Community Foundation of SE Alberta kicks off spring grants

By Anna Smith

Commentator/Courier

At their May 29 Founder’s Day picnic, the Community Foundation of Southeast Alberta (CFSEA) announced the first of their spring grants.

The organization prides itself on its grants not being directly from the donations of others, said Board Chair Frances Barnes, but rather allocated from what is generated from investing the original donation, allowing for the funds to circulate forever.

The event is comparable to Christmas in May, said Barnes, with the foundation having given away $1.2 million thus far this year already.

In addition to their grants, the foundation was happy to announce that this year’s Community Impact Award would be going to the Brooks Farmer’s Market for their work addressing food insecurity in their home community of Brooks.

Glenda Hawthorne of CFSEA’s Grants committee was visibly joyous as she took the stage, ready to bring forth the first of the spring grants to organizations looking to make a difference, from companies and residents ready to “give where they live.”

These grants included $9,158.53 for the Sanare Centre, Connection Intercultural Association of Medicine Hat for $12,500, KidSport Medicine Hat for $10,000, Redi Enterprises for $15,000, Praxis Science Outreach for $10,000, and Friends of Medalta Society for $4,000.

Redcliff Legion received $2,100, and Edmonton Social Planning Council for the Alberta Living Wage Network received $1,000. Additionally, CFSEA is dispersing over $30,097 to various school districts in our region, plus $10,590 toward their youth in philanthropy program.

“We have distributed over $312,900 this spring,” said Hawthorne. “All of this is made possible because of our donors’ continued generosity.”

Further grants will be presented on June 12 at the Spring 2023 Grant Presentation. The Community Foundation is grateful for the continued support of this corner of the province, and looks eagerly toward being able to pay that support forward.

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