Calgary Foundation accepting Applications for Neighbour Grants Program (Canada)

Deadline: 12-Apr-21

The Calgary Foundation is accepting applications for Neighbour Grants Program to help people build their sense of inclusive belonging in their own neighbourhoods and communities.

Neighbour Grants helps people implement their own small acts of community right in the neighborhoods and communities they live by offering up to $7,500 for project expenses.

The small acts of community they support tend to be projects where people:

Build gathering spaces, such as community gardens and naturalized areas
Engage people in creative ways to address concerns, such as community-created street murals, antiracism arts festivals, and non-partisan discussions on the importance of voting
Foster a sense of pride and presence, such as cultural sharing events and achievement celebrations of local youth and seniors
Give people the chance to get involved in community life, such as book- or tool-sharing libraries, new kinds of neighbourhood festivals, and skills-sharing events
Plan and guide neighbourhood and community development, such as resident-driven design or sustainability workshops and Reconciliation-themed learning initiatives.

To qualify, the small acts of community must:

Help people be leaders within the everyday life of their own communities
Form new or stronger connections between local people, groups, and organizations
Create or strengthen people’s sense of inclusive belonging within the diversity of their neighborhood or community
Agree to follow all public health guidelines for the pandemic and adapt as guidelines evolve.

What can Neighbour Grants be used for?

Typical costs are for community involvement. Examples: Event space rental, refreshments, supplies people will use to build or offer something for the community, and fees for artists who will help people participate and create something great or honoraria to Indigenous Elders who teach and guide a project in a good way.
Neighbour Grants cannot be used for: Debt retirement, expenses that have already been spent, facility improvements, fundraising projects, ongoing operating expenses, or for projects with costly ticket prices.

Note: During the pandemic, they will consider expenses related to virtual and distanced initiatives that build belonging while keeping everyone safe.

Eligibility Criteria