WESTLOCK – The Westlock Community Foundation (WCF) has been selected to distribute a portion of the federal government’s $400 million Community Services Recovery Fund to Athabasca, Barrhead and Westlock area charities, non-profits and Indigenous governing bodies with the application portal slated to go live at the end of this week, Jan. 6.
Federal minister of Families, Children and Social Development Karina Gould announced at the end of November that the Community Foundations of Canada alongside the Canadian Red Cross and United Way Centraide Canada would distribute the “one-time” money to help a “broad and diverse range” of groups “adapt and modernize” as they’ve been most impacted by an “increased demand for services, reduced revenues, declines in charitable giving due to the rising cost of living, and a greater need to make use of digital tools as part of adapting and modernizing their operations.”
“The government supports a more inclusive model of economic growth that creates opportunities for everyone in Canada as the long-term recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic continues,” said Gould, via a release. “The Community Services Recovery Fund will strengthen the ability of charities and non-profits to deliver services and resources where they will have the most impact. Because of the national funders’ strong connections with local organizations, they will ensure funding is distributed efficiently to organizations that provide services to communities in need across Canada.”
WCF chair Wayne Peyre said in many ways this “fell into our laps” as they had a meeting with one of the directors of the Community Foundations of Canada in early November who told them about the coming program and to get involved. Formed in September 2021, the WFC is built upon the $8 million estate of Florence and Albert Miller but is still probably a year away from being able to hand out any dollars as they’re waiting on their “investment returns” from that initial nest egg.
“It kind of came out of the blue and it’s really an opportunity for us to come out of the gate swinging. This allows us to do something sooner and be able to make an impact within our community, which is really exciting,” said Peyre.
“Charities and non-profits are at the forefront of addressing communities’ needs, however, many of them are struggling to recover and adapt their services to the changing needs of our communities. Through the Community Services Recovery Fund, the Westlock Community Foundation will be able to support both charities and non-profits across the Barrhead, Athabasca and Westlock regions to work on projects that support their organizational structure.”
How it works
Funding is meant to help groups adapt how they deliver services to support the needs of their staff and volunteers; buy equipment like computers and software; create new ways of working, such as developing new fundraising approaches; provide support for staff and volunteers, such as training, supports for mental health and wellbeing; and develop plans to receive funding from diverse sources. Although there’s a Jan. 6 embargo on the amount of money the WFC will hand out locally, Peyre said it’s substantial and will be in the six figures.
“I think the government has recognized that there’s a need to build capacity in these service organizations after COVID and kudos to them for doing that,” he said.
While the application portal opens this Friday, Jan. 6, a webinar for potential applicants is slated to run Jan. 12 and an in-person workshop for potential applicants goes Jan. 25 — more details on those events will roll out in the coming weeks, said Peyre, while additional info is also available here.
“We’re still working on some of the details, but we wanted to be in the position where we could start providing information to organizations about how to go through the application process,” he explained. “And there will be three different streams, between us, the Red Cross and the United Way, and each will fund different projects so if it’s a project from a service organization that doesn’t fall under our stream, we’ll put them in touch with the proper people to make an application.”
