Grant dollars dished out to community groups for tourism, enhancement and sports-related needs

The Town of Whitecourt offers over a dozen grant opportunities for community members to take
advantage of, including the Vitalization Grant, Sump Pit Materials Testing Incentive Program,
Seniors Grant Assistance, FireSmart Homeowner Incentive Program and the Family Community
Support Services (FCSS) Grant.
During Monday’s Regular Meeting of Council, dollars from three of the Town’s grant programs
were distributed to deserving community groups who applied for funding. The three grants were
the Sport Hosting Program, the Tourism Enhancement Grant and the Whitecourt Enhancement
Grant.
Five groups applied for the 2024 Whitecourt Enhancement Grant, which offers financial support
to groups and organizations involved in community arts, culture, and recreation to start up,
develop new community events, or enhance existing programs or facilities. The grant will not
duplicate existing funding, regardless of the source.
The grant aims to boost local programs, services, special events, equipment, and facilities of
local organizations that aren’t normally funded through annual budgets. This helps to enhance
the quality of life for residents of both Whitecourt and Woodlands County. As groups and
organizations are typically made up of volunteers, the grant also helps promote community
spirit, further encouraging volunteerism.
The Whitecourt Woodlands Winter Recreation Park Society applied for $8,502.50 to purchase
additional equipment for smaller participants, the Woodchuckers – Whitecourt Cornhole League
applied for $1,440 to purchase scoring towers, the Whitecourt Indigenous Friends Society
applied for ten thousand to support their National Truth and Reconciliation Day event,
Whitecourt Minor Ball applied for $8,163 for diamond and equipment enhancements, and the
Whitecourt Slo-Pitch Association applied for $15,458 for diamond additions at Graham Acres.
The Whitecourt Woodlands Winter Recreation Park Society’s application was deemed ineligible
because the society already receives operational funding from the Town of Whitecourt, and their
project was seen as operational. The total funding request was $43,563.80. With the one bid
removed, the request was lowered to $35,061.30.
The yearly budget for the Enhancement Grant is $30,000. The Community Services Advisory
Board (CSAB) recommended allocating $13,521.80 to the Whitecourt Slo-Pitch Association,
$6,894.18 to Whitecourt Minor Baseball, $8,144.02 to the Whitecourt Indigenous Friends
Society, and $1,440 to The Woodchuckers.
CSAB Chairperson Brigette Moore was on hand to explain why the board recommended
funding as it did. The CSAB rates each application, scoring it based on certain criteria, to decide
what percentage it should receive from the funding pile. Any eligible requests under $1,500
receive their entire ask.
The 2024 Sport Hosting Program received its second application of the year. The first
application was for a minor hockey event for $3,500. The second applicant was the Whitecourt
Blue Dolphins. The group was seeking support to hold the Whitecourt Provincial Swim Meet on

June 8 at the Allan & Jean Millar Centre, in which they expect over 400 people to travel to
Whitecourt to participate. The Economic Development Committee recommended that Council
provide the club with $3,500 to cover the cost of the facility rental.
The funds from the Sport Hosting Program are meant to help local sports teams hold provincial
sporting competitions, which provide a positive economic impact on the community as guests
travel in, stay at hotels, eat at local restaurants and shop at local businesses. Three thousand
remains in this year’s Sport Hosting Program budget to support other tournaments, and there is
no deadline for applications as the program remains open until all the dollars have been
allocated.
The final grant to be awarded was the Tourism Enhancement Grant Program, which encourages
local non-profit organizations to enhance tourism-related products and hold events that draw
visitors to the area. Similar to the Sport Hosting Program, applications are accepted throughout
the year until all the dollars have been allocated.
The Alzheimers Ride for Mom event on May 11 applied for and received funding ($2,500),
leaving $12,500 out of the fifteen-thousand-dollar budget remaining. The second applicant for
the year was the Whitecourt Isga Tourism Association (WITA). The non-profit group offers
authentic Indigenous experiences to share history, culture and traditions.
WITA sought $10,000 to support the creation of a Teepee Village located just inside Carson
Pegasus Provincial Park. The village will feature a day-use teepee and up to five teepees for
guests to stay in overnight. The project would enable visitors to experience traditional teachings
by the Nakota Sioux Nation people on the Nakota Territory, on which the park resides.
“They have submitted a comprehensive business plan, a detailed marketing budget, their
project budget, their Alberta Forestry and Parks permit granting a disposition on the land and
permission for the development,” explained Rhonda Woods, Economic Development Officer for
the Town of Whitecourt. “I received pictures today, and the teepees are up right now, and they
are online, ready to book (www.WITA.ca). They have some workshops going through, too.”
The experience would include land—and water-based workshops, dances, ceremonies,
traditional meals, and crafts like a hand drum. Since Whitecourt is the closest community to the
park, the Teepee Village Project will bring visitors through town, enhancing tourism. The project
could also create synergies and partnerships within the area, further supporting the
municipality’s tourism.
The Economic Development Committee recommended that Council award the Whitecourt Isga
Tourism Association $5,200 to support its Teepee Village Project. “We broke down the budget
and what was eligible within the funding policy, and we supported 50 percent of their marketing
for the project for year one. We want to see it kick off and then we will get partnerships for future
years for this project.”
Just over seven thousand dollars remain in the Tourism Enhancement Grant Program budget
for the 2024 funding year. Council’s agenda package noted that though several inquiries had
been made about the grant, no further applications had been received yet. They will be
readvertising it to reach more groups. Whitecourt Town Council voted unanimously to approve
the recommended allocations for the three grants.
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Whitecourt Town Council recently approved over thirty-eight thousand dollars for local clubs,
groups, and non-profits to help support equipment upgrades, events, and startups. Funding was
handed out from three of the 12+ grants offered by the Town: the Sport Hosting Program,
Tourism Enhancement Grant, and Whitecourt Enhancement Grant.