Reaching Home: Funding for Rural Homelessness

This funding is specific to communities and organizations supporting folks in rural and remote areas, including First Nations and Métis Settlements in Alberta. On-reserve projects are also eligible. Project activities must take place outside of the “Seven Cities” in Alberta (Edmonton, Calgary, Red Deer, Lethbridge, Grande Prairie, Medicine Hat, and Fort McMurray). Proposed projects must serve or target individuals and/or families who are experiencing homelessness or at imminent risk of homelessness. 

The Government of Canada allocated an additional $4.8 million in Reaching Home dollars to the Rural Development Network to be invested across the 2024-2025 and 2026-2028 fiscal years.

Additional funding is anticipated to be available post 2028 however we do not have information at this time. 

Who Can Apply for Funding?

• not-for-profit organizations; 
• for-profit organizations;  please reach out to RDN to confirm eligibility
• municipalities; 
• public health and educational institutions; 
• provincial and territorial governments and their entities; and 
• Indigenous organizations 

Examples of previous projects funded

• Transition beds for people with addictions waiting to get into inpatient treatment 
• Funding for housing support workers and outreach workers to assist folks experiencing or at risk of homelessness access housing and support services 
• Shelter pods – purchase and retrofitting of trailers to provide emergency shelter  
• Operational costs associated with temporary emergency mat programs/shelters 
• Site preparation for Indigenous-led transitional housing projects  
• Renovations of existing units and purchase of modular units for transitional supportive housing  
• Land purchased for a new second-stage transitional shelter for women fleeing domestic violence  
• Data collection (homelessness estimations) and community action plans  
• Culturally appropriate mental health supports

This list is by no means exhaustive. You can find more information about the Reaching Home program here: Reaching Home Directives  

This project was funded in part by the Government of Canada’s Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy.