Community Safety and Well-being (CSWB) Grant Program

In May 2022, City Council approved the Community Safety and Well-Being (CSWB) Strategy, the City’s roadmap for inclusive, connected and coordinated safety and well-being planning that is aligned to the values in the City Plan.

The Pillars of the CSWB Strategy

The 7 pillars of the CSWB Strategy are :

Anti-racism

Reconciliation

Safe and Inclusive Spaces

Equitable Policies, Procedures, Standards and Guidelines

Pathways In and Out of Poverty

Crime Prevention and Crisis Intervention

Well-being

An immediate action from the Strategy was the launch of the CSWB Grants Program, a new opportunity for community leaders and/or organizations to support the advancement of CSWB outcomes. To date, $6 million of grant funding has been disbursed to community groups and organizations through CSWB grants.

The Goal of the CSWB Grants Program

The goal of the CSWB Grants Program is to create a more inclusive and compassionate city by supporting initiatives that work to:

Improve equity

End poverty

Eliminate racism

Progress toward truth and reconciliation

Foster safe and inclusive spaces

Increase crime prevention and crisis intervention

Boost the overall well-being of Edmontonians

2022

Anti-Racism

Safer, Secure and Sustainable Future (SSSF)	This initiative will assist immigrant women to build their skills and knowledge to enhance their current economic situation and combat racism and discrimination through systemic barriers to employment. The project will provide skills training to empower women and provide them with equal opportunities to fully participate in their communities and get out of poverty.	Alberta Somali Community Centre (ASCC)	$87,950
Cooking Up Community	Cooking Up Community fosters community safety and well-being by bolstering social connections. Cooking socials are intentionally set-up to welcome all knowledge and skills, enforcing the idea that there is no “one way” or right way to cook or dine. This knowledge exchange develops respect for others and a deeper sense of community.	Converse and Cook	$65,812
Faith Spaces Safe Spaces	This initiative will host conversations and develop a call to action that encourages continued work to eliminate racism in faith communities. Anti-racism work is a collective responsibility and the burden cannot solely belong to BIPOC communities. A key focus of our work is seeking to address anti-Black racism in partnership with diverse faith and racial communities.	Faith Space Safe Spaces (interfaith committee not a registered organization)	$23,125
Roots on 6	This initiative will engage the community in conversation around the importance of inclusion in every aspect of the community. Collaborative events with Indigenous organizations and sharing circle spaces all bring Indigenous voices and stories into conversation with multi-generational newcomer and settler voices. In-person events at the IslamicFamily Hub will serve as a safe space for BIPOC ethnocultural minorities to convene, celebrate diversity, and promote learning and understanding between different groups while providing consistent spaces to cultivate skills and amplify experiences and voices.	Islamic Family and Social Services Association	$100,000
Shine a Light on Antisemitism	By using the Shine a Light on Antisemitism mosaic as a starting point for conversations and education about antisemitism, we hope to raise awareness about classic and contemporary forms of antisemitism, making Edmonton a safe and inclusive space. We also want Edmontonians to know that they can turn to our organization for help when they encounter antisemitism and to help combat its proliferation.	Jewish Federation of Edmonton	$15,000
Black Francophone Communities Safety and Well-being Healing and Action Project	Black-Francophone communities face disproportionate barriers by virtue of their minority within minority status. This project supports black-francophone communities celebrate cultural wealth and reinterpret social identity in inclusive ways - leading to adopting alternative approaches to fostering community well-being and safety.	La FRAP (fiscal agent)	$98,000

Crime Prevention and Crisis Intervention

De-escalation for Positive Communities (DPC)	This project will develop and facilitate workshops to empower businesses and front-line workers with strategies to de-escalate potentially volatile situations.	Stony Plain Road and Area Business Association	$63,503.75
NEXUS 24/7 Youth Shelter	This initiative supports our city’s vulnerable youth and has a number of positive impacts on community safety and well-being including crime prevention and the long-term impacts of providing pathways out of poverty. The experiences of youth who access our shelter are diverse and unique. While some may be experiencing homelessness for the first time, others are entrenched in homelessness due to untreated trauma and a constant state of crisis. Providing the space to adequately rest following an often-traumatic exit from stable living allows our team to offer support when the youth is mentally and physically able to address the reality of their situation.	Youth Empowerment and Support Services (YESS)	$100,000

Equitable Policies, Procedures, Standards and Guidelines

Accessibility and usability of city of Edmonton resources for immigrant and refugee families with neurodiverse children	This project aims to address systemic barriers that relate to information access and how information is delivered to families with children with Neurodiversity. This project will enhance existing service delivery for immigrant and refugee families with neurodiverse children by creating safe and inclusive relational and physical spaces that are responsive to their needs.	Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers	$87,793.76
Intersectionality Within Disability	The absence of an intersectionality lens within disability has not provided a clear picture of how BIPOC members of this community are further marginalized or made invisible. Intersectionality in this context is not limited to the diversity but rather the inequitable access to power and privilege. People with lived experiences will have the opportunity to share their needs as they pertain to community safety and wellbeing.	Gateway Association in partnership with the Edmonton Anti-Racism Lab	$61,062.50
Peacemaking Circles for Community Safety & Well-being	This initiative will support those looking for new approaches to increasing community safety and well-being through Peacemaking Circles. There is a need to create safe, effective, and responsive ways for Edmontonians to bring forward their experiences within systems and a need for reciprocal dialogue. We believe this initiative can design a process in which this can be accomplished and we hope to bring it to organizational and systemic levels.	HIV Edmonton	$75,525
Cultural Responsiveness Training - Edmonton	Our cultural responsiveness training workshop is fundamentally informed by anti-racist principles and practices, since its main goal is to facilitate cultural awareness, sensitivity, and best practices for social service providers who regularly interact with culturally, religiously, and linguistically marginalized communities.	National Zakat Foundation - Nisa Homes	$32,375

