Since establishment in 2014, the fund has nearly doubled from $3 million, distributing grants along the way
A charitable foundation plans to give itself deeper pockets to help rural Albertans.
“We’ve got a little over $5 million in the fund, and it’s our goal to try in the next five years to double that to $10 million,” said Harvey Hagman, chair of the UFA’s Rural Communities Foundation.
It recently announced five organizations will be divvying up a total of $100,000 in grants from the foundation. They range from the Drayton Valley and District Historical Society, which will get $10,000 to restore the wood floor in an Anglican church, to $24,300 for a sun shelter at the fairgrounds of the Eaglesham and District Agricultural Society.
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The foundation’s mandate is to improve the sustainability of farmers and ranchers in Alberta by helping fund cultural, recreational and educational programs and facilities.
It was launched in 2014 by the United Farmers of Alberta Co-operative Ltd. (UFA) using about $3 million in archived equity from producers. It has since grown this seed money through investments.
It made a five-year commitment starting in 2019 to provide a total of $100,000 per year to projects in rural communities, said Hagman.
“And I would hope that when the next two years is over that we’ll be able to make a bigger commitment to rural Alberta in the areas where UFA has a big presence in Alberta.”
There were more than 120 applications for this year’s grant money. Besides the Drayton Valley and Eaglesham districts, the Carmangay Community Centre will receive $22,365 to install noise-reducing ceiling tiles and commercial-grade flooring in its main hall.
The Bow Valley Riding Association in Canmore, Alta., will get $13,335 to construct a 720-metre fence around part of its riding area. The Montana-style rail fence will allow wildlife to pass through while deterring hikers and mountain bikers.
The Nampa and District Historical Society will be given $30,000 to convert a historic United Church into a wheelchair-accessible cultural centre.
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has limited the ability of rural organizations to pay for such initiatives due to the cancellation of fundraising events such as fairs. They are part of what keeps many rural communities from fading away, Hagman said.
“These volunteers that keep these community halls going, and ball diamonds and curling rinks and the skating rinks of these communities, these are kind of your core things that are very important things in a community.”
Producers across much of Alberta were also hit by drought and heat waves during the summer, further impacting rural communities, he said.
As well, the foundation recently made a commitment of $100,000 per year for four years to the Simpson Centre for Agricultural and Food Innovation and Public Education at the University of Calgary. It will help pay for research on issues affecting western Canadian farmers ranging from climate change and trade to future technologies, Hagman said.
