Introducing Queer Momentum’s Alberta Trans Advocacy Micro-Grant Program

Funding for Grassroots Trans Advocacy in Alberta 

At Queer Momentum, we know our movement’s power lies in grassroots organizing. In trans and queer people and allies creating change and challenging hate on the local level. We know too that grassroots groups face significant financial constraints and chronic under-resourcing. We know you stretch every dollar as far as possible. 

With the Government of Alberta restricting the freedom, rights and healthcare access of transgender Albertans, we are ready to play our part in powering up the grassroots response.

We have allocated $10,000 to support grassroots organizing through a new microgrant program. Grassroots groups are invited to apply for up to $1,000 to undertake organizing, advocacy and community-building activities in response to the Government of Alberta’s assault on trans rights.

Grant applications are scary - this one isn't! We’ve designed this funding call to be simple and easy to complete because we know you have enough going on as is. Below, we’ve outlined the eligibility criteria and reporting requirements, with the application form at the bottom. The deadline to apply is January 30th.

Key Information - Alberta Trans Advocacy Micro-Grant Program

Purpose: To support grassroots efforts that build and support community in response to anti-trans legislation and policies. The program is focused on empowering advocates to take action to help restore rights, freedom, and healthcare access for transgender Albertans. 

Program Contact: Inquiries and questions can be directed to [email protected]

Deadline to Apply: 11:59PM MST on January 30th, 2026

Program Objectives:

• Strengthen grassroots organizing
• Change hearts and minds across Alberta
• Bring political pressure to bear on the Government of Alberta 

Eligibility: The Alberta Microgrant Program is open to grassroots groups or unincorporated groups, collectives, community groups, union locals and non-profit organizations with an annual operating budget under $100,000. We will only fund groups and organizations based in and focused on Alberta. This program is not open to businesses, individuals, or non-profit organizations with annual budgets over $100,000.

Tip: You don’t need to ask for the full $1,000, even though we know most of you will! Smaller projects are encouraged, because we want to resource as many groups as we can. Need $100 to show volunteer appreciation after knocking on doors?? We’re so down. 

Funding those most under-funded: We will be particularly excited by applications from trans-led or parent-led groups. We will prioritize applications led by QTBIPOC and Indigenous 2SLGBTQIA+ groups, as well as groups operating / based outside of the big cities (Calgary and Edmonton). 

Who’s making the decisions? Our staff team, aided by our Alberta Organizer Karla Marx / Victoria Bucholtz.

Types of Activities We Want to Fund: There are so many possibilities - and we don’t want to limit your ideas. We welcome a creative pitch, something different, but we also want to share some ideas to help you get started. We know you’re working with limited resources, but we cannot be everything to everyone with our own limited resourcing - so we’re looking specifically to fund activities related to building support for trans rights and opposing the Government of Alberta’s attack on trans communities. Some examples include: 

• Supporting community activation: bringing groups together to put up posters, knock on doors, engage their neighbours, etc - we’d love to buy your canvassing group pizza and cover your print costs!
• Community forums: Bringing people together to talk about trans rights, understand what’s at stake and grow support
• Advocacy and activist training and gatherings: Skilling up our kickass grassroots with training and strategy gatherings, to foster unity and build ongoing advocacy infrastructure.
• Educational workshops: Helping members of the public, and especially other/intersecting communities (faith communities, workers, newcomers, women) understand the shared threat of rising anti-trans hate
• Resource development and design: Development of new resources and tools for print or social media focused on trans rights in Alberta, learning about the notwithstanding clause and upholding rights and freedoms
• Story-telling: We are big fans of projects that help tell the stories of trans and gender diverse people and their families, through videos, blogs, photo collections and art! 
• Building Joy and Hope: This one is broad, but we know it’s a tough landscape right now and that hope and joy are part of how we sustain the movement. So, we’re open to project ideas that fuel that hope and joy!

Bonus: If your project helps amplify Queer Momentum’s Alberta campaigns (www.stop-smith.ca or www.forourfamilies.ca) we will be especially interested. We want to support your work, and we’d love to see it synergize with ours. Yes, we’re biased.

Some stuff we’re happy to pay for:

• Pizza and food 
• Printing 
• Venue rental 
• Honoraria for a guest facilitator or elder 
• Graphic design

Some stuff we won’t pay for (if you are unsure if an expense would be eligible, you can contact us): 

• Salaries for staff members
• Capital purchases like laptops, ipads or other materials that aren’t solely dedicated to the funded activities
• Rent for your workspace
• We won't fund anything that promotes attacks on individuals, destruction of property, or uses violent imagery. 

What can you expect from Queer Momentum during your project? We’re small and scrappy, but we’ll be around to offer advice and answer questions. We’ll be in touch during your project a few times to check in. We’ll also happily share our materials and tools with you - we can send you posters, flyers, etc, free of cost.  

Reporting Requirements: We have designed this program to unlock your organizing capacity. We don’t want to bog you down in reporting requirements, so we’ve kept them as simple as possible. That said, we need to know some things so we understand our collective impact! All funded groups will be required to:

• Complete a short evaluation survey: We’ll share a survey with you upon completion of your project, to share lessons learned, and help us assess impact. We’ll ask you what worked well and what you’d do differently if you could go back in time and do it all again. We will ask you to tell us about your impact - how many people were reached/impacted and how. 

• Share project outputs and help us tell a story together: We’ll ask you to share any products or outputs - like videos, resources and other tools - that you created through your project. We’ll also ask you to share photos and other assets that we can use to show our collective impact.

• Break down your spending: We will require all funded projects to submit receipts (we know, sorry not sorry) and a post-project expense breakdown so that we know how funds were used. 

Of note: we want to scale this program - and are working to secure more funding. We hope to grow the overall pot rather significantly. We’ll keep you updated on that front (i.e., the number above may change!).

Please click here to begin your application.

A PDF with all the questions is included here, so you aren’t forced to keep one form open as you work through the questions.