NEED TO KNOW


SUPPLIES & DEMAND: STOCK UP FOR THE 2026-27 SEASON!

It's time to look ahead to the 2026-27 season! To ensure your League is fully equipped with inventory to welcome neighbours- from membership cards to skate ribbons and everything in-between, the EFCL supply ordering window is officially open.

Automatic Order Policy

To ensure that no League is left without supplies, we have implemented an automatic ordering policy. If we do not receive a custom order from your League by the March 15 deadline, you will automatically be invoiced for and sent a standard package of 100 Membership Cards and 100 Skate Ribbons.

To avoid unnecessary costs or receiving the wrong amount of inventory, you must place a custom order if this standard package does not fit your League's needs. If you do not want to receive any new supplies, please reach out to Candace Housman (candace.housman@efcl.org) and make that position known. 

Key Dates & Details

  • Order Deadline: March 15, 2026
  • Pickup Timeline: June 2026
  • Payment: Credit card (Stripe) or Invoice to League
  • Delivery Options: Free pickup at the EFCL Office or Courier Delivery ($25.00)

A Note on Pricing: Due to current volatility in printing costs, prices listed in the store are accurate as of today but may be subject to change for late orders. We highly encourage ordering early to lock in current rates.

Visit the EFCL Supplies Store here

Thank you for your continued leadership and organization in our communities!

CLOGGIN' AIN'T EASY (UNTIL NOW): JOIN OUR FOLLOW-UP Q&A

On January 29, many of you joined us to navigate the recent changes to the Community League Operating Grant (CLOG) calculation. Since this is a new process for everyone, we are committed to keeping the lines of communication open and ensuring that every League feels confident in their reporting.

Catch Up: Session 1 Recap

If you couldn’t make it to the live meeting, you can watch the full recording to get up to speed:

Watch: Ask Us Anything: The New CLOG Calculation Video Recording 

Join Us for Round 2

The engagement during our first session was fantastic. To address the remaining questions and dive deeper into the details, our panel from Neighborhood Services and the EFCL team is reconvening for a follow-up Q&A.

Save the Date:

  • Event: Ask Us Anything: The New CLOG Calculation (Part II)
  • Date: March 4
  • Time: 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM

Note: Annual Reporting Intake for 2027 CLOG Funding will open in mid-March and the new guide will be available soon !!! 

Need Help Now?

If you have urgent questions regarding your submission status or other specific CLOG inquiries, please reach out directly to Michael Parker, Fund and Membership Administrator, michael.parker@efcl.org.
FROM THE HEART: BRING FREE CPR TRAINING TO
YOUR LEAGUE

The EFCL is teaming up with MacEwan University’s School of Continuing Education to bring the Heartsaver program directly to your Community League- for free!

We’re looking for Community Leagues to host these four-hour sessions, which cover life-saving resuscitation skills for adults, infants, and children. Knowing how to respond to a cardiac emergency gives you the power to save lives, from the ice rink to the family dinner table.

MacEwan provides all of the supplies and instructors, and everyone who completes the course earns a Heart & Stroke completion certificate, valid for 2 years).

Since every hall and community is different, the program will work with you to determine how this can best fit your local space.

If you’re a league rep, fill out this
 online form to apply, or email bls@macewan.ca with any questions.

GEAR UP FOR GLORY AND PEDAL FOR PRIZES IN THE 2026 COMMUNITY LEAGUE BIKE MONTH CHALLENGE 

The 2026 Bike Month Challenge is fast approaching! Register your League by contacting greenleagues@efcl.org and get in the fast lane to fun.

Compete against other Community Leagues for prizes in three categories: most KMs per League, most KMs per rider, and most places visited on the Bike Month Scavenger Hunt (details coming soon)! 

Your League will need to appoint a team Data Collector, who will report total League's weekly KMs to the EFCL. 

Stay tuned for details about the kickoff party, scavenger hunt, and how to get the word out to your community about all the fun of Bike Month.

SMOKY SKIES, OPEN DOORS: HELP US COUCH-PROOF THE SUMMER

For the past few summers, the City of Edmonton's beloved Green Shack recreation program has faced significant impacts due to an increase in the number of extreme air quality events. Unsafe air conditions (Air Quality Index levels of 7 and above) have required programs to shut down for days at a time, leaving children across the city without access to these free, community-based programs.

In an effort to mitigate this issue, the City of Edmonton in partnership with the EFCL launched a pilot program in 2024 to explore the possibility of offering indoor Green Shack  programming at Community League facilities on days when it is necessary to cancel outdoor programming. The pilot was a great success and the program has continued to grow. In 2026, we are looking for 14 Community Leagues across the City to participate in this program.

How It Works

By participating, your League provides a "smoke-day" refuge. If outdoor programming is canceled due to poor air quality, the fun moves inside your facility.

Green Shack locations operate half-days and can be open in the morning from 10:30am to 1:30pm or afternoon from 2:30 to 5:30pm; full-day hours are available at some sites between 10:30am - 5:30pm.

