Alberta Community Partnership (ACP)

• Council resolution(s) or motion(s) confirming project participation and (where applicable) designating the managing partner
• Letter of support (signed by the Chief Elected Official) when council resolutions/motions are not yet available (used in some components)

Who is eligible?

• Municipalities (local governments: cities, towns, villages, municipal districts, etc.).
• Metis Settlements.
• Townsite of Redwood Meadows Administration Society.
• Municipally controlled planning service agencies (to host a Land Use Planner intern under the “Municipal Internship” component).
• Municipal professional administrative organizations (under the “Strategic Initiatives” component).

Who is not eligible

• Individuals.
• For-profit corporations.
• Not-for-profit organizations.
• Regional service commissions (excluding planning commissions).
• Intermunicipal entities and municipal subsidiary corporations (for-profit and not-for-profit).

Eligible expenses

• Contracted services and project management costs directly attributable to the project outcomes (including consultant fees and related consultant travel expenses).
• Vendor costs for project delivery (including advertising, public consultation venue rental, and offsite printing).
• Mediator or third-party facilitator fees and travel costs (for mediation, facilitation, dispute resolution, and negotiation support).
• Eligible in-kind contributions for cost-shared or matching projects (including meeting or consultation space rentals; municipal staff overtime dedicated to the project; specialized equipment rentals for meetings/consultations; meeting/consultation materials; report preparation/photocopying/distribution; travel/participation costs for specific groups; and municipal staff travel costs to support meetings).
• Eligible post-restructuring transition costs (including financial audits; community engagement/communications costs such as advertising, public notices and signage; integration/migration of administrative systems such as accounting/finance, assessment, communications, GIS, IT, records management and taxation; legal and legislative costs such as contracts review, land title fees, electoral boundaries review, by-elections, bylaw/policy reviews; library board establishment costs; organizational reviews; personnel transition costs including additional staff time, staff training and severance; and relocation of municipal operations).
• Repairs and upgrades to existing municipally owned capital infrastructure assets (where eligible under the post-restructuring Infrastructure Stream).
• Internship-related costs for approved municipal internships (including eligible intern compensation support and expenses such as recruitment, relocation, professional development, safety equipment, association membership fees, and electronic equipment; plus eligible costs for supervisors to attend in-person internship workshops).

Ineligible Costs and Activities

• Existing and ongoing operational costs
• Goods and Services Tax (GST)
• Floodway mapping costs
• Government advocacy activities
• Costs already funded under other grant programs

Eligible geographic areas

• Alberta (local governments/municipal entities in Alberta).

• Improved level of integrated municipal service delivery for the region (max. 25 points).
• Broader benefits to the partnership (max. 20 points).
• Project established as a priority for the region (max. 15 points).
• Project funding helps resolve capacity-related barriers to undertake the project (max. 10 points).
• Project budget estimates are supported (max. 10 points).

• Step 1: Review program guidelines
  • Read the 2025–26 ACP Program Guidelines: https://open.alberta.ca/publications/alberta-community-partnership-program-guidelines
• Step 2: Confirm portal access (MAConnect / ACPO)
  • Ensure your organization has access to MAConnect (https://www.maconnect.alberta.ca), as Alberta Community Partnership Online (ACPO) is accessed through MAConnect.
  • If your local government is already signed up for MAConnect, request staff access to ACPO through your internal MAConnect Stakeholder Administrator.
  • If you need to assign another MAConnect Stakeholder Administrator, email acpoaccess@gov.ab.ca.
  • If your local government does not have MAConnect access, request a Stakeholder Agreement by emailing acpoaccess@gov.ab.ca or calling 780-644-2413 (toll free in Alberta: 310-0000).
  • After the Stakeholder Agreement is signed and returned to Municipal Affairs, request ACPO access through your designated Stakeholder Administrator.
  • Consult the ACPO User Guide for portal instructions: https://www.alberta.ca/system/files/custom_downloaded_images/acp-acpo-user-guide.pdf
• Step 3: Complete the online application (ACPO)
  • Log in to MAConnect and open ACPO.
  • In ACPO, go to the “My Applications” area and select the relevant available ACP component application form.
  • Complete all required fields in the online form (mandatory fields are marked with an asterisk).
  • Use “Save and Exit” to save a draft if you need to return later.
  • If applicable, add project partners in the “Partners” section using “Add New.”
  • If applicable, add project budget items in the “Budget” section using “Add New.”
• Step 4: Submit the application (ACPO)
  • Submit the completed application in ACPO before the applicable component deadline.
  • Retain the on-screen confirmation that the submission was successful.
  • Note: once submitted, an application cannot be edited unless it is returned for editing by program staff; for assistance, email acp.grants@gov.ab.ca.
• Step 5: Track status and await decision
  • Monitor your submission status in ACPO under “My Applications.”
  • Funding decisions will be made by March 31 of the program year, and applicants are anticipated to be advised in writing of the status of their submission.

• Municipal Affairs reviews each submission to confirm it meets ACP program requirements.
• After assessment, Municipal Affairs forwards a funding recommendation to the Minister of Municipal Affairs.
• The Minister makes the final funding decision; applicants are advised in writing of the status of their submission.
• If approved, the applicant must enter into a Conditional Grant Agreement (CGA) with Municipal Affairs that sets the terms and conditions (including scope, dates, payments, and reporting).
• Successful projects are posted annually as an approved projects list.

• The total 2025-26 Alberta Community Partnership (ACP) program budget is $13.4 million.
• The ACP program underwent an evaluation review in 2024, and related recommendations informed 2025-26 program changes.
• Funding decisions are anticipated by March 31 of the program year, and applicants are expected to be advised of their application status in writing.
• Final reporting is generally due within 60 days after the project completion date (unless otherwise stated).