FAQs

To submit an idea, create an account. Once registered, log in to submit your idea.

Participants can either be individuals, groups or organizations. Both registered and non-registered charities are eligible to participate. Participants in the Program must, if an individual, be residents of Canada to participate in the Program and reside in a Community Market (Alberta or Northwest Territories). If an organization or group wants to participate in the Program, they must designate a sole contact to represent them. You are not eligible to participate if you are a resident of Quebec. There is no purchase necessary to participate in the Program.

No, you do not have to be a registered charity to participate.

A total of $80,000 will be divided among our Community Markets as follows:

• $30,000 in total will be distributed in the Southern Alberta Community Market
• $30,000 in the Northern Alberta Community Market
• $20,000 in Northwest Territories Community Market

Individual Ideas may receive up to a maximum of $15,000 in funding in Alberta and $10,000 in funding in the Northwest Territories. 

The Alberta Community Market is divided into two regions:

• Northern Alberta: The City of Red Deer and all communities north of Red Deer.
• Southern Alberta: All communities south of the City of Red Deer.
  

 

Each submission must:

• Have a measurable, positive impact on the community where the Idea will be implemented.
• Be for a new project, with funding used directly for the Idea rather than existing operational or overhead costs.
• Clearly explain how the requested funds will be used and managed throughout the implementation of the Idea.
• Not have previously received funding from the Field Law Community Fund Program for the same Idea.
• Meet the requirements outlined in the  Eligibility, Rules + Regulations.

You’ll be asked to answer the following questions:

1. What is your Idea?
2. Who will it benefit?
3. How will the Idea have a “Pay it Forward” effect in your community?
4. How will the award money be managed?
5. What is the budget?
6. What is the minimum amount of funding you need for your Idea to be successful?
7. When will the Idea start and end?

For tips on preparing a clear and compelling application please visit our Application Tips page.

What Do Successful Ideas Have in Common?

While every Idea is different, submissions that have received funding in the past tend to share a few common elements. Strong Ideas:

• Are clear, concise and easy to understand.
• Are well-defined projects with a specific purpose.
• Clearly explain how the funding will be used and managed.
• Can be fully funded, or have specific components that can be fully funded, by an award.
• Clearly identify who will benefit and approximately how many people will be impacted.
• Include relevant photos that help demonstrate the Idea and its potential impact.

• YES: If the same Idea was submitted in a previous year but did not receive funding.
• YES: If it is a new Idea, even if the applicant received funding for a different Idea in the past.
• NO: If the same Idea previously received funding from the Field Law Community Fund Program.

For more information, please review our Eligibility, Rules + Regulations page.

All applications will be reviewed to ensure the  Eligibility, Rules + Regulations have been met. Qualified applicants and Ideas will advance to the public online voting stage of the Program on October 6, 2026 and will be posted to the website on that day. From there, you will have until November 20, 2026 to get your networks involved in voting for your Idea!

For the Fielders’ Choice Award, a shortlist of finalists will be decided on by a Committee comprised of Field Law staff, employees, lawyers and partners which is at the discretion of Field Law. All members of Field Law will then be encouraged to vote on their pick for Fielders’ Choice.

Now is the time to engage your network and spread the word. Share your idea with others and encourage them to vote on our website before November 20, 2026. Follow Field Law on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn for Program updates and shareable content.

Yes. Online votes are only one of several factors considered by the Community Market Judging Panels when selecting funding recipients. Having the most votes does not guarantee that an Idea will receive funding, and having fewer votes does not mean an Idea cannot be selected.

The Panels consider each Idea as a whole, including its community impact, originality, feasibility, use of funds and online votes received.

Online votes are not considered when selecting the Fielders’ Choice Award recipient.

Yes. Supporters can vote for an Idea from multiple devices, but only one vote can be submitted per device.

For example, someone can vote once from their computer, once from their phone and once from their tablet.

As many as you like! You can vote for multiple Ideas during the voting period, but you can only vote once for each Idea per device.

The problem is likely due to a firewall or network issue. It may be the result of a high volume of site visits to the one IP address. Please consult with your IT support team. In the meantime, we encourage you to vote from home or use your mobile device to ensure that votes come from a separate IP address.

Each Community Market Judging Panel will consider the following criteria when evaluating Ideas:

1. Community Impact: The potential benefit to the community, including the number of people who will benefit, community support for the Idea and its potential “Pay it Forward” effect.
2. Area of Impact: The area the Idea supports, which may include, but is not limited to, education, healthcare, at-risk youth, homelessness, diversity, women’s organizations, community and sports, and arts and culture.
3. Clarity + Feasibility: Whether the Idea is clearly presented, practical and achievable within the proposed timeframe, with a clear plan for managing awarded funds.
4. Use of Funds: Whether the funding will be used directly for the proposed Idea rather than existing operational or overhead costs.
5. Originality: The creativity and originality of the Idea.
6. Online Votes: The number of online votes received. Votes are one of several factors considered by the Panels and do not determine which Ideas receive funding.

Each Community Market Judging Panel will be composed of members drawn from Field Law and that Community Market. If you are interested in participating on a Panel, please contact communityfund@fieldlaw.com by November 1, 2026. The Community Market Judging Panel will determine the recipients of the funding in each Community Market.

The Fielders’ Choice Award will be voted on by all members of Field Law.

Funding recipients in each Community Market will be contacted before they are publicly announced and will be required to answer a skill-testing question. All funding recipients will then be announced online on December 8, 2026.

Selected Ideas will be announced online, and funding will be provided by cheque. If the recipient is a registered charity, we ask that a tax receipt be issued within 30 days of receiving the funds.

Recipients can then move forward with implementing their Ideas. Throughout 2027, we will share stories about funded Ideas on social media to highlight their progress and impact in the community.

We ask all recipients to provide an Impact statement by December 31, 2027, sharing an update on their Idea and the impact it has had in their community.

 

We love seeing funded Ideas come to life! Recipients are encouraged to share photos and updates with us throughout 2027 so we can follow their progress and celebrate their impact.

Recipients can also tag Field Law on social media and submit project updates through our Impact page.

All recipients are asked to submit an impact statement by December 31, 2027, sharing how their Idea was implemented and the impact it had in their community.