Today, the Community Foundation of Lethbridge and Southwestern Alberta is pleased to announce its support of 54 projects and initiatives with grants totaling $573,594 through three separate grants programs, marking the culmination of the Community Foundation’s granting programs for 2020.
The Community Priorities Fund will provide $215,000 in grants to projects from 28 organizations across Southwestern Alberta. This funding is made possible by private, unrestricted donations given generously by supporters of the Community Foundation over the past five decades. Ten of these grants received an additional $34,234 from various Field of Interest Funds, which provide support to successful applications that meet specific criteria outlined by the donors. Six grants also received an additional $9,000 from the Lethbridge Auto Dealers Association, which has been supporting the Community Foundation’s grants programs since 2014.
The Henry S. Varley Fund for Rural Life will provide $86,250 to nine projects. This fund, established from a bequest by Pincher Creek-area rancher Bill Long and named to honour the memory of his uncle, supports projects whose purpose is to sustain a high quality of life for residents of rural Southwestern Alberta.
The Emergency Community Support Fund (ECSF), part of the Community Foundation’s COVID-19 Response and Recovery Grants program, will provide $229,110 to 17 organizations. The ECSF provides support to local CRA-registered charities serving vulnerable populations disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Funded by the Government of Canada, the ECSF is a partnership with the Community Foundations of Canada, the United Way Centraide Canada, and the Canadian Red Cross.
“We are tremendously proud to be able to support our community with these grants,” said Charleen Davidson, Community Foundation Executive Director. “This year has been challenging for all of us, but the generosity of our donors has helped mitigate that challenge for many of our charities and the individuals they serve. Never has the critical role philanthropy plays in sustaining a healthy and vibrant community been as clear as it was this year. We are grateful to all of our donors, to the Lethbridge Auto Dealers Association, and the Governments of both Alberta and Canada for their support of the community through our work.”
“Canadian charities and non-profit organizations play a vital role in our communities,” said the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, Ahmed Hussen. “However, the COVID-19 pandemic is bringing real challenges to these important organizations. The Government of Canada is pleased to support these organizations through the Emergency Community Support Fund so that they can continue to help the most vulnerable members of our communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.
These grants fund projects that help build a healthy, vibrant, and inclusive community. In addition to supporting charities working on the frontline of the pandemic, these grants also support building renovations, technology upgrades, equipment purchases, and various projects in schools across the region. Click here for a list of grant recipients and a brief description of their projects.
With an endowment of over $31 million, the Community Foundation of Lethbridge and Southwestern Alberta is the largest non-government funding body in the region. These new grant disbursements bring the amount of funding awarded into the community to over $2 million in 2020.
The Emergency Community Support Fund
Funded by
