Provincial grants aim to empower and support community diversity initiatives

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• The Ethnocultural Grant program aims to support community initiatives that promote Alberta’s multicultural diversity and foster inclusivity, including supporting Indigenous community organizations in celebrating and sharing their rich historical heritage.
• 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.

$120,000

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“We are a non-profit organization, relying 100 per cent on volunteers. With the support of the grant, we were able to successfully organize the very successful Taste of Igboland event, featuring educational and cultural activities. The grant gave us the opportunity to have a voice, and showcasing our culture gave us a sense of identity,” adds Uche Okereafor, president, Igbo Cultural Association of Edmonton in Canada.

“The Culture Camp that we host each summer solstice provides us with the opportunities to share our culture through teachings and ceremony with our visitors. Regardless of the ethnicity of our visitors, these four days bring people together in the spirit of treaty. By stepping a foot into our world, we can start to move forward together in good relation with one another,” shares Cheryl Whiskeyjack, executive director, Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society.

“As a recipient of the Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Grant, our RACE Inclusify Workshop in October 2023, in partnership with DiversityFirst, USA, was a monumental success,” states Patrick Arthur, executive director, Centre for Intellectual Excellence. “Our participants gained invaluable insights into cross-cultural connections and the challenges faced by Indigenous and racialized groups. This knowledge empowered our attendees with the tools to recognize and actively combat racism in their daily lives.”

“This experience has been a milestone in our journey towards a more inclusive and understanding Alberta, and it’s a testament to the power of collaboration and shared commitment to social progress,” continued Arthur.

Janis Irwin, Alberta NDP Housing Critic, issued the following statement in response to the new seniors lodge review panel:

“The regulation and function of seniors lodges in Alberta needs a review, but this process should have started last year. Alberta has been in a housing crisis for some time, and the UCP ignored their responsibility in that crisis.

“We need more affordable housing available for seniors. Increasing supply is the best way out of this housing crisis and to do that we need more accountability from the government on setting clear targets and making those reports available to Albertans.

“The UCP must support Bill 205 to ensure we have robust reporting across the province to work together and solve this housing crisis for Alberta families and seniors.”

Alberta government quick facts

• Budget 2023 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 operates 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.
• In 2022-23, the Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Grant program provided $3.63 million to 130 community organizations to increase cross-cultural awareness and help prevent and address racism.

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