The City's Civic Partners are defined under the Investing in Partnerships Policy​. We invest in our partner organizations to deliver effective programs and services in targeted areas, develop and advance strategies, and construct and manage assets. 

The City’s funding for Civic Partners is listed below and includes Council-approved operating and capital funding for the previous year, and the approved budget for current year funding.

Funding process: Operating and capital investments in Civic Partners are approved by Council during the budget process and are subject to adjustments by Council. Annually, Civic Partners report to the Community Development Committee.

The City’sCivic Partner Operating Grant Program provides a structured, transparent and consistent approach to developing multi-year Civic Partner operating funding recommendations for Council approval. Our Program focuses on funding recommendations that align with and are informed by Council Priorities and based on a fulsome review of funding requests from Civic Partners. The Civic Partner Operating Grant Program Guidelines here can be reviewed here.

Application deadline: Closed (as of 11 p.m. May 5, 2026)

If you have any questions please email  partnerships@calgary.ca.

Funding Approval Process

All Civic Partners are notified on the outcome of Council’s decisions once  Council meeting minutes have been released by The City Clerk’s Office.

The City’s four-year 2027-2030 Business Plans and Budgets, including approved funding for Civic Partners, is subject to adjustment by Council through an annual process to ensure alignment to changing conditions and priorities. If changes to approved funding levels are included as part of an annual adjustments process, Civic Partners will be notified. Funding will be delivered through the four‑year 2027-2030 Business Plans and Budgets.

Reporting

As directed by Council, Civic Partners receiving operating grants are to continue to report to Council through existing accountability measures including the Civic Partner Annual Report and Civic Partner Audit Report. Each Civic Partner is required to follow any accountability requirements in their legal agreements with The City.

To maintain transparency and accountability, The City shares the recipients and funding allocation amounts for the Civic Partner Operating Grant, when available.

We value the services Civic Partners provide to Calgarians. Sustaining the condition and quality of City-owned facilities and assets managed and operated by Civic Partners ensures they remain safe, accessible and affordable to all users. Capital funding is provided through the Civic Partner Infrastructure Investment Program and other capital funding initiatives. 

In November 2024, as part of the 2025 budget adjustments, Council approved annual funding of $2 million for the Civic Partner Community Safety Grant program. The Program provides targeted support for The City's Civic Partners, as defined in the Investing in Partnerships Policy, operating in the downtown to address safety incidents and related escalated safety issues in the areas and community spaces surrounding their facility that impact the safety of visitors and Calgarians.

To disburse this targeted grant funding, The City accepted applications through a targeted call for funding requests for 2027, 2028, 2029 and 2030 through the Civic Partner Operating Grant Program.

Application deadline: Closed (as of 11 p.m. May 5, 2026)

If you have any questions, please email  partnerships@calgary.ca.

In November 2025, as part of the budget adjustments process, Council approved an additional $750,000 in one-time operating funding for the Civic Partner Innovation Grant. This funding provides targeted support for The City of Calgary’s Civic Partners, through the Civic Partner Operating Grant Program   to advance projects, programs, or initiatives that strengthen Calgary's innovation ecosystem, support entrepreneurs, and contribute to economic diversification and economic development. 

To disburse this one-time funding, The City accepted applications through a targeted call for funding requests using the processes and Terms of Reference for the Civic Partner Operating Grant Program. Funding recommendations are aligned with and informed by Council priorities and are based on a comprehensive review of funding requests.

Application deadline: Closed (as of February 17, 2026)

If you have any questions, please email  partnerships@calgary.ca.