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Financial Empowerment & Literacy Funds Available

We believe in Albertans. That’s why we support organizations who give Albertans the tools they need to build long-term prosperity and security. Just like reading and writing, financial literacy is an essential life skill. By supporting life-long financial literacy, we’re investing in quality of life and financial security for everyone in our province.

The AIMCo Foundation exists to advance financial education in Alberta. We do this by providing grants to registered charities offering financial literacy services to Albertans. We also provide scholarships for students pursuing an academic career related to finance. If you’re an organization supporting financial literacy in Alberta, you may qualify for an AIMCo Foundation Grant.

... providing grants to registered charities offering financial literacy services to Albertans.

ELIGIBILITY

STEP 1

Two types of organizations are eligible to receive a grant from the AIMCo Foundation.

Who IS eligible:

  • Non-profit entities with a charitable registration number from the Canada Revenue Agency
  • Organizations considered a qualified donee under the Canadian Income Tax Act

Who is NOT eligible:

  • Individuals
  • Organizations registered outside of Canada
  • Organizations that discriminate on the basis of age, colour, disability, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, gender, or sexual orientation

STEP 2

Not all eligible types of organizations are a good fit for an AIMCo Foundation Grant. Your organization will only be considered if you meet the eligibility requirements of Step 1, and provide a qualifiable service, such as:
  • Educational projects or programs that respond to an unmet financial education need for a target audience.
  • Research and development toward solutions for expanded accessibility for financial education.

STEP 3

If your eligible organization offers one of the services above, preference will be given to programs focused on:
  • Consumer education, money management skills, and fundamentals of investor education.
  • Preparing people for handling their finances during retirement.
  • Helping at-risk populations to take control of their financial future.
  • Ensuring new Canadians are well-equipped to navigate the Canadian financial system.

If you think you have an applicable program that falls outside of these areas, please still submit a preliminary application. It’s a short form that will help us determine if your program is a fit or not.

APPLICATION

The application process is designed to help you get approved. It is structured to let you know early on whether your project is a good fit, so you can save time and resources on creating a full proposal. We also provide feedback to every applicant so you can better understand what kind of projects are most likely to receive grant funding.

  • All applicants start with a preliminary online application. This step helps us screen out applications that are not relevant or appropriate without asking for a full proposal. The deadline for preliminary online applications is July 3, 2023.
  • If your organization and project are considered appropriate applicants, you’ll be asked to complete a full request for proposal (RFP). The deadline for proposals is August 14, 2023.
  • After both steps, all applicants will receive a follow up.
    • Those who are approved after the RFP stage will receive notification of their success and the amount being granted to them. They will also receive information about what helped them stand out in their application.
    • Those who are not approved after the online application or RFP stage will receive details about why they were not approved, and information on how they could adjust their application in the future to improve their chance of success.

To learn more about what the AIMCo Foundation is looking for in an application, see the FAQ.

Preliminary Applications close July 3, 2023

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faq

What are the AIMCo Foundation’s priority areas?

The Foundation seeks proposals that advance its mission, and:

  • Present a practical and detailed plan for distributing the project deliverables on-time and within the presented budget
  • Field test promising ideas and evaluate results or take proven ideas and approaches to scale
  • Encourages strategic collaboration with partners, whether in non-profit, public, or for-profit sectors
  • Show promise for sustainable impact once the Foundation funding ends
  • Use technology wherever possible to reduce cost and increase availability
  • Identify key measurables that will be used to evaluate the project’s impact and success and be reported to the Foundation

If I don’t get approved for a grant this time, can I apply again?

Yes. We provide feedback to every applicant so you can better understand which projects are most likely to receive funding and be more successful in the future.

Does the AIMCo Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?

Yes. Unsolicited funding requests from eligible organizations may be considered for self-initiated projects that support the Foundation’s mission, however funding will not be made available until the nearest granting cycle.

How much are the grant amounts?

There is no set minimum or maximum grant amount. In considering grant requests, the merits of the proposed project are the primary focus of our review.

Are the grant amounts negotiable?

Yes. The grant agreement will be presented to successful organizations with an opportunity to negotiate within a certain timeline. Funding will only be released if the recipient organization and the Foundation come to an agreement within the specified timeframe.

When is the deadline?

  • Preliminary online application deadline: July 3, 2023
  • Proposal deadline: August 14, 2023
  • Grant award decisions: October 31, 2023

Are there any types of projects the AIMCo Foundation will never consider?

Yes, the Foundation will not consider proposals to fund:

  • Projects or programs with a target audience outside of Alberta
  • Expenses that are not directly related to the project for which funding is sought
  • Capital costs such as building and construction, computer hardware, and office furniture, or basic infrastructure costs such as rent and utilities
  • Pass-through funding or re-granting to another organization or consultant
  • Projects with a potential conflict of interest, such as where funded support or expertise will be provided by a board member of the organization
  • Projects with proprietary elements, such as for-profit activities
  • Lobbying, political contributions, fund-raising events, or similar activities designed to influence legislation
  • Donations, endowments, or challenge grants
  • Direct or matching payments to members of the public such as for scholarships, assistance with financial difficulties, registration fees for conferences and training, or similar activities

How do you make sure the decision is fair?

All grant applications are evaluated using a scorecard.
AIMCo Foundation has a strong Code of Conduct and enforces strict conflict of interest regulations with all volunteers. While individuals affiliated with the Foundation may also be affiliated with a grant applicant, any such individuals will not participate in the review of applications