News Release: Rural Development Network announces additional funding for Alberta communities to support responses to homelessness through the Reaching Home Rural and Remote funding stream

Edmonton, Alberta – January 10, 2024 – The federal government has announced additional funding that will allow the Rural Development Network (RDN) to distribute approximately $4 million over the next two years to Alberta’s rural, remote, First Nation, and Métis Settlement communities through the Reaching Home Rural and Remote funding stream.

As the Community Entity for the Government of Canada’s Reaching Home Rural and Remote funding stream in Alberta, the Rural Development Network is currently accepting applications through a Call for Proposals to fund projects that aim to prevent or reduce homelessness in their communities. Alberta’s rural, remote, First Nations, and Métis Settlement communities and organizations are eligible to apply for funding to conduct projects in 2024-2025 and 2025-2026. Projects may start as early as April 1, 2024 and end as late as March 31, 2026. 

“Investing in these local solutions supports community-led projects that help those experiencing or at risk of homelessness. We will continue working with the Rural Development Network to support those most in need in rural, remote and Indigenous communities across Alberta,“ says the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities.

The additional $4 million in funding will be distributed to communities and organizations that aim to reduce or prevent homelessness outside of the 7 major cities in Alberta. 

“As homelessness and housing insecurity continues to be on the rise in rural, remote and Indigenous communities in Alberta, it is increasingly important to support innovative and locally driven community responses to homelessness," says Sydney Stenekes, RDN's Director of Homelessness Initiatives. "We welcome the additional Reaching Home funding from the federal government and hope to support a diverse range of projects across the province, supporting both immediate needs and longer term solutions through this Call for Proposals.”

Eligible communities and organizations can apply through the online application form before February 9, 2024, 11:59PM MST. To reduce barriers for First Nation and Métis Settlement communities who are interested in applying for funding, the Rural Development Network has developed an alternative application process under the guidance and feedback of Indigenous partners; Indigenous communities or organizations may submit a letter of intent through the online application form in lieu of a general application. Selected applicants will then be invited to partake in an oral application process. 

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For more information about the 2024-2026 Reaching Home Call for Proposal, or to apply for funding, visit the Rural Development Network’s website. 

This program is funded by the Government of Canada’s Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy. 

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For more information, please contact:

MEDIA CONTACT: 

Sydney Stenekes

Director, Homelessness Initiatives

1-613-986-5207

programs@ruraldevelopment.ca 

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ABOUT THE RURAL DEVELOPMENT NETWORK

The Rural Development Network is a not-for-profit that facilitates, supports, and champions rural community development through collaboration, research, and service provision. RDN supports the sustainability of rural communities and works with communities to amplify the "rural voice". RDN collaborates to identify and bring focus to rural issues, build local capacity, and find innovative, rural-based solutions to unique issues.

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ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA’S REACHING HOME FUNDING

Reaching Home: Canada's Homelessness Strategy is a community-based program aimed at preventing and reducing homelessness across Canada. This program provides funding to urban, Indigenous, rural and remote communities to help them address their local homelessness needs.

Reaching Home supports the goals of the National Housing Strategy, in particular, to support the most vulnerable Canadians in maintaining safe, stable and affordable housing and to reduce chronic homelessness nationally by 50% by fiscal year 2027 to 2028.