The Springboard Grant is your chance to enhance your organization with up to $10,000 in funding for capacity-building initiatives. Whether it’s developing new competencies, crafting innovative strategies, or refining your processes and systems, this grant is designed to amplify your impact and drive meaningful environmental outcomes. It’s an investment in your organization’s future.

Qualified applicants include nonprofits, charities, Band Councils, Tribal Councils, Tribal Associations or Tribal Governments and Organizations of Indigenous communities across Alberta, who clearly articulate a need, demonstrate readiness, and commit to enhancing organizational capacity in line with our focus areas. Only applications geared toward capacity-building will be considered. The focus areas are:

1. Nature-based Solutions & Conservation
2. Climate Resilience & Emissions Reductions
3. Circular Economy
4. Overarching or Foundational 

Introducing Randomized Selection

The Springboard Grant is very competitive, with Alberta Ecotrust receiving more requests than we can fund. This year, we’re excited to introduce a randomized selection process to ensure a fair and unbiased distribution of funds. Here’s why we believe in this innovative approach: 

The Merits of Randomized Selection for Grant Allocation

At Alberta Ecotrust, ensuring fairness and equity in grant allocation is a top priority. We've adopted the randomized selection process as an innovative approach to address this. By embracing this method for the Springboard grant, we aim to address inherent biases, align with trust-based philanthropy principles, and foster a more inclusive distribution of resources. Your trust in this process is paramount to us.

Reducing Bias and Increasing Fairness

Despite best intentions, conscious and unconscious biases can influence traditional grant evaluations. Randomized selection mitigates these biases, ensuring that all qualified applicants have an equal chance of being selected. This approach promotes objectivity and fairness, making our grant process more transparent.

Aligning with Trust-Based Philanthropy

Trust-based philanthropy is about transparent, equitable, and empowering grant-making.  It simplifies the application process and strengthens relationships between funders and recipients. The randomized selection process aligns with these principles. It demonstrates trust in the eligibility of all applicants, reduces the burden of extensive decision-making processes, and shifts the focus from competitive scrutiny to supportive partnership.

Conclusion

Using randomized selection for Springboard grant allocation is a forward-thinking approach. By adopting this method, we aim to foster a more inclusive and just process and ensure all qualified applications have an equal chance of receiving support.

We are excited to offer this funding opportunity to support organizations. Please feel free to contact us at grants@albertaecotrust.com with any additional questions.