Several local groups and organizations recently snagged municipal dollars to support programming

By Serena Lapointe

Over thirty-five thousand dollars of municipal funding was provided to
seven local groups and organizations following the doll out of the 2025
Sports Hosting Program Grant and the 2025 Enhancement Grant during
the May 26 Regular Meeting of Whitecourt Town Council, held at the Forest
Interpretive Centre.
The Whitecourt Enhancement Grant gives financial support to
organizations and groups that offer community arts, culture and recreation
events or programming. Groups that wish to add such programs or events
to their regular programming repertoire may also apply.
To qualify, the project must impact community members, be unique and
cannot be part of an organization’s regular business or budget. The project
must also be identified as a need and benefit to the community. The
organization must also prove its contribution to the project and share how it
will be sustained and maintained.
“We received seven applications for the Enhancement Grant. The
recommendation is to fund five of them,” explained Chelsea Grande,
Director of Community Services. The Community Services Advisory Board
Vice Chair, Brigette Moore, was also on hand to answer questions from the
elected officials.
The Community Services Advisory Board examined the applications,
scoring projects based on specific criteria and objectives for the grant,
including enhancing quality of life, sports, recreation, and culture, as well as
encouraging and promoting volunteerism and community spirit. With results
in hand, the board then provided its recommendations to Council on which
groups should receive funding.
Each year, Town Council sets aside $30,000. This year, the seven

applications totalled $54,100. Brighter Futures (Ecole St. Anne School
Parent Society) requested $8,875 to purchase soccer goal posts, The

Woodchuckers (Whitecourt Cornhole League) requested $405 for transport
carts, Whitecourt Minor Ball Association requested $6,330 towards a
pitching machine, Whitecourt Minor Soccer requested $16,000 for Equip for
Excellence (elite team equipment), Whitecourt Whiskey Jacks (Junior
Forest Wardens) requested $6,490 for stand-up paddle boards, the
Whitecourt Indigenous Friends Society applied for $10,000 for its Orange
Shirt Day/National Day of Truth and Reconciliation event, and the
Whitecourt District Agricultural Society requested $6,000 for its Dance in
the Dirt concert event.
“The Whitecourt Indigenous Friends Society was a late application, and
they did not attend the mandatory session prior,” explained Grande. “The
Whitecourt District Agricultural Society did not qualify because it was a
fundraiser, which doesn’t fall under this program,” she added. Groups that
hold fundraisers, such as 50/50 or silent auction, at an event can still
qualify for the grant. However, events done as fundraisers for a group do
not qualify under this specific grant.
To receive funds, applicants must attend an information workshop held
before the application window closes, and attendance is mandatory.
The remaining five approved groups shared the 2025 grant funding of
$30,000, depending on their ask and what qualified for funding. Brighter
Futures received $7,501.17, the Woodchuckers received $271.48,
Whitecourt Minor Ball received $3,874.23, Whitecourt Minor Soccer
received $13,056.91, and the Whitecourt Whiskey Jacks received
$5,296.21. Council approved the funding with a unanimous vote.
The next allotment of dollars given out that night was for the Whitecourt
Sports Hosting Program. Two applications were received so far this year:
the Whitecourt Blue Dolphins and the Whitecourt & District Taekwondo

Association. Funding remains, and groups can still apply. The Sports
Hosting Program grant aims to provide financial support to local groups
seeking to hold large events that will have a positive economic impact on
the community.

“It was developed for the municipality to partner with sporting organizations
to maximize the economic benefit of the events that come to the
community,” explained Rhonda Woods, Economic Development Officer.
The Whitecourt Blue Dolphins will be hosting a provincial swim meet on
June 14 at the Allan & Jean Millar Centre. They expect to attract 400
people to the community, with an average of 150 hotel rooms and/or
campground accommodations being utilized. The Whitecourt & District
Taekwondo Association is holding its Christmas Cup International
Championship on December 13 and expects to attract over 1,000 people.
With attendees travelling to Whitecourt from Alberta, British Columbia,
Saskatchewan, the Northwest Territories, Mexico and the United States,
organizers expect the use of around 200 hotel rooms in the community.
The Economic Development Committee recommended that Council
provide the Whitecourt Blue Dolphins with $3,200 and the Whitecourt &
District Taekwondo Association with $3,500 to support their upcoming
events. Council agreed. “What a phenomenal thing. I’m not sure I could
think of something better that could make use of Economic Development
dollars. I would love to make the recommended motion,” said Councillor
Derek Schlosser moments before making the motion to fund the Sports
Hosting Program applications, which passed unanimously.