Strathmore United Way provides community support

By Sean Feagan, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Applications for United Way funding are now being accepted for groups aiming to provide support initiatives for residents of Strathmore and Wheatland County.
The 2020 United Way Grant program is an initiative by Strathmore and Area United Way, a partnership between United Way of Calgary and Area (UWCA) and the Town of Strathmore community services department, to provide funding to programs and organizations that promote “healthy families, strong communities, and all that kids and seniors can be.”
The partnership exists to “engage the community, facilitate collaboration, focus efforts on key local social priority areas and fund a network of programs that service the community,” said Susan Brooke, vice president of community impact and partnerships with UWCA, in a written statement.
Applications to the grant program, which are conducted via a formal request for proposals process, are open to Strathmore and Wheatland County non-profit organizations, societies or charities until March 15 at 4 p.m. Grants are provided to organizations that provide a program or service that fits the mission statement of the United Way, explained Linda Bernicki, community and social development manager with Strathmore’s community and protective services.
“For the most part, it’s (open to) any organization or community group that has an initiative that fits the United Way – any place from the library, to meals-on-wheels, to other programs and services in the community,” she said.
Some organizations are not eligible for funding under the partnership, which has been active since 2005, such as political or religious groups.
“Certain organizations are excluded – like schools, school boards, hospitals and Alberta Health Services (organizations).”
In 2019, 22 organizations in Strathmore and Wheatland County received grants under the program, including the Foothills Fetal Alcohol Society, the Parkinson Association of Alberta, Roots of Empathy, the Strathmore Wheatland Addictions Team and the Wheatland Society of Arts.
The 2020 budget for the program is $48,000, which will be allocated across selected groups, to a maximum of $4,000 per applicant. However, this figure may be supplemented by fundraising efforts conducted locally in Strathmore and Wheatland County.
“If we’ve done any fundraising in the community, we keep every single dollar that’s been raised (here),” said Bernicki.
Each application will be assessed by the Strathmore United Way partnership committee to make investment recommendations to town council, based on “community priorities, ongoing research, local knowledge and available funding,” said Bernicki.
The committee votes on which programs or organizations should receive funding and how much should be allocated to each, based on checklists to ensure all requirements of the program are met.
The program provides citizens with assistance for a variety of issues, resulting in a healthier and more robust community, said Bernicki.
“United Way Calgary helps provide Strathmore and Wheatland County with additional programs and services in our community, which enhances the well-being of our residents,” she said. “It’s an amazing support in the community.”