$500,000 will be doled out by the provincial government early next year to help women's organizations that focus on securing jobs, preventing violence and building leadership skills.

The goal of the new pilot initiative is to expand on existing projects to make them even better, which in turn will help women reach their full potential.

“When women succeed, whole communities and economies succeed. That’s why we are investing in ideas that support Alberta women," said Stephanie McLean, Minister of Status of Women.

The total grant is being broken down into 5 different categories, including;

  • organize conferences, training and events (up to $50,000)
  • build capacity by attending conferences, training and events (up to $10,000)
  • work on special projects (up to $50,000)
  • create mentorship relationships to build capacity (up to $100,000)
  • expand a successful initiative to other parts of Alberta (up to $100,000)

“Grants like this enable us to increase the reach of our programs and scale our impact in the community, helping women build confidence using technology and profiling more women as leaders, role-models and mentors in this space,” Kylie Toh, Founder of Chic Geek, organizer at Geeky Summit.

Organizations in Airdrie that are currently eligible to apply for the grants include, Community Links, Airdrie and District Victims Society, and Rocky View Employment Services.