Family & Community Support Services Program Funding
FCSS Program Funding Details
FCSS Program Funding is allocated under the City of St. Albert FCSS Program Funding Policy (C-CS-14) approved by Council March 16, 2020. 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 and support the Five Core Values identified in the City’s Social Master Plan, (Sense of Belonging and Connectedness, Diversity and Inclusion, Social Responsibility and Engagement, Healthy Lifestyle and Well-Being, Capacity Building).
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
The FCSS Funding application package for 2026 will be available in the summer of 2025.
Please check this page in the summer of 2025 or contact the Social Investment Coordinator for more information on FCSS funding, or to be notified when the application is open. Please note, if your organization does not currently receive FCSS funding from the City of St. Albert and would like to be considered for funding in 2026 you MUST connect with the Social Investment Coordinator (amackinnon@stalbert.ca) prior to applying.
Application Intake Opens: Summer 2025
Application Deadline: October 16, 2025 by 4:00 p.m. MST
Applications and accompanying documentation must be received by the submission deadline to fcss@stalbert.ca to be eligible for funding. Late submissions will not be accepted.
Program Guidelines
Before you proceed, please ensure you have read and understand the program guidelines:
- 2026 FCSS Funding Program Funding Guidelines (coming summer 2025)
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 Social Investment Coordinator, 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 Social Investment Coordinator, 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.
Related Pages
Last edited: January 29, 2025