Environmental Initiatives Grant Program

The Environmental Initiatives Grant Program (EIGP) is a fun and easy way to encourage sustainability projects that align with the City of St. Albert’s Environmental Master Plan. Since the grant program was launched in 2007, 148 community projects have received funding!

Application Intake Details

Annual application intake deadline date will be set for the third Thursday of October.

Application intake for 2024 will begin in August and will be accepted until October 17.

Frequently Ask Questions

Who is eligible to apply for a grant?

  • A federally or provincially registered non-profit society or charitable organization operating in St. Albert
  • A school located in St. Albert
  • A community group of two or more St. Albert citizens who have come together for the purpose of undertaking an eligible project, either independently, or with a business or government partners in the community

How often is the grant program offered?

The City of St. Albert accepts applications on the third Thursday in October and the grants are allocated once annually.

How do we get started?

Each applicant is required to contact the City of St. Alberts Environment Coordinator (environment@stalbert.ca) to discuss your project idea. This ensures your group's project is eligible for funding and aligns with the City environmental policies and plans. It also gives your group the opportunity to receive feedback from City staff and even generate ideas for other resources to help your group with project details.

What is considered an eligible expense?

An expense related to an eligible project may include: 

  • Rental/purchase of equipment and supplies required to complete the project 
  • Wages for professional services 
  • Printing of brochures, educational material, etc 
  • Advertising (radio, newspaper, signage, banners, etc) 
  • Facility rental fees for special events 
  • Airfare, accommodation and meal costs for instructors and speakers 

My neighbours and I would like to naturalize some of the park space in our neighbourhood park by planting more trees and shrubs. Is this an eligible project?

Absolutely. However, to ensure the long-term success of planting projects, native plants must be used.

My school would like to change a grassy area in our schoolyard into a more functional area for students to use during recess. Is this an eligible project?

Yes, however expenses for beautifying property will not be considered. Specifically landscaping or outdoor furniture funding requests like picnic tables or fencing materials to close off an area are not an eligible expense. If your project included native trees and shrubs this would be an eligible expense.

Our group received an Environmental Initiatives Grant from the City last year. Are we eligible to apply this year?

Yes, required you have completed and submitted the final report showing sources of funding and costs, including receipts that were associated with the past project.

We have a project that is ongoing for a number of years. Can we expect to get the grant if we apply again?

Long-term projects are supportable on an annual basis but there is absolutely no guarantee of funding. As a rule of thumb, preference will normally be given to new project ideas.

We received grant funding and are ready to start our project. What information do we need to keep track of while we are completing our project?

  • Successful applicants are required to take a minimum of six photos that capture the progression and final stages of your project. So keep your camera handy!
    View the Photography Guidelines/Resources
  • Keep in mind some of the outcomes you are looking for in order to measure the success of your project. Take note of any lessons learned. All this information will help you fill out the final report at the end of your project. View the Final Reprt Information Page
  • File and keep track of all the receipts and expenses related to your project. You will also need this information to fill out the final report.

What documents are we required to provide to the City of St. Albert after our project is complete?

You must submit a final report to the City of St. Albert after your project is complete.


Program Guidelines

View the program guidelines by clicking the dropdowns below, or download the following: Environmental Initiatives Grant Program Guidelines

Grant Overview

The Environmental Initiatives Grant Program (EIGP) provides funds to encourage environmental projects in the community that support the City of St. Albert’s Municipal Development Plan and long-range strategies.

Environmental projects are encouraged to align with the following categories: Air & Energy, Land, Water and People.

Grant requests can be made in any denomination up to $5,000. Funding requests for greater this amount will require additional review and approval by the Environmental Advisory Committee.

Eligibility Requirements

  • A federally or provincially registered non-profit society or charitable organization operating in St. Albert
  • A school located in St. Albert
  • A community group of two or more St. Albert citizens who have come together for the purpose of undertaking an eligible project, either independently, or with a business or government partners in the community

Eligible Projects

“Eligible project” means any project or activity that demonstrates environmental benefits or improvements and is consistent with City policies, and may include:  

  •  community environmental education projects;  
  • open space and natural area enhancement projects;  
  • natural areas reclamation projects;  
  • waste reduction projects (e.g. recycling, composting, energy conservation);  
  • wildlife or biodiversity-oriented projects;  
  • land, air and/or water quality preservation and/or enhancement;  
  • environmental demonstration project using innovative technologies;  
  • environmental projects that demonstrate local, regional or provincial leadership;  
  • environmental communications and public awareness facilitation projects;  
  • environmental monitoring or inventory projects; or  
  • other environmental projects in keeping with City policies.  

Assessment and Evaluation Criteria

Preference shall be given to eligible projects that illustrate some or all of the following:  

  • the project is of environmental benefit to the City of St. Albert and its residents;  
  • the project does not duplicate existing programs in the public or private sector;  
  • most of the members of the eligible applicant group reside in the City of St. Albert;  
  • the project will take place primarily within the City of St. Albert;  
  • the project demonstrates partnering in the community;  
  • the grant funding helps leverage funding from other sources; and  
  • the project demonstrates environmental leadership. 

Preparing your Application

Gather all additional information required prior to applying.  Key pieces of additional information which must be included with your application includes:

Organization Information:

  • Act under which organization is incorporated (if applicable)
  • Society Registration Number (if applicable)
  • Project Team Contact Information

Project Information:

  • Organization’s purpose and mission statement
  • Project Description Details including which categories your project relates to: Air & Energy, Land, Water, and People - plus a timeframe
  • Project Objectives and any specific or quantifiable outcomes
  • Detailed Breakdown of Project Cost Estimates (including quotes)
  • Detailed List of Project Budget, Expenses, and Projected Revenue from other sources of funding.

If you have any questions regarding what the above items would entail, please contact the Environment Coordinator at environment@stalbert.ca

Required Grant Worksheet

After you've submitted your application, you will receive an email request to fill out and submit the following agreement to civicgrants@stalbert.ca


Steps for Application

Before you proceed, please ensure you have read and understand the above information and guidelines. If you have any questions, please contact the grant administrator at environment@stalbert.ca

  1. Prior to applying, please confirm your project eligibility by contacting the grant administrator at environment@stalbert.ca
  2. Gather all additional information required prior to applying. Key pieces of additional information which will be requested once you submit your application include:
    • Organization Operating budget for the Current Year
    • Organization most recent Financial Statement 
    • List of Board of Directors 
    • Event – Detailed Budget listing Revenue & Expenditures. 
    • Organization’s purpose and mission statement 
    • Project Description Details including which categories your project relates to (iel Air & Energy, Land, Water, and People and a timeframe) 
    • Project Objectives and any specific or quantifiable outcomes 
    • Detailed Breakdown of Project Cost Estimates (including quotes) 
    • Detailed List of Project Budget, Expenses, and Projected Revenue from other sources of funding 
  3. After you've confirmed your eligibility and have all the listed documents ready and saved as pdf’s, you may start your application.

    Apply for the Environmental Initiatives Grant

Note: After submitting your online application, you will receive an e-mail response that will provide directions for sending in the additional information noted above. Once you've completed this, your application will be reviewed by staff and additional follow-up will occur if necessary.

 


Related Pages

Last edited: March 26, 2024