Dolling out dollars for local groups for the betterment of the community

Every year, the Town of Whitecourt offers several grant opportunities for community
organizations and groups to help fund things like programs, projects and events. Each grant has
specific requirements and qualifications concerning who can apply, what they can apply for,
when they can apply for it, and for how much.
At the February 26 Regular Meeting of Council, one of the grants, the Family Community
Support Services (FCSS) Grant, was distributed. Before reaching the desks of the Town
Council, the Community Services Advisory Board reviewed the applications and gave their
recommendation on which groups should receive funding and for how much.
Chelsea Grande, Director of Community Services, explained that four applications were
received this year: the Daycare Centre of Edson, which services Whitecourt at the Carlan
Services Community Resource Centre, Bear Necessities of Pat Hardy, Wellspring Family
Resource & Crisis Centre and the Community Lunchbox.
“Three of the four were deemed eligible for the grant,” said Grande. “The application from Bear
Necessities of Pat Hardy, unfortunately, was deemed as primarily recreation in nature because it
was for their playground to improve accessibility. That one was referred to the Enhancement
Grant, which is our next grant that closes in March. So, you’ll see them again when that comes
forward.”
The Enhancement Grant, which helps groups enhance their programs and services with special
events or equipment that wouldn’t usually be funded through their annual budgets or other
funding sources, is another yearly grant offered by the Town. Grant objectives are funding local
recreation, arts and cultural development while promoting volunteerism and community spirit.
The Bear Necessities of Pat Hardy application will return to the Council when the 2024
Enhancement Grant applications are reviewed.
The FCSS Grant differs from the Enhancement Grant in that it is for preventative projects. To be
eligible, projects must meet the FCSS mandates, which include helping people become self-
reliant, build resiliency and function positively, help promote and develop positive social
relationships, empower people to address social issues and support them in being socially
engaged and active participants in their community.
“This grant can be used to fund operations, which is a little bit different from the grant you will
see next month (Enhancement Grant), and it can also be applied for repeatedly. It’s not just a
one-time thing. It can be applied for on a regular basis (yearly) for operations. It’s never
guaranteed as we only budget $20,000 for all of the organizations,” said Grande.
The Daycare Centre of Edson (same building as Whitecourt Food Bank) applied for $3,023.03
to provide an outdoor learning environment to support social, emotional and cognitive growth
and overall well-being with a natural-themed setup. “This does support our developmental
domains, which fit under FCSS,” said Grande. Under the policy, any eligible application for
funding under $3,000 can receive total funding. The Community Services Advisory Board
recommended they receive their full ask.

Wellspring Family Resources & Crisis Centre applied for $2,000 to update and reprint its
keychain resource guide, which gives contact information for various resources available in the
community. “They had it previously, but they want it updated. They are also out of them as they
were used well in the community. The Community Services Advisory Board is recommending
that they be awarded the full two thousand that they requested,” said Grande.
The Community Lunch Box applied for $22,167 for four separate items under their application.
The first ask was for $2,500 to assist with the development of volunteers through events like
Lunch & Learns and through promotional materials and BBQs, which would help with volunteer
recruitment. The second request was two thousand dollars for advertising and promotional
costs, and the final ask was for $10,000 for wages towards a volunteer coordinator. The position
helps expand outreach and volunteer engagement.
The fourth ask under the Community Lunch Box application was $7,667 for part-time meaningful
employment. However, Grande said it was ineligible under the grant. “It is funded ordinarily
through another government agency, employment services agencies, under Alberta
Employment/Alberta Works funding. Usually, they can apply for different contracts for those
positions because this is to provide wages for people with disabilities that are participating in the
recycling program.”
Though wage funding can be sought through the FCSS grant, which has a unique formula built-
in, it can’t be for positions that can be funded through a government agency, provincial or
federal, as it would be a duplication of services. The volunteer coordinator funding counted for
the grant because a government agency didn’t already fund it. FCSS funding for wages does
not cover the whole salary. “We don’t pay for the full coordinator at any time. We do have a
formula that we look at. It’s based on a certain wage amount, so every organization that applies
for that position would only get funding for that certain wage amount,” explained Grande.
Combining the three asks, minus the one ineligible piece from the Lunchbox application, totalled
$19,523.03. The Town’s 2024 Operating Budget included $20,000 for the FCSS Grant Program.
Whitecourt Town Council voted in favour of providing funding as the Community Services
Advisory Board recommended.
To learn more about the grants available from the Town of Whitecourt, visit www.whitecourt.ca
and search “grants.” Some grants are closed at this time, but a couple of them are active now.
Applications for funding through the Enhancement Grant are being accepted until Friday, March
15, at 4:00 pm, and applications for the Community Clean Up Program will be accepted until
Friday, April 5, at noon.