Fifteen Alberta community groups have received more than a quarter of a million dollars from Farm Credit Canada’s FCC AgriSpirit Fund.
Nationwide, the charitable arm of the farm lender is giving $1.5 million to 92 rural community groups this year to help support capital projects.
The grants, which range from $5,000 to $25,000, are for community improvement projects such as equipment purchase and installation, energy-efficient building improvements and repairs, and the purchase of rescue and fire equipment.
One Alberta organization and two municipalities are receiving $25,000 grants: the Thorpe Recovery Centre in Blackfoot (for replacing three boilers), the Town of Taber (for purchase and installation of LED lighting), and the City of Grande Prairie (for retrofitting a rink’s ice-making equipment with an energy-efficient water conditioning system).
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Receiving $20,000 are: Spray Lake Sawmills Recreation Park Society in Cochrane (new LED lights in the field house), the Everdell Community Centre Association in Clearwater County (energy-efficient dishwasher and upgrading HVAC, venting and septic systems), and the Beaverlodge Firefighters Association (vehicle extrication tools).
Others receiving grants are: Foremost Sage Club ($19,000 for LED lighting), Jarvie Fire Department in Westlock County ($16,000 for insulating shop that stores fire truck and gear), Guy-Donnelly Sportex Society ($15,000 for Sportex upgrades), Pass Powderkeg Ski Society in the Crowsnest Pass region ($15,000 for ski lodge upgrades), Smoky Lake Senior Citizen’s Drop-in Centre ($15,000 for drop-in centre upgrades), Thorsby & District Cultural and Historical Society ($15,000 for community centre upgrades), Hay Lakes & District Agricultural Society ($15,000 for Ag Society building upgrades), Athabasca Good Samaritan Food Bank ($14,000 for garden tractor attachments for growing vegetables), and the Royal Canadian Legion — Thorhild Branch No. 234 ($5,000 for building upgrades).
The next application period for the FCC AgriSpirit Fund opens March 1. Registered charities, municipalities and non-profit organizations interested in funding can visit fccagrispiritfund.ca for eligibility requirements, to apply online and view past projects. Over the past 17 years, the FCC AgriSpirit Fund has given $16.5 million to 1,356 projects.
