Healthy Community Grants

Applications are now closed for the 2023 Healthy Community Grants. These grants are designed to support champions to promote and improve healthy eating and active living opportunities in their communities with funding of up to $5,000.

Background Information

The application period for the Healthy Community Grants normally runs from January to February of each calendar year. These grants are for up to $5,000, and are designed to support healthy eating and active living initiatives in Alberta.

Communities ChooseWell provides the Healthy Community Grant to transform and promote local places, programs, policies, and partnership focused on improving healthy eating and active living at the community level. 

The Healthy Community Grant is designed to support:

Action: Enable action to improve healthy eating and/or active living within the scope of recreation at the community level 

Collaboration: Support collaboration among community members and different sectors to create communities that foster wellness

Equity: Develop environments where the healthy choice is easy, accessible, and sustainable for everyone

Sign up for the monthly ChooseLetter to stay informed about funding opportunities and other healthy community resources and events offered by Communities ChooseWell.

The Communities ChooseWell Healthy Community Grant is administered by the Alberta Recreation and Parks Association. Communities ChooseWell is funded by Alberta Health.

In 2019, a total of $40,000 was dispersed across 22 communities to support projects during the period of January to December 2020. Communities ChooseWell would like to congratulate the 2020 Healthy Community Grant recipients for successfully supporting the health of their communities despite the challenges presented this year.

Please note: due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some of these projects were changed to ensure the safety of participants.

Eligibility

Who can apply

Employees or board/council members may apply for funding on behalf of one of the following groups based within Alberta

  • A registered not-for-profit organization
  • A registered charity
  • A First Nation or Métis Settlement
  • A municipal government
  • A public school
Who can NOT apply?
  • Organizations who received a RECreate Grant from Communities ChooseWell in 2020
  • Organizations funded by Alberta Health, including Alberta Health Services and Primary Care Networks. These groups are not eligible but are encouraged to partner with eligible organizations to support a project proposal. For more information, please see Using an intermediary to carry out a charity’s activities within Canada.
  • For-profit organizations
  • Religious or sectarian organizations
  • Political organizations or campaigns
  • Private clubs
  • Private schools and post secondary institutions
  • Contract fundraisers or lobbyists
  • Organizations that discriminate on the basis of ethnicity, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, ability, age, citizenship status, or socio-economic status
What will Communities ChooseWell fund?
  • Community-level activities that promote healthy eating and/or active living within the scope of recreation and abide by the current COVID-19 regulations (see COVID-19 Info for Albertans)
  • Activities that have not yet taken place
  • New programs, projects, or activities
  • Enhancements to existing programs or activities
  • Staff, speakers, facilitators, or professional presenters
  • Project materials such as equipment, supplies, food, etc. (Note: Food requests must follow the Alberta Nutrition Guidelines for Children and Youth and Alberta Nutrition Guidelines for Adults.)
  • Insurance for project activities
  • Activities that support the development of multisectoral and community based partnerships
  • Capital expenses that will directly support active living and/or healthy eating within the scope of recreation at the community level
What will Communities ChooseWell NOT fund?
  • Activities unrelated to active living and/or healthy eating within the scope of recreation
  • Curriculum based school activities that do not involve the broader community
  • Projects focused on the individual-level
  • Emergency food/hunger alleviation
  • High-performance sport and fitness activities
  • Activities that have already taken place
  • Activities that take place outside of Alberta or support participants outside Alberta
  • Existing programs or activities with no enhancements
  • Administrative costs indirectly related to or removed from the project (e.g. legal fees)
  • Capital expenses that will not exclusively support active living and/or healthy eating within the scope of recreation at the community level

2020 Grant Recipients

Alexis Health Services - The Alexis Postnatal Nutrition Program

Alexis Health Services will use the Healthy Community Grant to support the nutritional wellbeing of…

The City of Beaumont - Snowshoe Beaumont

With the Healthy Community Grant, The City of Beaumont plans to purchase snowshoes for use…

Buffalo Lake Metis Settlement - Healthy Eating, Healthy Choices

The Buffalo Lake Metis Settlement plans on using the Healthy Community Grant to host two…

The Midewiwin Teaching Lodge Society of Alberta - Ceremonial Feast Program

The Midewiwin Teaching Lodge Society of Alberta will work with a Midewiwin Elder and the…

The Boys and Girls Clubs of Calgary - Traditional Hunting Practices

Over the last two years, the Iiyika’kimaat Youth Program has implemented a variety of healthy…

Miskanawah (formerly Pathways Community Services Association) - Miskanawah Friendship Round Dance 2020 (Calgary)

The Miskanawah Friendship Round Dance is a community event that connects thousands of people from…

Dene Tha' Community School - Healthy Food in the Classroom & Community

The Dene Tha’ Community School plans to use the Healthy Community Grant to purchase two…

Dead Man's Flats Community Association - Community Garden

The Dead Man’s Flats Community Association (DMFCA) will use the Healthy Community Grant to complete…

Boyle Street Community Services - the Community Membership & Pop up Program (Edmonton)

The Healthy Community Grant will support a partnership between the Inner City Recreation and Wellness…

