Edmonton Community Foundation’s (ECF) Young Edmonton Grants (YEG) program provides local youth with funding to turn their ideas into reality.
THE YEG PROGRAM GIVES FUNDING for projects initiated, led, and organized by young Edmonton and area residents. These grants range from $500-$3,000 and are available for residents between the ages of 13 and 24.
In 2016, Todd Houseman and Ben Gorodetsky received $2,950 from ECF to produce an Indigenous storytelling event called Stories on the Hills. The event took place at Fort Edmonton Park and featured Ben and Todd’s improv troupe Folk Lordz. They also featured other respected Indigenous storytellers, including Elder Jerry Saddleback and Grand Chief Tony Alexis. This event had musical entertainment by Quantum Tangle and visual storytelling through painting and poetry by Lana Whiskeyjack. You can read all about Ben and Todd’s project here.
Stories on the Hills is just one example of the dozens of youth-led projects funded by ECF’s YEG program. If you have an idea or project, we encourage you to apply!
The key to a successful application is “initiated and organized” by young Edmonton and area residents. This granting program is not intended to support charities or agencies that provide programming or services for youth. Instead, it is intended to support young residents who create their own projects or initiatives.
Application deadlines are three times a year, February 15 for funding after April 1, May 15 for funding after July 1, and October 15 for funding after December 1. Applications will be available one month before the deadline. Applicants need to partner with their school or a registered charity to support their applications. Funds, if awarded, will be sent to the partner charity or school. For more information on the roles and responsibilities of applicants, partner charities and ECF within this program, click here.
After the deadline has passed and we have confirmation from your partner charity or school, applications are reviewed by a committee of young Edmonton and area residents that recommend projects for funding.
Some things to consider when applying:
- Applicants must register and activate an account to access the online application.
- Applications must be submitted before the 11:59 p.m. deadline.
- All applications must address the information requested in the application form.
- Most kinds of activities can be funded, as long as they are “initiated and organized” by young Edmonton and area residents (13 to 24 years).
- Funding will NOT be awarded for any projects, programs, or initiatives that:
- involve direct religious activity;
- involve partisan political activity;
- benefit an individual (such as a scholarship);
- have already occurred; or
- involve funds requested being redirected to activities beyond the Edmonton area (e.g. disaster relief in another country).
- To receive funding, applicants must partner with a registered Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) charity (includes schools). Partner charities will be required to complete an online form, automatically sent through the online application, supporting the applicant’s project.
- The partner charity must be aware of the application. For junior and senior high school students, Edmonton Public or Catholic Schools may be willing to accept grants. A representative (Executive Director or Principal) from your partner charity must complete an online form.
- For post-secondary institutions, a director of student services may be the appropriate representative.
- This is a one-time grant. Multi-year requests will not be considered.
- It is anticipated that the number of applications will be greater than the funds that are available to disburse. Not all applications will be approved.
- At the conclusion of the project or activity, we expect a brief update about the initiative. This informal reporting may include:
- a brief description of the activities;
- photos or videos;
- notable successes or lessons learned; and
- plans for follow-up activities (if any).
All approved grants – including the names of the charities and the names of the projects involved — will be listed in Edmonton Community Foundation’s publications (such as Legacy in Action magazine, website, podcast and newsletters).
Please note: Applications for the October 15th deadline will open by August 15th. Thanks for your patience.
Apply for a Young Edmonton Grant