Co-op awards $1 million to projects across Western Canada every year. The program helps build places for everyone to come together to meet, play, learn and share.

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The Co-operative Retailing System (CRS) is a network of over 160 member retail co-ops across Western Canada. Co-op Community Spaces is funding projects on behalf of co-ops across the CRS, to create spaces where people can come together. Since 2015, 132 projects have been supported with $9.5 million dollars in capital funding.

PROGRAM PURPOSE

The purpose of the Co-op Community Spaces Program is to improve community health and well-being by building places for Western Canadians to come together and build social connections. Three funding areas have been selected to ensure the program achieves its core objectives of enabling community development and bringing people together.

ELIGIBILITY

Applicants eligible for funding include:

• Registered charities under the Canada Revenue Agency with valid registration numbers
• Registered non-profit organizations under their provincial government with proof of registration (e.g. letters of incorporation)
• Non-profit organizations partnered with their municipal government who will accept funding and issue receipts on their behalf
• Community service co-operatives

Projects eligible for funding must:

• Be available and accessible for community use
  
• Align with one of the three funding categories (recreation, environmental conservation or urban agriculture)
• Be completed within two years
• Be a capital project
• Be located in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan or Manitoba
• Provide the opportunity for permanent signage

Projects ineligible for funding include:

• Those that support religious or politically affiliated organizations
• Those that will have adverse environmental impacts
  
•  Those that are third-party fundraising campaigns

FUNDING

Projects can apply for between $25,000 and $150,000 in capital funding. See funding categories below.