Athabasca County Community Grants Program

About the Program

Athabasca County seeks to support the invaluable work of local volunteers, organizations and youth who make the County a better place to live and work. To help further initiatives led by these groups and individuals, Athabasca County offers several grant program opportunities for events and programming; skills development; and recreation initiatives.

Funding is allocated annually for the grants and applications are reviewed and approved based on the deadlines and guidelines set out in the Athabasca County Community Grants Program. Please click on the grants below to learn more about them.

Athabasca County recognizes the valuable contributions made by community organizations and volunteer groups to improve the well-being of the community and the quality of life of its residents. In recognition of this, Council is committed to supporting these groups’ initiatives which positively impact community development, sport, arts and culture.

The Community Event grant will fund the following initiatives:
- Significant local, regional, provincial, national, or international events that have a major role in facilitating community life and well-being within or near the County. Preference will be given to submissions that promote economic development activities or initiatives.
- Strategies, programs, and activities that support healthy living. The initiatives may assist with participation in events of local, provincial, national, or international significance. Preference will be given to the development of local projects.
- Special projects from organizations that have a favourable benefit to the County may also be considered.

Applicants must be not-for-profit community groups, teams, organizations, and associations within or near the County.
The grant will provide funding up to a maximum for the following projects:
- Local Events: $5,000,
- Regional Events: $10,000,
- Provincial Events: $15,000, and
- National and International Events and Special Projects: $25,000.

Applications are accepted four times per year:
- Winter Deadline: February 15,
- Spring Deadline: May 15,
- Summer Deadline: August 15, and
- Fall Deadline: November 15.

Athabasca County contributes to local individuals and organizations participating in academic, arts, cultural, creative, agricultural, or trade-related activities who have progressed in their activity to the provincial, national or international level, or to an equivalent level.

Individuals or organizations must reside/exist within Athabasca County
Youth considered will be 18 years of age or under.
Funding is based on $500.00 per organization and $200.00 for individuals.
Requests for funding by more than one team per organization may be considered by Council.
Allocations for national or international level activities shall be authorized by a resolution of County Council.
Applications are accepted year-round.

Athabasca County encourages the use of the Athabasca Regional Multiplex Fitness and Aquatic Centre by schools within Athabasca County.

Each year during budget deliberations, Council will consider the inclusion of the Youth to Multiplex Program.
Funds will be allocated to assist with the cost of one bus from each school to travel to the Athabasca Regional Multiplex Fitness Centre six times, and also to offset pool/fitness centre rental costs.
At the beginning of the school year, the Grant Writer will correspond to the principal of each eligible school indicating the October 15 deadline to apply.

Athabasca County supports community groups who seek to upgrade community facilities and recreation lands to enhance community life. Assistance may be provided to community organizations within the Athabasca County boundaries. Fixed capital assets must be located on property owned or leased by the community organization or by Athabasca County.

The grant is a 50:50 matching.
Community groups, incorporated under the Alberta Societies’ Act, Agricultural Societies’ Act, or similar legislation, can apply for funding over $1,000.
Unincorporated, not-for-profit, and volunteer community organizations can apply for funding up to $1,000.
Administration will match up to $5,000 for capital purchases or improvements. Whereas requests exceeding $5,000 will be authorized by resolution of County Council.
The annual application deadline is April 30.
The matching contribution may be a combination of:
- Cash,
- In-kind contributions for items or materials at market value, and
- In-kind contributions at rates set by the Community Facility Enhancement Program, for unskilled labour, skilled labour, and heavy equipment with operator.

Athabasca County supports community organizations who actively maintain and operate a community hall, providing public accessibility and community events. To this end, the County seeks to contribute up to a maximum of 50% towards insurance and utility expenses.

The Community facility must be owned and/or operated by a community organization that is made available to the general public for usage through rentals or free bookings. The property must be within the Athabasca County boundary and form part of the Athabasca County Assessment Roll.
The County has established guidelines for assistance:
- Each community organization will make an application for funding to the Grant Writer on an annual basis.
- The application deadline shall be March 1 of each year.
- The amount of each grant will be a maximum of 50% of the previous year’s power, gas, and liability insurance bills; GST and late fees are excluded from the amounts awarded.

