Community Foundation offers more funding for C-19 response

The Community Foundation of Lethbridge and Southwestern Alberta announced on Monday that it is accepting applications to the Emergency Community Support Fund (ECSF) as part of its COVID-19 Response and Recovery Grants program.

This new funding opportunity is made possible by an additional contribution of just over $229,000 that the Community Foundation received for the ECSF from the Community Foundations of Canada.

“We are delighted to receive the additional ECSF allocation,” said executive director Charleen Davidson, in a new release. “We’ve been awarding grants to address the COVID-19 pandemic since April. While we’ve allocated over $1.1 million to date, the request for funding is more than double. These additional dollars will help us extend our reach to those charities that have not received or perhaps require further support.”

Funded by the Government of Canada and in partnership with the Community Foundations of Canada, the United Way Centraide Canada and the Canadian Red Cross, the ECSF is a $350-million initiative that has been supporting Canada Revenue Agency-registered charities across the country since May. To date, the Community Foundation has awarded over $720,000 in ECSF grants to 35 charities serving vulnerable populations impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Local charities working with individuals and groups who are experiencing heightened vulnerability due to the COVID19 pandemic are eligible to apply for a grant through an online platform that can be accessed from the Community Foundation’s website at

Charities interested in applying are asked to contact the Community Foundation’s Grants Coordinator Caitlin Gajdostik at grants@cflsa.ca to discuss eligibility. The deadline to apply is Oct. 30.

More information on the ECSF, including the application and program guidelines, can be found on the Community Foundation’s website