Grants available for infrastructure and crime prevention

Posted on November 30, 2023 by Sunny South News

By Heather Cameron
Southern Alberta Newspapers
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

There are two grants available to Alberta organizations pursuing initiatives intended to help keep the communities and groups they serve safe: The Alberta Security Infrastructure Program (ASIP) and Alberta Crime Prevention Grant (ACP). 

“Through each, applicants have been able to take advantage of funding that has helped see many wide-ranging community safety and crime prevention programs and projects to fruition,” Morgan Luethe, Communications Advisor with the Government of Alberta, said.

The Alberta Security Infrastructure Program (ASIP), Luethe says, funds security assessments, related training, equipment, immediate response, and security infrastructure improvements to facilities serving communities or identifiable groups at risk of hate or bias-motivated crimes or incidents.

Luethe says that the Alberta Security Infrastructure Program’s was established in 2021 and its purpose is to increase protections for Albertans at risk of experiencing hate and bias-motivated activity.

“Since its inception, ASIP has distributed approximately $2.6 million to 231 organizations,” Luethe said. “Approximately two-thirds of the grant funding has gone to organizations in Edmonton and Calgary, and a third has gone to organizations in municipalities with populations under one million.”

To be eligible for grant funding under this program, Luethe says, organizations must be an Alberta-based registered non-profit or charitable organization in good standing with the Government of Alberta and serve one or more identifiable groups at risk of hate or bias-motivated activity. 

Application information can be found on the ASIP webpage (https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-security-infrastructure-program-grant), Luethe says. ASIP has an open and ongoing call which means ASIP accepts applications all year round. Organizations interested in applying, Luethe says, can visit https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-security-infrastructure-program-grant or email asip@gov.ab.ca to learn more.

Leuthe says the Alberta Crime Prevention Grant (ACP), on the other hand, came to pass in 1999 and has 

evolved to respond to emerging priorities over time. 

“Intended as support for the delivery of crime prevention and community safety programs and services across the province, the most recent call for grant proposals was announced in 2022,” Luethe said. “In 2022-23, approximately $5.5 million in funding was allocated to 23 successful applicants from across the province, through a call for proposals. Funding amounts ranged from $25,000 to $150,000 per year for projects and initiatives of up to two years in length. Grant applications are made for a range of different programs and projects. The ACP grant provides opportunity to enhance the skills, knowledge and resources (capacity) of an organization and/or community to deliver crime prevention and community safety programs or services.”

Like ASIP, Luethe says, organizations within Alberta are welcome to apply and application information is available on alberta.ca/alberta-crime-prevention-grant. The 2022-23 grant call has closed, Luethe says, but a new call for proposals is anticipated in fall 2024.

Grant criteria and eligibility are subject to change from year to year to respond to emergent needs, Luethe says. In 2022-23, Luethe says, the following organizations were eligible to apply for funding: not-for-profit legal entity qualified to enter into an agreement with the Government of Alberta; First Nations and Metis Settlements; community groups with a designated fiscal agent; municipal/county governments; and police agencies.

“Eligible projects and initiatives must support one of the following: the delivery of crime prevention/community safety and well-being programs, services and/or supports, the delivery of youth gang prevention and exit programs, services and/or supports activities that enhance the skills, knowledge and capacity of an organization and/or community to deliver crime prevention/community safety and well-being programs including:  the development and delivery of information, training and resources/tools, public education and awareness activities, initiatives to address emerging issues and trends in crime prevention; and the implementation of a public/community safety plan.”