Eligible community halls include:

Athabasca Agriplex Hall (Athabasca & District Agricultural Society),
Amber Valley Hall (Amber Valley Community Association),
Atmore Community Hall (Atmore Community League),
Boyle Agriculture Grounds (Boyle & District Agricultural Society),
Breynat Community Hall (Wandering River Recreation Society),
Caslan Community Hall (Caslan Recreation & Culture Society),
Colinton Community Hall (Colinton Community Club),
Ellscott Community Hall (Ellscott Community Association),
Forfar Community Hall (Forfar Community Society),
Grassland Community Hall (Grassland Agricultural Society),
Grosmont Community Hall (Grosmont Community Society),
Meanook Community Hall (Meanook Community Club),
New Pine Creek Community Hall (New Pine Creek Community Association),
Perryvale Community Hall (Perryvale Community Hall Society),
Prosvita Community Hall (Prosvita Community Hall Association),
Richmond Park Community Hall (Richmond Park Community Hall Association),
Rochester Community Hall (Rochester & District Agricultural Society),
Rochester Seniors Drop-In Centre (Rochester Golden Age Club),
South Athabasca Community Hall (South Athabasca Entertainment Society),
Wandering River Agriplex (Wandering River Agricultural Society),
Wandering River Drop-In Centre/Community Hall (Wandering River Seniors Drop In Centre), and
Willow Ridge Community Hall (Willow Ridge Community Hall Association).

Athabasca County supports community organizations that actively maintain and operate an outdoor rink.

Outdoor skating rinks are allowed a maximum of $3,000 per year.
The grant is available following the completion of the most recent operating season. The grant is not applicable to operating seasons beyond the most recent operating season.
The application deadline for each year is June 30.

Eligible rinks include:
- Community Rinks: Rochester, Colinton, Grassland, Perryvale, Wandering River, Richmond Park, and Aspen Ridge Estates, and
- Neighbourhood Rinks: Athabasca County will consider any other neighbourhood rink but are subject to approval and budgeting.

Athabasca County encourages local communities and incorporated not-for-profit organizational cemetery groups within the County to improve their cemeteries and individual grave sites, and to undertake improvements within those cemeteries as a show of respect to the individuals buried.

Council agrees to pay incentive funding to cemetery groups within Athabasca County to undertake improvements and maintenance for capital equipment, materials, and supplies.
The grant will provide up to a maximum of $3,500 over a 2-year period, with payment made upon submission of the required final reporting.
The following projects will be funded under this grant: Fencing, landscaping, leveling grave depressions, erecting commemorative plaques, signs, markers, columbarium, recording data on head stones, major purchases and providing information concerning unmarked graves.
Approval for the grant will be given on a first come, first serve.
Applicants can apply for a new project once their previous project is complete and the 2-year period has passed.

Athabasca County receives sponsorship requests for financial support from organizations for a variety of events and fundraising initiatives. These are often requests where:

- It is not reasonable or practical to require the applicant to submit a grant funding application,
- The level of funding requested is lower than what the Athabasca County Community Grant Programs are designed to provide, or
- The event is not eligible under the Community Event Grant.

Requests of this type will be considered for up to $1,500 in sponsorship by Administration.
Requests exceeding $1,500 may be considered at the discretion of the Chief Administration Officer.
Requests may be directed to other County Grant Programs when appropriate.
The County will review and approve requests on a case-by-case basis, at the discretion of Administration and Council.

On an occasional basis, Athabasca County receives requests for funding that do not fit under any Community Grant program. To this end, the County will establish a policy in order to efficiently and consistently address these requests.

Funding is subject to the total amount of funds approved by Council as per the budget year and is limited to once per calendar year per individual, team or organization.
When an Impromptu Request is submitted to the Grant Writer, where the request exceeds $1,000, Administration will review the Upon review, Administration may:
- Approve up to $500 for the request,
- Bring the request to Council for consideration, or
- Choose not to support the request. In this case, Administration will not facilitate the review of the request by Council, unless subsequently instructed by Council to do so.

Athabasca County Community Grants Program: Online Submission Portal

Once you have reviewed the Athabasca County Community Grants Program guidelines and completed the required forms, feel free to upload your submission documents. Your submission documents may include application, budget and final reporting forms, and any supporting documents pertinent to the project. Your submission will be sent directly to our Research & Grant Writer, who will review it for completeness and follow up with any questions.

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