Today, the Community Foundation is pleased to announce its participation in the Government of Canada’s new Healthy Communities Initiative, which will help support communities across the country to adapt public spaces in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
A partnership with the Community Foundations of Canada, the Canadian Urban Institute, and Community Foundations across Canada, this investment will provide $31 million in grant funding to support community-led organizations in developing local, small-scale infrastructure projects that respond to the immediate needs arising from COVID-19, while building towards a more pandemic resilient future.
The Community Foundation of Lethbridge and Southwestern Alberta is participating in the Southern Alberta coalition, which will support Alberta initiatives all the way from Red Deer down to the Canadian American border.
Municipalities, charities, Indigenous communities, and non-profit organizations are encouraged to apply for funding between $5,000 and $250,000 to lead projects that help create safe public spaces, improve mobility options, and provide digital solutions to help Southern Alberta navigate the pandemic. This could include projects that adapt crosswalks and access to public transport to allow for safe physical distancing, the creation of community gardens, art installations, and free wifi in targeted public spaces.
As the first anniversary of the appearance of the pandemic in our community approaches, we see a year of resilience and resourcefulness, but also of inequality. We are proud to support work that reduces inequality, promotes innovative solutions, and continues to build a healthy and vibrant community where everyone has a sense of belonging.
The first application deadline to the Healthy Community Initiatives is 6:00 p.m. MST on March 9, 2021. A second round of funding will be announced in May 2021.
For more information about how to apply, to explore resources for applicants, and to sign up for community mobilization sessions, visit canadahealthycommunitiesinitiative.ca. Interested organizations are encouraged to contact the Community Foundation’s Grants Coordinator, Caitlin Gajdostik, at grants@cflsa.ca prior to submitting an application.
The Canada Healthy Communities Initiative
Funded by