Community Health Champions - Sharing the Harvest (Town of Fort Macleod)

In partnership with the Town of Fort Macleod, Fort Macleod Environment Committee, and the Community…

Fort McKay Wellness Centre - Healthy Traditional Cooking Classes

Using the Healthy Community Grant, the Fort McKay Wellness Centre plans to implement “Healthy Traditional…

Wild Rose Community Connections - Claresholm Food Rescue

With the Healthy Community Grant, the Wild Rose Food Connections aim is to support the…

The Hinton Friendship Centre - Eat Good, Feel Great

The Hinton Friendship Centre offers an after school and non-school day program that targets at-risk…

Lethbridge Sport Council - Roving Gyms

Lethbridge Sport Council will use the Healthy Community Grant to book facility space and hire…

The Village of Linden Skateboard Park

Identifying a lack of recreation opportunities for youth in the community, the Village of Linden…

The Red Deer Wellness Coalition - Red Deer ChooseWell BINGO

The Healthy Community Grant will be used to form the Red Deer Wellness Coalition, made…

Samson Youth and Sports Development - What is a Healthy Snack?

The Healthy Community Grant will be used by Samson Youth and Sports Development to provide…

Clymont Community League - the Agricultural and Athletics Expansion Initiative

The Healthy Community Grant will be used to create a small orchard expansion onto the…

The Town of Stony Plain - Children’s Summer Programs

The Town of Stony Plain is working towards making their Children’s Summer Programs more inclusive…

Strathcona County - Everybody Gets to Play – Summer Rec Days

Strathcona County will provide free recreation opportunities for all ages every day throughout the 2020…

The Viking Community Wellness Foundation - the Nordic Pole Walking Program

With the support of the Healthy Community Grant, The Viking Community Wellness Society will start…

The Town of Wainwright - Non-Instructional Day Activities for Children & Youth

The Town of Wainwright, in partnership with IMPACT (Information, Mentorship, Prevention, Action, Community, Team), will…

2019 Grant Recipients

Boys and Girls Clubs of Calgary - Indigenous liyika’kimaat Youth Program

The BGCC Indigenous liyika’kimaat Youth Program works with Indigenous youth and their families. They will…

Unitarians Calgary - The GROW Project

Eating well and staying connected can be a challenge when you are feeling off. The…

Camrose Wellness Coalition - Enhancing Opportunities for Physical Activity at the Camrose Public Library

The Camrose Wellness Coalition has worked closely with the Camrose Public Library to develop a…

Castor Minor Sports - Improving Healthy Eating Options at the Castor Arena

Castor is creating a healthy eating environment in their arena by ensuring their new concession…

Synergy Youth and Community Development Society - Community Culinary Creations

Synergy Youth and Community Development Society will be hosting a series of events called the…

Cold Lake Middle School - Food Recovery in the Cold Lake Community

Cold Lake Middle School will be partnering with the Food Bank and local grocery stores…

Caribbean Women Network Association of Canada for Support and Learning - Health and Happiness

The Caribbean Women Network will be using the grant to provide both healthy eating and…

Kids on Track Association of Edmonton - Active Families Project

Kids on Track offers recreational activities for low income, new Canadian, ethnically/culturally diverse and marginalized…

Fishing Lake Metis Settlement - Crafty Kitchens for Youth

Fishing Lake will be enhancing their youth leadership program by adding a health oriented component…

Fort McKay Wellness Centre - Outdoor Community Garden Project

Fort McKay will be creating the Outdoor Community Garden Project to build on the success…

Hinton Friendship Centre - Full Circle Gardens

The Hinton Friendship Centre will be building a community garden to support their Youth Group,…

Mawacihitowin Mistatm Sakahikan Society - Physical Literacy Training for Maternal Child Health (Horse Lake)

Horse Lake will run the Physical Literacy Training for Maternal Child Health program. This program…

Healthy Communities Association of Lethbridge Area - Healthy Choices in Recreation Centres: Fuelling Young Athletes

The Healthy Choices in Recreation Centres: Fueling Young Athletes project will help develop healthy eating…

Stoney Health Services - Share and Cook

Stoney Health Services has identified Elders and seniors in the community are experiencing social isolation…

Parks and Recreation Department - Cross Country Skiing in Pincher Creek

Cross Country Skiing in Pincher Creek

Samson Youth and Sports Development - Cree Youth Cooking Skills

Samson Cree will be partnering with a number of community agencies to engage youth in…

Sexsmith Wellness Centre - Girl’s Yoga Circle, Drop-in Gym’n Craft, and Learn to Cook

Sexsmith has a lack of after school programs for you ages 11-15. They plan to…

Siksika N7 - Why Healthy Food Matters!

The Siksika N7 are a youth led group focused on improving the quality of life…

Tsuut'ina Nation Health Centre - Community Guja Garden

The Community Guja Garden project will encourage youth and Elder participation and engagement. This garden…

Vermilion Wellness Coalition - Discovering Healthy Choices

The Vermilion Wellness Coalition plans to run several events over 2019 to encourage participants to…