From Ron Orr, Minister of Culture (Alberta)
New Alberta Crowdfunding for Non-Profits
We owe our gratitude to the many non-profit and arts organizations that helped everyday Albertans through the COVID-19 pandemic and financial hardships. These organizations rose to this challenge, while taking severe hits to their revenue and fundraising during the pandemic. Many are struggling to get back to their normal operations.
Right now, we have the opportunity to explore new, more sustainable ways to help this sector recover and grow for years to come. They also have an important role in Alberta’s economic, social and emotional recovery. We know that when non-profits thrive, they help Alberta build vibrant local communities that attract people to live here and business to relocate here.
A thriving non-profit sector will be a big part of the success of Alberta’s Recovery Plan, which is why we are reimagining how we support the non-profit sector through a new initiative – Creative Partnerships Alberta. New technologies create new opportunities, which is why on November 8, 2021 we launched Creative Partnerships Alberta, a bold and innovative initiative to spark private investment in the non-profit sector through partnerships between government, philanthropists, and the business sector.
One way we are doing this is through new online donation programs. This week, we launched the Crowdfunding Alberta Program. This platform connects donors and non-profits online to generate fast and flexible funding to support programs, services, and causes that contribute to Albertans’ quality of life. This made-for-Alberta crowdfunding platform makes it easier for donors to find non-profits and initiatives to support and connect non-profits with a wider network of supporters.
The Crowdfunding Alberta Program is a platform that non-profits can use anywhere in the province. Not only does it make it easier for investors to find causes that are meaningful to them, it also incentivizes donors through government matching – a proven strategy we already tested during the pandemic. To kick start the program, we are providing $1 million in top-up funding. Campaigns can receive up to a maximum of $2,500 in top-up funding. In order to be eligible, campaigns must have a minimum target of $5,000, and must reach 75 per cent of their campaign goal within four weeks of launching. So, a $5,000 campaign would be eligible for $1,250 (25% of their campaign goal) in top-up funds if it achieved 75 per cent of its goal within four weeks.
I want to reassure non-profits that new programs, such as crowdfunding, will not replace existing government grants or supports for the sector. Instead, these programs will make it easier and faster for non-profits to access new sources of revenue tailored to their small projects needs.
Please visit www.crowdfunding.alberta.ca to register your Alberta-based non-profit and launch a campaign. A number of resources are available at Crowdfunding Alberta to help you launch and run a successful crowdfunding campaign.
Additional resources will be released in the coming months. In addition, organizations are welcome to reach out for coaching support through the Crowdfunding Alberta platform at CrowdfundingAlberta@gov.ab.ca.
I encourage you to share this information with your contacts in the non-profit and arts sectors, and anyone you may know that is interested in supporting local causes.
Sincerely,
Ron Orr
Minister of Culture
