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Apply Now: Henry S. Varley Fund for Rural Life (Canada)

Deadline: 15-Mar-25

The Community Foundation of Lethbridge and Southwestern Alberta is calling out for applications for the Henry S. Varley Fund for Rural Life to enhance and sustain a high quality of life in the rural communities of southwestern Alberta.

Charities that are seeking funding for activities within the City of Lethbridge, as the urban centre of this region, are not eligible for funding from the Rural Life Fund.

Categories
  • The Henry S. Varley Fund for Rural Life is interested in supporting projects that demonstrate at least one of the following categories:
    • Innovation – Project initiatives proposed by one or more qualified donees that encourage innovation through new approaches, new models, and new ways of making change for individuals in their communities.
    • Community Collaboration –Project initiatives that encourage collaboration and community support in response to local issues.
    • Education and training initiatives – Education and training initiatives that will develop and enhance the skills to strengthen organizations that support the rural community.
    • Information and research initiatives – Projects that arise as the result of research and information initiatives that impact the rural community and quality of life of its citizens.
Ineligible Projects
  • Please be aware that the Rural Life Grants Program does not fund:
    • Proposals that focus mainly on capital expenses such as new construction, renovations, large equipment items, playgrounds, parks, and vehicles
    • Retroactive expenses incurred prior to the final grants decision date;
    • Deficit reduction and endowment building;
    • Activities that serve primarily the membership or purposes of religious or political organizations;
    • Projects that do not benefit residents of rural Southwestern Alberta.
Eligibility Criteria
  • Qualified donees are as follows:
    • A registered charity (including a registered national arts service organization).
    • A registered Canadian amateur athletic association.
    • A registered journalism organization.
    • A registered housing corporation resident in Canada constituted exclusively to provide low-cost housing for the aged.
    • A registered Canadian municipality.
    • A registered municipal or public body performing a function of government in Canada.
    • A registered university outside Canada, the student body of which ordinarily includes students from Canada.
    • A registered charitable organization outside Canada to which His Majesty in right of Canada has made a gift.
    • His Majesty in right of Canada, a province, or a territory
      the United Nations and its agencies.
  • His Majesty in right of Canada, a province, or a territory, and the United Nations and its agencies are qualified donees that do not have to be registered to be recognized as such.
Review Criteria
  • The Rural Life Grants committee considers the following key criteria when reviewing grant applications:
    • Support for local organizations;
    • Projects that support equity in the community;
    • Projects that are responsive to emerging, versus ongoing needs;
    • The breadth and/or depth of a project’s community impact;
    • Community support and/or collaboration of or on a project.
Application Requirements
  • Grant applications can be accessed through the online grant management system. The application process has two parts:
    • Complete a brief summary of your project for the Letter of Intent (LOI)/ Project Proposal. Their Grants Coordinator will contact you to discuss the project.
    • Once the project’s eligibility has been approved and the project proposal is ready for submission, you will be invited to complete the full application.
      • Application Form
      • Audited Financial Statements
      • Operating Budget
      • List of Board and key staff members
      • Intermediary Agreement (if applying in partnership)
      • Project Quote
  • In order for your application to be eligible, you must submit any outstanding final reports for previous Community Foundation grants.

For more information, visit Community Foundation of Lethbridge and Southwestern Alberta.