The Red Deer and District Community Foundation is pleased to help out a wide range of community projects, programs, and initiatives with both of their funds, one to help with Canada 150 celebrations, and the other is their annual Smart and Caring Communities Spring Grants program.

$10,000 from the Canada 150 grant went right here to the City of Lacombe, to help out with our July 1st celebration.

Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Red Deer and District received $5,000 from the Canada 150 Fund, as well as the Red Deer Cultural Heritage Society received $2,500 for their Children’s Festival at Canada Day Celebrations.

CEO of the Foundation Kristine Bugayong explains where the money for both grants comes from.

“The Canada 150 Grants Program, is a program that we implemented here in Central Alberta, through the support of the Government of Canada, Community Foundations of Canada, and private donors.”

Bugayong says if your group wants to apply for the grants, you may have missed out on the spring grants, but there are more opportunities to apply later on this year.

“There is a fall grants program. So the Smart and Caring Community Fund, is our unrestricted pool of dollars... So we offer two programs, one in the spring and one in the fall, and October 2nd is our deadline.”

Some of the groups who benefited from the 2017 Smart and Caring Communities Spring Grants Program include the Central Alberta Brain Injury Society ($6,000), the Central Alberta Pregnancy Care Centre ($3,600), and the Red Deer Cultural Heritage Society ($2,000).

To apply for a community grant, you can click here to check out their website.