Calgary City Council has approved one-time capital funding of $15 million to enhance support for Community Associations and Social Recreation Organizations (community partners) through the Capital Conservation Grant (CCG) program. The funding allows the CCG program to temporarily resume its continuous intake process for 2025 and delay the implementation of a grant rounds structure to 2026. New applications will be accepted beginning on March 24, 2025 and will be welcomed until November 28, 2025.
“This funding will be welcome news to many of our community partners who have engineering and construction projects in their plans,” states Jon Anderson, manager Investment Management, Facilities, The City of Calgary. “With the temporary resumption of continuous intake, they may apply for CCG funding to help them take advantage of the 2025 summer construction season.”
In November 2024, The City announced a transition from a continuous CCG intake application process to a grant rounds structure. This change was in response to increased demand from community partners and the rising cost of construction and materials to support projects within facilities where they operate.
“We understand our community partners have been impacted by this change in direction, and we are there to provide support as they get approved projects moving,” says Tim Mowrey, manager, Community Partners, The City of Calgary. “We are thankful that our partners will have the opportunity to pursue these projects that will benefit our communities and contribute to the wellbeing of Calgarians.”
The following is a summary of the impact to community partners either with active projects or applying for funding through the CCG March 24 onwards:
- All new applications received on or after March 24, 2025, will be reviewed as per the 2024 CCG program guidelines.
- The 2024 CCG program guidelines will remain in place until the CCG program changes to a grant rounds structure in January 2026.
- The CCG team will continue to develop and plan for the updated guidelines and move to a grant rounds application structure in 2026.
Under the grant rounds structure being implemented in 2026, The City will allocate CCG funds to the facilities that need them most and better manage the budget given rising construction costs and the increase in CCG applications in recent years.
This change to CCG is one component of the Community Spaces Investment Program, initiated to respond to increasing financial and operational pressures and risks in the facilities where Community Partners operate, and to support The City’s broader strategy to manage and sustain these facilities. The program is exploring the relationship and funding model between The City and its community partners, including the approach to building maintenance and operations.
New funding will be required for implementation of the Community Spaces Investment Program, and Council will consider this as part of the 2027-2030 budget cycle. To learn more about the CCG and how The City works with its community partners, please visit calgary.ca.
Backgrounder:
- The Capital Conservation Grant (CCG) was established to support major lifecycle and capital conservation projects in facilities so that volunteers and staff within Community Associations (CA’s) and Social Recreation Organizations (SRO’s) can continue to provide services in safe and healthy environments.
- There are over 120 CAs and almost 60 SROs with leases or licenses of occupation operating facilities and amenities across Calgary on City-owned land.
- The CCG fund started the current 2023-26 budget cycle with $30.2 million allocated from Council to support CA’s and SRO’s (community partners) on City-owned land.
- The CCG supports replacement of existing capital items such as floors, roofs, parking lots, resurfacing tennis courts, HVAC systems and fences.
- The CCG program provides services to help community partners identify project priorities and eligible community partners have access to funding for up to $300,000 per annum.
- The CCG program has three main programs and an advisory service that community partners can apply to:
- Community Technical Advisory Support Services
- Engineering Consulting Program
- Lifecycle Capital Grant
- Upgrade Projects
