Role of Brooks Community Enrichment Foundation in the funding ecosystem
Brooks Community Enrichment Foundation is a registered non-profit and charity based in Brooks, Alberta, operating as the legal entity behind Brooks Early Learning Academy (BELA). The foundation focuses on enriching the lives of children and families by supporting high-quality early learning, raising awareness of the importance of early childhood education, and assisting family- and child-centred organizations in the community, across the province, and beyond.
Through BELA, the foundation delivers accessible preschool and early intervention programming, including services for children with special needs and those learning English as an additional language. To ensure access regardless of financial circumstances, the foundation administers dedicated financial aid mechanisms and manages public and private funds with clear financial governance policies.
Funding, scholarships and financial assistance
A key component of the foundation’s work is targeted financial support for families. The Jody Rutherford Memorial Fund provides scholarships and tuition assistance, helping to bridge gaps between government funding and the services individual children require. Families who qualify may receive full or partial tuition support, and there is a process to apply or nominate BELA families for these scholarships via the foundation’s designated contact.
The foundation also receives and manages grants related to early childhood services. Its Financial and Governance Policy outlines how grants may be transferred, in line with Alberta’s Early Childhood Services Regulation, to eligible non-profit societies, early childhood service providers, and certain schools. These policies underscore the foundation’s role as a careful steward of public and donated funds.
Community support and partnered funding
Beyond direct tuition support, Brooks Community Enrichment Foundation uses fundraising events to generate resources that benefit both BELA and other child- and family-serving organizations. The long-running Festival of Trees is one example: proceeds from this event are shared annually between BELA and a selected community partner, such as Ronald McDonald House Charities Alberta. In this way, the foundation functions as a conduit, directing charitable revenues to initiatives that support children and families locally and across Alberta.
The foundation’s broader mandate includes “supporting other organizations who are also family focused and/or child centred.” This support may take the form of financial contributions, collaborative projects, or other assistance that strengthens the early childhood and family services ecosystem in the region.
Governance, accountability and compliance
The Financial and Governance Policy of Brooks Community Enrichment Foundation specifies internal controls, segregation of duties, compensation practices, and rules for related-party transactions. Regular reconciliations, external bookkeeping, and annual audits help ensure transparency in how grants, donations and tuition revenues are handled. The policy also codifies conflict-of-interest rules and compliance with provincial standards, including regulations for early childhood services and the use of grants.
Through this combination of program delivery, scholarships, shared fundraising proceeds and support for partner organizations, Brooks Community Enrichment Foundation plays a meaningful role in financing early learning and family-focused services in Brooks and the wider Alberta community.