The Town of Hanna approved the second round of its 2026 Community Services Board grants during its June 9 regular council meeting, allocating $8,000 to six community organizations while highlighting a new process designed to improve transparency and accountability.

Council approved the recommendations of the Community Services Board (CSB), which oversees the grant program that has provided financial assistance to local non-profit organizations since 1994. The program supports projects, activities and events that enhance recreational and cultural opportunities in the community.

Under the second intake of the year, Kiddies Korner Playschool received $2,500 toward teacher salaries. The Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 25 was awarded $1,100 to help cover expenses related to a fundraising event. The Hanna Figure Skating Club received $1,100 toward the purchase of safety equipment, while the Hanna Golf Course was granted $1,100 for sprinkler repair work. Hanna District 4-H received $1,100 toward facility rental costs and the Hanna Indoor Pro Rodeo was awarded $1,100 toward facility use.

The Town of Hanna has budgeted $20,000 annually for the program, with funding distributed through three intake cycles. Earlier this year, four organizations shared $8,000 during the first intake, including the Hanna Hospital Ladies Auxiliary, Hanna Outdoor Movie Night, Hanna Farmers' Market and the Hanna Municipal Library.

The second intake attracted eight applications. One submission from the Hanna Medical Recruitment and Retention Committee was deemed ineligible because its mandate was not recreation- or culture-focused and the request did not involve a gift-in-kind discount for use of a town facility. The committee was advised to present its request directly to council if it wished to pursue municipal funding.

The seven eligible applications in the second cycle sought a combined $44,282.77. Combined with requests received during the first intake, eligible applications this year have totalled more than $69,000, far exceeding the annual budget.

Several groups received less than they requested.

Kiddies Korner Playschool had applied for $5,000 to support enhanced programming and maintain two teachers in its three- and four-year-old classes. The Legion had sought $855.77 to offset costs associated with a fundraising event intended to raise money for building renovations, including the addition of an accessible washroom. The Hanna Figure Skating Club requested $6,927 for a range of initiatives, including administration costs, dryland training and equipment purchases.

The Hanna Golf Course requested the maximum grant of $20,000 toward a broader equipment and infrastructure replacement plan estimated at more than $155,000. Hanna District 4-H sought $5,000 for its annual show and sale, while the Hanna Indoor Pro Rodeo requested $5,000 in gift-in-kind facility support.

The Hanna Hospital Ladies Auxiliary also applied for $3,500 to offset facility costs associated with its fall rummage sales. However, the board did not recommend additional funding because the auxiliary had already received $3,500 during the first intake to support its spring sale and the volume of applications exceeded available funding.

Community Services co-ordinator Michele Toews said the revised process provides a clearer picture of how taxpayer dollars are distributed.

"For many years the deals stood where they were not tracked. Now with this new process we will see what is given and we will be able to track it. We will have a clear picture of what was given so the council can review each year," said Toews.

Council and board members discussed the introduction of a scorecard system to evaluate applications. Applicants are now required to provide financial information and demonstrate how grant money is used, measures intended to strengthen accountability.

"This makes it more transparent and more accountable," said Toews.

Mayor Danny Povaschuk said the new approach allows the council to better understand where community funding is being directed.

"It gives us a tool to see how much money and where the money is going," he said.

Coun. Warwick said the process creates a fairer system for organizations seeking assistance.

"It creates an equitable opportunity for all our nonprofits and other groups to access funds," he said, noting that previous arrangements did not follow a formal process.

Council members acknowledged that difficult decisions were unavoidable given the demand for funding. They said the experience gained this year will help refine the program for 2027 and allow the council to reassess whether the overall grant budget remains adequate to meet community needs.

Council approved the recommendation of the Community Services Board to award the 2026 second cycle Community Services Board Grant in the amount of $8,000 of $20,000 annually allocation.

Community Services co-ordinator Michele Toews (right) said the revised process provides a clearer picture of how taxpayer dollars are distributed. Screenshot