and for both options you must submit through the online grant portal.
Option 1: New – video/multimedia application
For further information, read the Video Application Guidelines.
Option 2: Written Application
Complete your grant request submission through the Online Grant Portal.
Grant Assessment Process
- September 15, 2019: Submit grant requests by 11:59pm using the online portal and click on Online Grant Portal.
- October: Grant requests are shortlisted and those applicants are asked to provide additional materials related to their initiative.
- November: Shortlisted applicants meet with a committee.
- Late December: Program results are announced.
If you have questions about applying for a community grant, please contact Djaka Blais-Amare, Community Grants Associate, by email at dblais-amare@calgaryfoundation.org or call 403.802.7310.
