Twelve Drumheller nonprofit and volunteer organizations will receive over $92,239 from the Alberta government’s Community Spirit Program in May, with the Passion Play receiving the maximum $25,000.
“It shows we had a good bunch of people behind us in 2010,” said Passion Play general manager Vance Neudorf, adding the fact they received the maximum amount shows how cemented support for them is in Drumheller. “It’s something that local people take pride in.”
The Heart to Heart Society of Drumheller received $7,426.60 from the program, which will go toward assisting those with heart health issues and providing heart related equipment to the Drumheller Health Centre. They’ve received funds from the grant for the last three years.
“It’s excellent,” said president Cliff Deitz, who said the chapter opened up in the late 1990s.
“Nonprofit and charitable organizations are able to respond to community needs with great flexibility,” said Lindsay Blackett, Minister of Culture and Community Spirit in a press release.
“The donation grant helps optimize their donor contributions, while allowing them to use grant funding to support operations, programs or capital projects – wherever they need it most.”
The following groups also received funds from the Community Spirit Program this year: Canadian Badlands Artists Association ($3,208.89), Dinosaur Trail Golf and Country Club ($1,841.40), Drumheller and District Musical Festival Association ($1,863), Elim Pentecostal Tabernacle ($14,196.02), Friends of the Sunshine Lodge Committee ($2,182.50), Hand Hills Michif Cultural Society ($4,162.14), Royal Tyrrell Museum Cooperating Society ($5,565.60), Drumheller Aquadinnies Swim Club ($4,016.29), Homestead Museum Society ($18,148.58), and the Town of Drumheller Library Board ($4,686.75).
During the first two years of the program, $38 million was distributed to 3,238 successful applicants throughout Alberta. For 2010-11, $14.9 million will be distributed to a further 1,792 grant recipients.
The approved 2010 applicants’ donations will be leveraged by having the first $10,000 of their eligible cash donations matched at a level of 90 per cent. Individual cash donations that bring the total from $10,001 to $25,000 are matched at a rate of 55 per cent; and donations that bring the total over $25,000 are matched at a rate of 15.11 per cent. When an organization raises donations totalling $78,371 (or more), it receives the maximum grant amount of $25,000.
Cheques will be delivered to the recipients in May.
The donation grant is available to all eligible nonprofit organizations and Canada Revenue Agency-registered charities incorporated and operating in Alberta for a minimum of one year. It is funded through the Alberta Lottery Fund.
Budget 2011 confirmed $16 million to continue the program in 2011-12. This proportional grant will vary year-to-year depending on the program’s available funds and the amount of total eligible cash donations received by eligible organizations.
