Neighbour Grants Guidelines
Neighbour Grants Guidelines Strengthening the Ordinary Bonds of Neighbourliness Contact us to talk about the project that you have in mind! Julie Black, Citizen Engagement Associate Phone: 403-802-7720 Email: [email protected] Website CalgaryFoundation.org The Calgary Foundation recognizes the vital role that people play each day in the well-being of their communities. Neighbour Grants offers up to $5,000 for Calgary and areai grassroots initiatives that are guided or driven by people in their own communities. Neighbour Grants is about being neighbourly – caring, connected, and involved. The initiatives that Neighbour Grants supports vary tremendously. What stays the same is that initiatives:
Encourage people to be leaders within the everyday life of their communities through creative, welcoming, and engaging projects
Form connections between local people, groups, and organizations
Create a sense of belonging by bringing people together to achieve a common goal or to share common experiences
Watch our film Our City, Our Soul: Five Neighbourhood Stories to see the spirit of past initiatives. Invite us to talk with your group when you are thinking about what you might do. Who can apply? You must be a qualified donee according to Canada Revenue Agency (usually a registered charity) or you must apply and run the project in partnership with a qualified doneeii. What can Neighbour Grants be used for? Neighbour Grants can cover costs associated with volunteer and community involvement. Typical costs are event space rental, refreshments, supplies that people will use to create something for the community, and fees for artists who will help people participate and create something great. Neighbour Grants is about bringing people together through initiatives such as: Building local infrastructure, such as community gardens and gathering spaces Engaging neighbours in creative ways to address concerns, such as traffic-calming street murals and skills-sharing workshops Celebrating local achievement, such as talent nights for local youth and seniors Creating opportunities for people to get involved in community life, such as cross-cultural sharing events and local book- or tool-sharing libraries Planning and guiding neighbourhood and community development, such as residentdriven design workshops and discussion forums Neighbour Grants Guidelines – 1 | P a g e
Neighbour Grants cannot cover: Debt retirement Expenses that have already been spent Facility improvements Fundraising activities, events, or salaries Ongoing operating expenses How do you apply? Contact Julie to discuss your initiative, eligibility, and upcoming deadlines before working on an application. Then submit a Neighbour Grants application by: Mail or in person – 700 - 999, 8th Street SW, Calgary AB, T2R 1J5 Or email – [email protected] Neighbour Grants applications are accepted throughout the year and are reviewed by community volunteers approximately every two months. You will know if you are awarded a grant within three weeks of an application deadline. Watch our website for deadlines and special events. Who evaluates Neighbour Grants? The Calgary Foundation’s volunteer Neighbour Grants Committee evaluates grant requests. They are local leaders with a deep knowledge and commitment to active citizenship and community life If you are awarded a Neighbour Grant, you will:
Acknowledge the support of the Calgary Foundation Neighbour Grants in project materials and presentations.
Use our logo on your flyers and websites and borrow our banner to display at your events.
Invite us to key project events. We like to attend and see your project in action.
Consult us first if you are thinking of changing the project or how you spend the grant. We do our best to help initiatives respond to changing circumstances.
Tell us your project story by sending us your Neighbour Grants Final Project Report Form, along with supporting documents like event flyers, advertisements, newspaper stories, and photos, within two months of your project’s completion.
Calgary and area includes: Calgary, Banff National Park, Canmore, Rocky View County, and the Municipal Districts of Big Horn, Foothills, Kananaskis and Wheatland and the surrounding First Nations. i
Go to Canada Revenue Agency’s Charities Listings website to determine whether your organization is a qualified donee if you are not sure: http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/charitylists/ ii
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Encourage people to be leaders within the everyday life of their communities through creative, welcoming, and engaging projects
Form connections between local people, groups, and organizations
Create a sense of belonging by bringing people together to achieve a common goal or to share common experiences
Watch our film Our City, Our Soul: Five Neighbourhood Stories to see the spirit of past initiatives. Invite us to talk with your group when you are thinking about what you might do. Who can apply? You must be a qualified donee according to Canada Revenue Agency (usually a registered charity) or you must apply and run the project in partnership with a qualified doneeii. What can Neighbour Grants be used for? Neighbour Grants can cover costs associated with volunteer and community involvement. Typical costs are event space rental, refreshments, supplies that people will use to create something for the community, and fees for artists who will help people participate and create something great. Neighbour Grants is about bringing people together through initiatives such as: Building local infrastructure, such as community gardens and gathering spaces Engaging neighbours in creative ways to address concerns, such as traffic-calming street murals and skills-sharing workshops Celebrating local achievement, such as talent nights for local youth and seniors Creating opportunities for people to get involved in community life, such as cross-cultural sharing events and local book- or tool-sharing libraries Planning and guiding neighbourhood and community development, such as residentdriven design workshops and discussion forums Neighbour Grants Guidelines – 1 | P a g e
Neighbour Grants cannot cover: Debt retirement Expenses that have already been spent Facility improvements Fundraising activities, events, or salaries Ongoing operating expenses How do you apply? Contact Julie to discuss your initiative, eligibility, and upcoming deadlines before working on an application. Then submit a Neighbour Grants application by: Mail or in person – 700 - 999, 8th Street SW, Calgary AB, T2R 1J5 Or email – [email protected] Neighbour Grants applications are accepted throughout the year and are reviewed by community volunteers approximately every two months. You will know if you are awarded a grant within three weeks of an application deadline. Watch our website for deadlines and special events. Who evaluates Neighbour Grants? The Calgary Foundation’s volunteer Neighbour Grants Committee evaluates grant requests. They are local leaders with a deep knowledge and commitment to active citizenship and community life If you are awarded a Neighbour Grant, you will:
Acknowledge the support of the Calgary Foundation Neighbour Grants in project materials and presentations.
Use our logo on your flyers and websites and borrow our banner to display at your events.
Invite us to key project events. We like to attend and see your project in action.
Consult us first if you are thinking of changing the project or how you spend the grant. We do our best to help initiatives respond to changing circumstances.
Tell us your project story by sending us your Neighbour Grants Final Project Report Form, along with supporting documents like event flyers, advertisements, newspaper stories, and photos, within two months of your project’s completion.
Calgary and area includes: Calgary, Banff National Park, Canmore, Rocky View County, and the Municipal Districts of Big Horn, Foothills, Kananaskis and Wheatland and the surrounding First Nations. i
Go to Canada Revenue Agency’s Charities Listings website to determine whether your organization is a qualified donee if you are not sure: http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/charitylists/ ii
Neighbour Grants Guidelines – 2 | P a g e
