Alberta’s government is providing rural communities with more than $3.2 million dollars in grants for local projects that drive innovation and growth in those rural areas.
According to a press release, the province established the Small Community Opportunity Program through Budget 2023 and it has awarded grants between $20,000 dollars and $100,000 for 43 community-led projects that build capacity in agriculture, small business supports, and local economic development.
The grant recipients may work collaboratively or independently and they have two years to complete their projects which make a measurable impact supporting, improving or enhancing economic development in rural and Indigenous communities and/or the agriculture industry.
Among the grant recipients for 2023-2024 are the County of Minburn, the Town of Two Hills, the Town of Vegreville, the City of Camrose, and the Village of Myrnam.
According to the province, Vegreville’s grant amount of $22,500 dollars allows the Town to contract a media team to help drive rural tourism through summer events and amenities of community groups via digital advertising, print and social media.
Alberta’s government also points out that the County of Minburn’s grant amount of $90,000 dollars is for its collaborative economic development project which will create communications strategies and tools to help communities, businesses, and non-profits target new investment opportunities in agriculture and other sectors.
Find out more online at alberta.ca/small-community-opportunity-program.