Community Grants

Choose the grant stream or streams you want to apply to. Then, complete and submit the application forms along with required additional supporting documents by the deadline(s). Late applications are not accepted.

The application forms are available online as fillable PDFs. It is recommended to download and save the PDF to your computer or print out a copy, and that you prepare your responses in another document (for example a Word document). When you have finalized your answers and information you can then copy/paste into the PDF application form and save your work as you go, or you can write your responses by hand.

Emailed applications are preferred: Grants@beaumont.ab.ca

You can also deliver directly to City Hall or mail to:
City of Beaumont
Attention: Municipal Grant Program
5600 49 Street
Beaumont, AB T4X 1A1

Please note City Hall is open Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to noon and 1 to 4:30 pm (closed for lunch as well as Saturdays, Sundays and holidays).

All applicants are encouraged to read the updated guidelines for more tips and suggestions and to contact the program administrator with questions.

Yes. Applicants meeting eligibility criteria can submit multiple applications per intake (if applicable) or per year – either to the same grant stream or to more than one grant stream. However, applicants can only receive funding for a project once. There are also annual limits to the number of applications and/or total funding. If submitting multiple applications, they must be distinct projects. If you have questions about eligibility, please contact the grant program administrator.

Applicants to the Operating and Major Project Grants stream will be notified in late December, with funding to support initiatives for the following year(s). Applicants to the Arts Grants and Community Grants streams will typically be notified 6-8 weeks after the application deadline, with funding to support initiatives in the current year.

We are updating our processes! Beaumont is continuing to grow and this program is evolving. The general application form collects general information from the applicant, whether an organization or an individual. Previously, each grant stream required general application from the applicant. This will save you a step by only needing to fill out this form once per calendar year, even if you are applying for more than one grant stream.

Grants have supported many wonderful projects and initiatives within the community including:

• Community events (Beaumont Night Market, Rural Roots Fair, Black History Month celebrations, various sports tournaments)
• New and growing organizations (Triton Swimming expanding into competitive swimming, Beaumont Men’s Shed becoming established in the community)
• Development or renovation of community facilities (Champs Vallee Park and outdoor gathering space, St. Jacques Heritage House, Four Seasons baseball fields)
• Outreach to those needing support in the community (Good Harvest Surplus and Beaumont Nisku Christmas Elves addressing food insecurity, Drive Happiness providing transportation for seniors)
• Artist development (specialized arts workshops and training, community performances (plays, recitals, and concerts)
• Youth sports and athletics (purchase of hockey rink board dividers & football helmets)

Yes, if you applied in a previous intake/year but weren’t successful, you are still eligible to apply again.

Please have a look at the applicant guides that have been created for each funding stream. If you still have questions, it might be best to connect with our grant administrator at Grants@beaumont.ab.ca.

They can provide guidance on your application, your project, and provide input on your submission before it goes in for review.

We have an allocated budget and may not be able to support every application or to support applications with full funding. To improve your chances, here are some of the most common reasons why an application is unsuccessful:

• Incomplete applications. All form fields are necessary. Please include all required additional supporting documents.
• Vague or contradictory information. Applicant responses do not provide enough detail to assess how the funding will be used, or there is inconsistent information.
• The description of how grant funding will be used does not align with the objectives of the grant.
• Ineligible projects and/or costs were identified in the application.
• Required additional supporting documents were not submitted.
• The organization has overdue reporting from previous City of Beaumont grants received.
• The event/initiative/project has already taken place or is complete. Events, projects and initiatives must take place, at minimum, after the application deadline but preferably after grant funding decisions have been announced.

No, grant funding is not guaranteed. All grant streams within the Municipal Grant Funding Program are competitive, and requests exceed the funding available. Applicants can receive full funding, partial funding or no funding.

Yes, but… consider applying for a grant directly for what you are fundraising for instead.

