Organizations seeking to combat racism and increase community inclusion and diversity can apply for two provincial grants to assist with their efforts.
The Ethnocultural Grant program supports community initiatives that promote Alberta’s multicultural diversity and foster inclusivity, including supporting Indigenous community organizations in celebrating and sharing their rich historical heritage. And the Anti-Racism Grant program is designed to increase awareness of racism, its impact and the challenges faced by racialized groups, and to support community-driven anti-racism initiatives.
“Our government is committed to building an inclusive province,” explained Alberta Minister of Immigration and Multiculturalism Muhammad Yaseen, in a release to the media on Thursday. “These new grant programs will help support Alberta’s multicultural, Indigenous and Métis communities’ initiatives that celebrate their contributions to the province and our collective prosperity, as well as help address issues of racism and discrimination to foster a more tolerant and inclusive society.”
Alberta’s 2023 budget allocated $8 million over three years for the Ethnocultural Grant program and $1.5 million over three years for the Anti-Racism Grant program.
The Ethnocultural Grant program has two streams. Stream 1 is for projects that create opportunities for intercultural connections with ethnocultural and Indigenous groups (funding up to $50,000). Stream 2 is for projects that create opportunities to celebrate diversity (funding up to $15,000).
The Anti-Racism Grant also has two streams with specific program objectives. Stream 1 is for projects that promote awareness of racism and the impacts of racism faced by Indigenous and racialized groups. Projects aligning with at least one outcome in either program objective of educating Albertans on the impacts of racism or enabling community organizations to develop their ability to support anti-racism projects are eligible for up to $5,000 in funding.
Stream 2 supports community organization anti-racism projects. Projects aligning with at least one outcome in both program objectives of educating Albertans on the impacts of racism or enabling community organizations to develop their ability to support anti-racism projects are eligible for up to $10,000 in funding.
The deadline for the Anti-Racism Grant is Feb.9, by 11:59 p.m.
The Application deadline for the Ethnocultural Grant is Jan. 26, by 11:59 p.m.
Applications received by the submission deadline for either grant program will be screened for eligibility and referred for further evaluation and recommendation for funding.
All applicants will receive written notification of the results of their application. For 2023-24, applicants will be notified of decisions in March 2024.
