Family & Community Support Services Program Funding

FCSS Program Funding Details

FCSS Program Funding is allocated under the City of St. Albert Social Development Policy (C-CS-16) approved by Council July 15, 2025. The City’s FCSS Program is a partnership between municipalities/Metis Settlements and the Province of Alberta in the delivery of preventive social service programs. Municipalities receive funding from the Province through the Ministry of Community & Social Services; these funds help to deliver programs at the community level through locally determined methods. Under the Family and Community Support Services Act and Regulation, funding is provided for the delivery of preventive social programs. Prevention is defined as:

“A proactive process that strengthens the protective factors of individuals, families, and communities to promote well-being, reduce vulnerabilities, enhance quality of life, and empowers them to meet the challenges of life.”

Projects and programs must also align with one of the ten focus areas in the Community Social Roadmap. The ten focus areas are:

Aging in Place
Child and Youth Development
Civic Involvement and Volunteerism
Community Connectedness
Community Safety
Family and Gender Based Violence
Housing and Homelessness
Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility
Mental Health and Addictions
Poverty

The City of St. Albert invites non-profit organizations serving St. Albert residents, to apply for FCSS Program Funding that address an identified community need.

Application Intake Details

Application Intake Now Open.

Application Deadline: October 16, 2025

Applications and accompanying documentation must be received by the submission deadline to amackinnon@stalbert.ca to be eligible for funding. Late submissions will not be accepted.

Frequently Asked Questions

Some frequently asked questions are in the dropdowns below:

What are examples of appropriate community programs?

Below are some examples of appropriate community programs:

Mentoring children and youth.
Outreach services for adults experiencing isolation, food/housing/financial insecurity.
Outreach services for seniors experiencing isolation, food/housing/financial insecurity.
Support for LGBTQ2S+
Parent education, child development, and social emotional skills 0-12 years.
Community income tax program.
Prevention/early intervention of family violence.

To discuss your eligibility, please contact the Grant Administrator, Amy MacKinnon at amackinnon@stalbert.ca

What kind of projects are ineligible for funding?

Below are some examples of projects that are ineligible for funding:

Capital initiatives including renovations and motor vehicles.
Services that are primarily for recreational needs or leisure time pursuits.
Services that offer direct assistance (e.g. food, shelter, money) to sustain an individual or family.
Services that duplicate those ordinarily provided by government or any agency.

To discuss your eligibility, please contact the Grant Administrator, Amy MacKinnon at amackinnon@stalbert.ca

What is the funding process?

Meeting application requirements does not guarantee funding.

The Community Services Advisory Committee (CSAC) is responsible for reviewing applications and making recommendations to City Council. This will occur in late November. Final funding decisions are at the discretion of City Council and subject to available funding resources as approved in the annual budget process. City Council will make decisions on funding recommendations in December, just before the holiday closure. Your organization will receive notification of the funding decision before the holiday closure.

Council approves grant funding on a year-to-year basis. While an organization may be recommended for multi year funding, multi year funding is not guaranteed. Once funding is approved by Council, funded organizations will receive a new funding contract for each funding year. Organizations selected for multi year funding will not be required to apply in successive years of the same funding term (year 2 or 3), rather will submit a letter of intent to confirm the project/program will go ahead as planned. Funding for all FCSS funded organizations, even those recommended for multi year funding terms, is pending receipt of complete and satisfactory yearly reporting, yearly provincial FCSS funding, yearly council FCSS program funding, yearly council approval of CSAC FCSS funding recommendations, and other factors.

FCSS Program Funding will not support more than 80% of the total expenditures of a program; other organizational or program revenue will support at least 20% of the program costs. FCSS may fund 100% in the first year of a new program that is being piloted as approved, however additional sources of funding need to be identified in subsequent years reaching at least 20% of the total project.

Steps for Application

Before you proceed, please ensure you have read and understand the above information and the FCSS Funding Guide and Criteria:

2026 FCSS Funding Guide and Criteria

Prior to applying, please confirm your project eligibility by contacting the Grant Administrator.

Returning applicants are encouraged to contact the Grant Administrator with any questions or concerns prior to application.

New applicants MUST contact the Grant Administrator prior to applying.

Organizations applying for $10,000 or less:

Contact the Grant Administrator by September 15th to schedule an application interview. This will replace an online application. DO NOT APPLY ONLINE.

Organizations applying for more than $10,000:

Use the Application Questions and Information word document to record your draft long answers prior to completing the online application. The online application form does not allow you to save and return to the form later. Complete your answers on the word document and copy and paste them into the online application.
2026 FCSS Program Funding Application Questions and Information
If you would like to review your draft application with the Grant Administrator prior to submitting, please contact them by September 15th, 2025 to request a review meeting.
Complete the online application (see below link).
Submit Schedule B – Financial, Governance and Program Staff worksheets via email to the Grant Administrator.
Schedule B 2026 Financial Governance Program Staff Worksheets
Submit your organization’s most recent Financial Statements via email to the Grant Administrator.
Submit any additional required documents (if applicable) as per the 2026 Funding Guide and Criteria via email to the Grant Administrator.

Apply for FCSS Program Funding