Town hears community requests for funding support
By John Watson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Community groups localized in and around Strathmore presented their annual funding requests before the town Committee of the Whole, Oct. 23, for the upcoming 2025 financial year.
A total of 16 organizations made their requests known before the Committee of the Whole.
“A couple years ago, we started this practice of dedicating an annual meeting to hear from community organizations seeking funding support,” said Mayor Pat Fule. “Considering all requests at once allows council to budget accurately while preventing unexpected midyear requests that could cause strain on the planned budget.”
From an operational perspective, this meeting provides town administration with an approximate amount of funds to be allocated for community groups in the upcoming 2025 budget.
The current practice was adopted in 2022 in order to relieve strain and stress on the budget at unpredictable times while the Town aims to maximize the amount of supports it is able to provide for prospective organizations.
In 2023, a total of 10 organizations presented funding requests through the new Community Delegation Night.
Funding requests presented before the Committee of the Whole ranged from as low as $5,000 to over $425,000. Each funding request is noted in the town’s meeting agenda available for public viewing.
In 2024, a total of $522,000 in community group funding was approved by the town for distribution. The actual funded amount in 2024 added up to $456,251 according to administration’s report.
The total requested amount for 2025 is $772,637 between the 16 prospective organizations. The Strathmore Municipal Library Board is the sole organization requesting funding in excess of $65,000.
The library’s request for funding would aim to fuel hiring another staff member as well as to increase wages, implement a self-checkout system, combat rising expenses, create a new strategic plan for the upcoming year, and be able to continue free access to library services for the public.
During the Oct. 23 meeting, no funding requests were approved on site by the Committee of the Whole. Instead, the requests will be noted and returned before council during regular meetings as part of the budget process, set to begin deliberations in November.
The 2025 operating and capital budgets are scheduled to be approved by Dec. 4.
The following organizations made a request to the Committee of the Whole:
• Shock Trauma Air Rescue Service (STARS)
• Badlands Search and Rescue Association
• Kakato’si Kristian Ayoungman Foundation
• Communities in Bloom
• Strathmore Overnight Shelter
• Strathmore and District Agricultural Society
• True North
• Wheatland Society of Arts
• Strathmore Youth Theatre Program
• Strathmore Performing Arts Festival
• Mainsprings Pregnancy and Family Support Association
• Strathmore and Wheatland County Christmas Hamper Society
• Strathmore Municipal Library
• Community Mediation Calgary
• Royal Canadian Legion Strathmore Branch 10
• Happy Cat Sanctuary