Pathways In and Out of Poverty

At Home in Highlands Welcoming Initiative	This initiative will generate activities to address affordable housing barriers and the hesitancy of landlords to rent to marginalized people, learn from people with lived experience so they themselves guide solutions, and establish partnerships with service support organizations.	At Home In Highlands, a program of the Highlands Community League	$89,275
The Nurture Program	The Nurture Meals program is a social enterprise training program which empowers individuals facing barriers, including indigenous women, immigrants, newcomers, and other women experiencing low-income, and unemployment. The program addresses barriers such as limited formal education, under-utilized abilities and little or no work experience in Canada at all skill levels.	Grow (Gradual Rising of Women)	$99,843.75

Reconciliation

Holyrood Community Reconciliation Initiative	This initiative will engage with Indigenous-led organizations to support community learning through cultural workshops and including Indigenous dancers, musicians and artisans in our community events. By focusing on reconciliation and Indigenous cultures and practices, we hope to contribute to our community’s well-being by increasing visibility and representation and offering opportunities for connection to arts and culture, community and spirit.	Holyrood Community League	$17,000
Nékem and Badger Society Community Wellbeing and Outreach Project	Nékem’s Outreach programs provide support to the houseless community in Edmonton and address gaps in support for those transitioning into or out of health or correctional institutions. Our Badger Society programs build peer support and capacity among Indigenous Warriors, who provide leadership informed by lived experience for our volunteer teams.	Nék̓em: To Change Something	$100,000
Voice of Hope Retreat	The Voice of Hope Retreat will result in a renewed sense of strength and resiliency for the participating Indigenous women who begin to heal from their trauma as a result of their experiences with cancer and residential school. By providing a culturally safe environment and using traditional ways of knowing and doing, Indigenous women begin to feel the collective empowerment and confidence of their ancestors, allowing them to have courage to gain the necessary knowledge and skills to be leaders in their family, neighbourhood and community.	Wahkohtowin Society	$16,812.50

Safe and Inclusive Spaces

Connecting Neighbours	This project will connect our diverse neighbours to build community and foster relationships to strengthen the sense of inclusion. Community members will then feel empowered to look out for each other, creating a safer neighbourhood. The result will be more social cohesion to support and encourage more positive social behaviours.	Beverly Heights Community League	$75,800
Youth Workshop	This initiative will provide muslim youth with stress management workshops, creating a safe space for them. Currently, there are no places in Edmonton that provide mental health services and counselling to the muslim youth. The intention is to combat mental health disorders, such as depression, and reduce suicide rates in the community.	Islamic Circle of North America	$12,950
The Boys to Men program	This initiative advances community safety and well-being of Edmontonians by having older men such as fathers, community leaders, and elders take time to mentor, communicate, educate, and support boys dealing with various issues as a result of immigrating to a new country. Issues such as racism, discrimination, equality to mainstream boys, living in Canada, legal systems, gangs, drugs, addictions, are some that will be supported to provide participants with the confidence, knowledge and tools to accept who they are, while positively growing and integrating into Canadian society.	Sihle-Sizwe Vineyard Foundation	$43,992.50
Supporting Healthy and Safe Communities – In Affordable Housing Buildings	This project will empower residents in Affordable Housing to build social connections, support access to cultural resources, facilitate access to support services, and foster an environment that enhances safety and well-being. Community-building activities will provide opportunities to understand the strengths and skills of other residents, while building relationships and trust. Rather than feeling isolated, residents will draw on the strength of community to help meet their economic, health, cultural and social needs.	REACH Edmonton Council for Safe Communities	$100,000

Well Being

SELAM for the Amhara family’s initiative. Sociocultural-safety and Equity to Leverage Accessibility to Members (SELAM) initiative SELAM in the Amharic language means Peace	This initiative is guided by the principle of Safety/Well-being, Equity-based, Person-centered, Community-led, Data/ Trauma-informed approaches. Activities include GBA+ assessments; socio-cultural events and workshops, peer-to-peer counselling and referral support for 40 newcomers and 200 Amhara-families, improving families' well-being by minimizing trauma and supporting integration with the Edmonton community.	Edmonton Amhara Association (EAA)	$87,406.25
Community Awareness, Prevention & Education (CAPE) for Nisa Homes Edmonton	By addressing crisis intervention through the training of social service front-line staff and management, we hope to improve the delivery of more culturally appropriate services and ultimately the experience of survivors and create more safe and inclusive social services spaces, where women from any background can be holistically supported and set up to thrive.	Nisa Homes	$39,875
Small Arts of Kindness Edmonton	This project will spread messages of kindness and encouragement across the city through cultural art and multilingual motivational messages on painted rocks. Workshops will be conducted in schools, libraries, and parks for wide-public participation. The rocks will then be used to create Kindness Inspiration Gardens.	PHIDEAS Philippine Edmonton Events and Arts Society	$11,245
Safety Days: Trauma-informed support for individuals with Hoarded Homes in crisis and capacity building for services to support them.	This project will increase community capacity to assist people living with Hoarding Disorder by training therapists and professional organizers on trauma-informed interventions for hoarding situations that have reached a crisis point. Additionally, it provides eight supported clear-outs and accompanying counselling to reduce hoarding recurrence and provide community safety.	The Hoarding Disorder Foundation of Alberta (HDFA)	$89,760

Community Safety and Well-being (CSWB) Grant Program

The Pillars of the CSWB Strategy

The Goal of the CSWB Grants Program

Community Grant Programs

Collaboration Grant Program

Early Intervention and Intervention Grant Program

Past Recipients

2022