Feds give more than $1M to regional community foundations

Community Foundations in southern Alberta will share more than $1 million in federal funding announced Tuesday.

Multiple Community Foundation offices will share $1,267,320 to transform public spaces in response to COVID-19.

“I was in a Zoom call today about this funding and we were talking about how our communities are struggling through COVID,” said Community Foundation of Southeastern Alberta executive director Sue Edwards.

“We talked a lot about the social aspect of the pandemic and how this has affected peoples’ lives.

“Public spaces are the glue to community connection and the speakers said they want to government funding to bring joy back, and to assist with social hearing.”

The $1.2 million is part of more than $30 million announced by the federal Liberal government for this social initiative.

“The $1.2 million is spread out from Red Deer and across the south,” said Edwards. “It will be us, Red Deer, Calgary, Banff and Canmore, and Lethbridge.

“The money will be spread out all across southern Alberta.”

There will be two rounds of applications accepted for the funding, Edwards says, with the first now open to March 9. The second round will start in May.

Edwards says there are many potential uses for the money.

“This is open to governments, charities, Indigenous communities and non-profits — you don’t have to have charitable status for this.”

She says things like new pedestrian zones, improved mobility options, art in the park pop-ups and outdoor wifi hubs are all examples of potential funding ideas.