REALTORS® in the Community

The REALTORS® Association of Edmonton became a founding sponsor of EPCOR’s BrightNights Festival of Lights in 1998. Funds raised by BrightNights go directly to Edmonton’s School Lunch Program to provide balanced meals for children who might otherwise go hungry throughout the day. BrightNights was created by the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce as a fundraising event for the Endowment Fund for Children in Need. Edmonton’s School Lunch Program is currently the sole beneficiary of funds raised by the Festival and is also supported by the REALTORS® Community Foundation.

Through their affiliation with the Association, REALTORS® also support the Edmonton Historical Society’s Historic Week activities, as well as other community events and festivals.

Community Investment Program

The REALTORS® Association Community Investment program will improve the quality of life in Edmonton and surrounding communities by providing support and assistance to community groups in the achievement of their mission.

Funds are limited and the Association will enter into long term relationships with selected groups which can meet the criteria and demonstrate they have the capacity to provide a range of promotional opportunities as part of their program delivery. There is no application form and no application deadline. Potential applicants should discuss their proposal with the Manager of Marketing and Communications before submitting a request.

The REALTORS® Association Community Investment program will fund long-term community projects within the City of Edmonton in the following areas

• Human services
• Arts
• Cultural pursuits
• National heritage
• Volunteer programs

Projects in the following areas will NOT be funded

• Sports or sports teams
• Recreational activities
• Housing or shelter
• Crime prevention

Maximum grant for any one project is 5% of the annual first year budget to a maximum of $30,000 per year.

Applicants must demonstrate which the applicant organization and project

• will improve the quality of life in the community
• have a proven record of quality performance in the community
• have values congruent with Association values
• can provide a range of promotional activities as part of their program delivery
• have a mechanism to display, distribute or expose Association collateral materials and to promote the value of using a REALTOR®
• are willing to enter into a formal agreement with the REALTORS® Association of Edmonton
• are able to monitor and report on the fulfillment of the agreement to the satisfaction of their Board and the Association

Annual grants will be provided for at least three years. The project will be reviewed annually with the REALTORS® Association’s Board of Directors. The Applicant’s Board of Directors must be aware of the project requirements and must submit a letter each year which verifies the organization has completed all requirements and expended the funds in accordance with the agreement. A representative of the Association will meet with organization officials about once a quarter to discuss the relationship and details of the agreement.

Projects funded to date:

• Souljah Fyah - Community groups who booked the band Souljah Fyah for an event received a reduced booking fee (2006-2008).

• Volunteer hats - A quality "cadet" hat will be provided for each volunteer involved in a sponsored festival or event. Hats are embroidered with a REALTOR® logo and the event or organization logo on the front. Over 10,000 hats have been distributed to date.
  
  
  • In 2010, volunteers in the following organizations received hats:
  • Dragon Boat Festival
  • Edmonton and District Historical Society
  • Edmonton Food Bank
  • Edmonton Fringe Theatre Festival,
  • Edmonton International Jazz Festival,
  • Edmonton International Street Performers Festival,
  • Events Edmonton (Canada Day Fireworks Festival and Taste of Edmonton),
  • Freewill Players and the Rivercity Shakespeare Festival,
  • Global Visions Film Festival,
  • Old Strathcona Foundation (Whyte Avenue Art Walk and Silly Summer Parade),
  • Servus Heritage Festival,
  • Sobey's Symphony Under the Sky
  • Yardbird Suite
• Logoed scarves were provided to Events Edmonton for the New Years Eve Festival and the Ice on Whyte Festival operated by the Old Strathcona Foundation.
• Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) received funding to adapt American course materials for use in Canada. The Essentials Program has five modules which teach the fundamentals of ethical fundraising to volunteers and staff in not-for-profit and community groups. Funds are also provided for administration and to subsidize course enrollment fees for participants in the Edmonton area (2006-2009).
• Changing Together – a Centre for Immigrant Women provided a 75-piece toolkit and materials about home ownership to each woman who participated in their programs courtesy of the REALTORS® Association. Over 600 women and their families have received the tool kits to date (2006-2009).
• Azimuth Theatre Expanse New Dance Festival receives funding to support administrative salaries, promotion and new works development for a modern dance festival in February. The production of the Fringe hit play “Homeless” will supported by REALTORS® during the remounted production in Edmonton and on tour in Northern Alberta.