In your application, it is expected that the project revenues and expenses balance. Typically, fundraisers have revenues that exceed their expenses, and you’ll need to make a very strong case for why a grant is needed in this kind of scenario. Applicants are encouraged to contact the program administrator to discuss projects and their eligibility.

For the Arts Grants and Community Grants streams, applications are reviewed by a volunteer committee. Each committee member completes a review of each application. The committee then further evaluates the applications together as a group. Each application is evaluated as its own unique application, as well as evaluated against the pool of other applications. For the Community Grants stream, applicants can participate in an optional 10-minute Q & A. This Q&A provides the opportunity for the committee to ask questions directly to the applicants. The committee then presents its recommendations to City Council, who then make final decisions.

Yes! In almost all cases – since the program began in 2019 – the applicants that participated in the optional Q & A sessions were able to address gaps in information, and/or clarify information, and/or address concerns that the committee had with the project/the project budget/the project timeline/etc. which then made for a stronger application.

It is recommended to prepare as follows:

• 2 minutes – share key points about your project (what is the need you are addressing, why it is important, and what the impact will be in the community)
• 2-3 minutes – first round of questions / if no questions, provide next most important details
• Any remaining time – final questions and closing statements

Probably not – reading text off slides takes longer than most people anticipate and it’s not very interactive. Instead use the time to talk about the highlights of the project and answer questions from the committee. Practice saying out loud what you want to share and keeping this to only a few minutes – this will help leave enough time for questions (and answers!)

No. Any volunteer hours counted as part of the contributions of the group (in the revenue side of your project budget) are to be specifically for the project/initiative/event itself and not for the general functioning of your organization. Most volunteer hours will be valued at $20/hr.

No. If your event has already occurred, it is ineligible. But this would be good timing to apply for funding to support the event next year.

Typically, non-profits will be based in Beaumont, Alberta, Canada. However, approved organizations (see the guidelines for eligibility) that are based elsewhere are welcome to apply if they can demonstrate that their project benefits Beaumont and its residents.

It depends. Projects that receive funding through the Operating and Major Project Grants stream can have project timelines that extend longer than 12 months. However, projects that receive funding through the Arts Grants and Community Grants streams must be completed within 12 months of approval. If your project timeline spans more than 12 months, consider dividing your project into phases with measurable outcomes for each phase of development. An initiative completed within a specific phase (and when that phase is 12 months in duration or shorter) of a larger project is eligible.

Apply for what is needed to cover eligible expenses. Don’t skimp on your request, but don’t just ask for the maximum either – your request will be evaluated against your project budget (is your budget reasonable and appropriate). Your organization’s overall financial health will also be taken into consideration as financial need is evaluated.

Non-profits must be registered and in good standing under their respective act of legislation. These documents verify this status, as well as provide some context to your organization’s overall sustainability. If your financial statements demonstrate significant resources, consider providing additional details as to why grant funding is being requested.

Please submit the most recent proof of filing that you have and when you receive the up-to-date document you can email it and we will add it to your application.

As you develop your project plan and budget, consider if and how the project could proceed without full funding or without funding at all. Applicants are required to indicate both the total funding amount requested as well as the minimum amount of funding that is needed to deliver the project as outlined in your project proposal. (These amounts can be the same or different.) Applicants may also consider having a ‘Plan B’ in place for a scaled-back version of the event/project/initiative that would still allow a project to move ahead if only partial funding is awarded. If the funding amount offered is not sufficient, or is no longer sufficient, applicants can decline the funding.

All applicants will receive official correspondence via email with their results. Those applicants that have been awarded funding (full funding or partial funding) must respond and either ACCEPT or DECLINE the funding. To accept funding, applicants will enter into a funding agreement. If the amount offered by the City of Beaumont is no longer sufficient, organizations can decline the grant. There is no penalty for declining, and future applications will be welcomed.

Funds must be spent as outlined in your application and following program requirements. Significant changes to project scope or timeline must be approved in writing. You are required to submit a final report outlining how funds were spent. If grant funds were not used for the purpose they were awarded the applicant will be required to return the funding.