Sylvan Lake

The Recreation, Arts and Culture Micro Grant is an annual funding program for festivals, events, sporting events and programs. These projects should address community needs, drive tourism, and provide an economic spin-off for the community through visitor spending.   

For more information, please contact our Recreation & Culture office at 403 887 2199.

Review the evaluation criteria and Micro Grant Policy, and fill out an application.  Completed applications can be dropped off at the Recreation, Culture and Tourism office located in the NexSource Centre at 4823 49 Avenue. 

Events

• Applicants must have a focus on arts, culture, heritage, community wellness, recreation, leisure, and/or environmental initiatives.
• Must be in good standing with the Town of Sylvan Lake (Grant Reporting, taxes, utilities, business license etc).
• Events must be held within the Town of Sylvan Lake.
• Events must create a vibrant and diverse Recreation, Culture & Tourism Community.
• Create partnerships within the Community.
• Increase activity during shoulder season (September – May).
• Applications must be submitted by a community group (non-profit or charitable).
• Must have a minimum attendance of 100 people or more.
• Must be open to public, not an event for Members-only.
• Be insured with a minimum of $2 million in general liability with the Town of Sylvan Lake as additional insured.

Projects

• Must be in good standing with the Town of Sylvan Lake (Grant Reporting, taxes, utilities, business license etc).
• Projects must be held within the Town of Sylvan Lake.
• Applications must be submitted by a community group (non-profit or charitable).
• Project must be able to demonstrate that they meet a community need and directly benefit Sylvan Lake residents.
• Projects must enhance existing community facilities.
• Be insured with a minimum of $2 million in general liability.

Ineligible Funding

• Events or Projects that take place outside of Sylvan Lake.
• Operating Expenses
• Debt funding.
• Duplicated services.
• Equipment (player’s equipment, jerseys, team uniforms, etc.)
• Endowments, annual funding drives/ events.
• Research, development, and studies.
• Grants primarily benefitting individuals (such as scholarships)
• Any expenses incurred prior to the Town’s decision date.
• Projects or services that are primarily the responsibility of another level of Government.
• Fundraising activities and salaries.
• Religious projects that focus on only one spiritual tradition or a facility that is not a public facility.
• Organizations with a religious or political mandate, or for events that promote self- interest. i.e. Membership drives, political events, rallies in support of a cause, religious events, trade unions and/or professional organizations.
• Applicants who have received other funding from the Municipality will not be eligible.

Funding may be approved for organizations or groups providing programs, services, or events within municipal boundaries that: 

• Address a community need 

• Contribute to the positive image of Sylvan Lake; and/or 

• Enhance the quality of life for residents of Sylvan Lake 

• Promote tourism and increase visitation numbers to support local businesses 

Fill out an application, and review the evaluation criteria. The Sylvan Lake Community Services Committee accepts applications for funding by the established deadline indicated on the application form.

The Community Service Committee will assess all grant applications and make decisions on all grant requests. 

Applications are assessed on the following criteria:

• Is the Event or Project is scheduled during the Shoulder Season of the Year (September – May)? / 15

• Demonstrate a high economic impact within the Town of Sylvan Lake? / 15

• Demonstrates the direct benefit to Sylvan Lake residents. How it enhances their quality of life, and an understanding of our community needs and existing services. /15

• Demonstrate ability for the Event or Project to be sustainable over the long term. /20

• Demonstrate ability to enhance one of the Town of Sylvan Lake’s Strategic Goals. /20

• Demonstrate efficient use of funds requested? Leverage of financial and in-kind support, ex. Matching funds, donations, sponsorships, Gifts-in-Kind. Applicants demonstrated ability to complete Event or Project. /15

The Town of Sylvan Lake Winter Games Legacy Grant Program provides an opportunity for individual athletes, coaches, and sport groups within Sylvan Lake, to pursue coaching educational and developmental opportunities, or to host sporting events that will benefit the community. 

Deadline for the Winter Games Legacy Grant Application is September 30, of each year.

The You Can Play Too! grant provides a subsidy for program participation to Town of Sylvan Lake individuals and families who qualify, based on income, up to a maximum amount of $200/person per year. Eligible programs include, but are not limited to:

• Youth Services Summer Camps
• After School Registered Programs
• School's Out Day Camps
• NexSource Centre Memberships
• Swimming Lessons
• Fitness Classes
• Swim Passes
• Red Cross Learning Opportunities

*This program is only open to residents of the Town of Sylvan Lake.

Unfortunately we have allocated all available funding for 2025 and are not currently accepting applications.

Funding for the Wellness and Community Connection Micro-Grant program comes from the Rural Mental Health Project as part of the Alberta chapter of the Canadian Mental Health Association in the form of a grant to the Town of Sylvan Lake. The mandate of the Rural Mental Health Project is to promote mental health and wellbeing in rural and remote communities across Alberta.

The intention of the micro-grants program is to encourage community members to unite for a common purpose – getting to know more about one another in the process, developing cultural awareness and social connections.

For more information, contact the Community Asset Facilitator - 403 887 1137

Applicants may apply for this funding at any time. Applications are reviewed on the 10th of each month with notification of grant approval on or before the 20th of the same month. Once the funding for the year has been exhausted applications will no longer be accepted until new funding is available.

Requirements

• Applications must involve 3 or more unrelated households, living in close proximity, interested in participating in the project. The same Primary Contact may only apply for one grant per calendar year
• Projects must be feasible and ready to begin within 2 months of approval
• Projects must be offered at no cost to participants
• The final grant report is due within 30 days of completion of the project
• Funding is issued through reimbursement of allowable expenses. Reimbursement will be made by cheque, payable to the Primary Contact, within 14 days of the receipt of the final grant report
• Project budget requests are allowed up to $500 

Allowable expenses

• Project supplies (food, art supplies, printing, materials, etc.)
• Space rental or permit fees
• Travel or other volunteer expenses

• Honoraria for volunteers (elders, child-minding, entertainment, etc.) as appropriate for the project

Non-allowable expenses 

• Basic needs (food hampers, financial support, housing subsidies, etc.)
• Facility renovations
• Recreation/leisure programming
• Alcohol, tobacco, or cannabis products 

Criteria

• Increasing Social Connectedness: Create opportunities for neighbours to connect, especially neighbours who are new or you have not interacted with in the past. Examples: Block parties, clean-up parties, Neighbour Day celebrations, sidewalk and crosswalk painting

• Social Offerings: Share residents’ skills and knowledge within the community. Examples: free yoga sessions, community kitchen

• Build A Sense of Ownership and Pride: Examples: create/purchase a piece of outdoor art, little free library, or other place-making statement

• Respect and Celebrate Diversity: Examples: multicultural fashion show, heritage festival showcasing foods, dancing and/or storytelling

Review the Submission Requirements, Criteria, and fill out an application.

Please submit your completed WCC micro-grant application, along all signatures, to be considered for funding.

•  EMAIL to mwisheu@sylvanlake.ca
•  HAND-DELIVER IN A SEALED ENVELOPE to the Wellness & Community Connections Centre located at 4725 43 Street Sylvan Lake, AB T4S 1M3 Attn: Community Asset Facilitator