Building Blocks Capital Grant Program

Important dates

Overview

Through the Building Blocks Capital Grant Program, licensed non-profit and public child care providers, such as municipalities and schools, can apply for one-time capital funding. The Building Blocks program grant is intended to support the creation of new, full-time early learning and child care spaces in new and existing facility-based child care programs across Alberta, including in municipalities and schools.

Alberta’s renewed approach to space creation will improve accessibility and inclusion for families with children up to kindergarten age, prioritizing high-need, underserved and vulnerable communities.

Eligible projects must support one or more of the following:

• high-need areas
• rural and remote regions
• low-income and high-cost urban communities or communities with other barriers to access
• underserved communities
• communities that require supports to families more in need, including:
  • lower-income families
  • Indigenous families
  • lone-parent families
  • children, parents and early learning and child care employees with disabilities, and children needing enhanced or individual supports
  • visible minorities, for example, Black and racialized children
  • families from official language minority communities, for example, Francophone or French speaking
  • families working non-standard hours
  • families having limited or no access to programs and services in the children's official language (language a child speaks at home)

Eligibility

Eligible applicants are:

• non-profit organizations comprising societies under the Societies Act RSA 2000 c S-14, Part 9 companies under the Companies Act RSA 2000 c C-21 and corporations that are registered under the Alberta Corporate Registry (non-profit)
• municipalities as defined in the Municipal Government Act
• First Nations and Indigenous communities and schools incorporated under non-profit entities
• public bodies, such as:
  • school divisions as defined in Alberta’s Education Act
  • public or non-profit post-secondary institutions

Grant funding streams

The Building Blocks program includes 2 capital facility-based funding streams:

1. Major Capital Grant
2. Minor Capital Grant

Major Capital Grant

Access one-time capital funding to assist with the creation of new full-time licensed early learning and child care spaces in new and existing public or non-profit licensed facility-based child care programs. This stream provides maximum $30,000 per child care space with total capital costs at or above $500,000.

Projects could include:

• construction of a new child care facility
• building expansion
• substantial retrofitting in an existing building or facility
• purchasing, assembling, installing and delivering a modular building structure

See the Major Capital Grant Program Guide for grant eligibility, funding details and reporting requirements.

Minor Capital Grant

Access one-time capital funding to assist with the creation of new full-time licensed early learning and child care spaces in new and existing public or non-profit licensed facility-based child care programs. This stream provides maximum $10,000 per child care space with total capital costs under $500,000.

Projects could include interior and exterior renovations (upgrades, repairs or improvements) and refurbishment, in a new or existing building with no building structure change

See the Minor Capital Grant Program Guide for grant eligibility, funding details and reporting requirements.

How to apply

1. Download and review the major or minor grant documents:
   • Building Blocks – Alberta’s Child Care Capital Grant Application Form – includes documents checklist and declaration sections
   • Building Blocks Capital Grant Application Guide – Step by step instructions on how to fill in the application form
   • Child Care Coverage and Enrolment in Alberta – maps child care coverage and enrollment for non-school-aged children by municipality across Alberta
   • Building Blocks fact sheet
2. Complete the application form.
3. Prepare the required documents according to the document checklist section of the application form.
4. Sign the application form declaration section.
5. Email the completed application form and relevant documents to: jet.acelccaspacecreation@gov.ab.ca

Next steps

1. During the application intake period, initial screening and assessment will be conducted.  
2. Applicants may be contacted to provide clarification or additional information.
3. Evaluation results will be sent to the applicant by email within 60 days of receiving an application.
4. Successful applications will proceed to the final decision for awarding of a grant.

Recipient reporting

Upon being awarded a grant, approved applicants will be provided with a grant agreement that outlines terms and conditions. This agreement must be signed by the representatives with legal signatory from the recipient and the Ministry of Jobs, Economy and Trade.

The disbursement schedule and conditions will also be outlined in the grant agreement. The grant disbursement will be released in installments. The recipient will be required to regularly report on the financial status of projects and on the outcomes achieved. The reporting schedule and requirements will be included in the grant agreement.

Contact

Connect with the Building Blocks program:
Email: albertachildcarespacecreation@gov.ab.ca