Get Involved

The City will be hosting an information session to cover all the logistics. If you’re ready to help keep the play going, please fill out this form today!

Note: The program requires access to your building from Monday to Friday between the hours of 10:30 AM to 5:30 PM.

For questions, reach out to greenleagues@efcl.org

FROM OUR PARTNERS


Stirring Up Kindness, One Meal at a Time

We’re excited to welcome Edmonton Meals on Wheels as our newest friend and neighbour! 

Edmonton Meals on Wheels is a long-standing local charity dedicated to delivering nutritious, prepared meals to individuals facing barriers to cooking — whether that’s due to age, mobility, health, or a busy schedule. They support community health and connection through both fresh daily meal delivery and a flexible frozen meal program — and their volunteers provide more than food, they bring meaningful connection and care to those they serve.

We’re honoured to have them in our community and look forward to seeing the positive impact they continue to make in Edmonton. Please join us in giving them a warm welcome!

UPCOMING EVENTS


GRANTS


Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Program 
The Events Component of the Government of Canada’s Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Program supports community-based public events that promote intercultural or interfaith understanding and celebrate community history or culture.

  • Deadline: February 18, 2026

TELUS STORYHIVE Voices 
Produce your own 6+ episode video series about anything- from kids' content to outdoor adventures and everything in between, the sky is the limit on your creativity!

  • Deadline: February 20, 2026
TD Park People Grants
TD Park People Grants are available for almost any community event in a publicly accessible green space- whether in a city park, social housing property, or schoolyard.

From Indigenous plant medicine workshops to nature walks, TD helps local leaders organize events focused on environmental education, sustainability, or stewardship that bring people together.
  • Deadline: February 23, 2026
Enabling Accessibility Fund 2026
This funding will find projects that create more opportunities for persons with disabilities to access and maintain employment. It will fund projects that remove accessibility barriers for persons with disabilities in Indigenous workplaces or Indigenous communities. 
  • Deadline: March 12, 2026
From Canadian Heritage:
This funding is designed to provide eligible Canadian publishers of print magazines, print community newspapers and digital periodicals with the financial support they need to produce and distribute high-quality, Canadian editorial content for Canadian readers: 

Magazine- Aid to publishers 
  • Deadline: March 16, 2026
Digital Periodical- Aid to Publishers 
  • Deadline: March 16, 2026 
Community Newspaper- Aid to publishers 
  • Deadline:  March 16, 2026

2026 National Volunteer Week Enhancement Funding Grant
In partnership with the Government of Alberta, Volunteer Alberta is currently accepting applications for organizations to apply for small grants to host events to celebrate, recognize and promote volunteerism.
  • Deadline: March 23, 2026
Do you have an event you want us to promote on our popular "WHAT TO DO THIS WEEKEND" social media posts and on our website? Let us know! Submit your community events here:
ADD YOUR EVENTS

ASK AN ADVISOR


Sandra Johnston

Board Development Advisor 


Q. What do new board members need to know?

A: There is a lot to learn when joining a Community League Board and many new board members feel overwhelmed. A good board orientation process can get these new board members up to speed and contributing quickly. One or more executive members should take responsibility for orientating new board members. 

At a minimum, new board members should be given: 

  • Access to the shared drives appropriate to their role,
  • The most recent League bylaws approved by Corporate Registries, 
  • The League’s Tripartite Agreement,  
  • Their role or position description,
  • A list of board members and their contacts 
  • Board organizations structure (board positions, committees)
  • A staff list and job descriptions,
  • Annual budget and most recent audited financial statements,
  • Previous year’s meeting minutes, and
  • Access to the board and League calendars 
  • And a tour of League facilities. 

They, of course, also need the information and resources particular to their role. New board members should also be given a copy of any League policies and they should sign a board members code of conduct.  

EFCL also offers support to new (and experienced) board members. League board members should all be subscribed to the Need to Know Newsletter and they all have access to our workshops and other learning opportunities (including a twice-a-year board orientation workshop), as well as our online courses. There is a general League board member course as well as other courses aimed at particular board roles.

It is often helpful to have regular check-ins with new board members during their first year or to pair the new addition up with an experienced board member to ensure a more seamless transition and a positive volunteer experience.

The dedicated email for all board members questions is leaguesupport@efcl.org

HAVE A QUESTION? ASK AN ADVISOR

EFCL NEWS


Need to Know is the EFCL's newsletter just for Community League board members. If you've been forwarded this email and would like to sign up for essential updates and information for running your League, click here. If you haven't already, we also encourage you to sign up for Living Local, which focuses on stories from Leagues around the city.
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We respectfully acknowledge the land upon which the EFCL operates is located on Treaty 6 Territory and has served a purpose as a traditional meeting ground for many First Nations groups. This territory has provided a traveling route and home to the Nakoda Sioux, and later, Blackfoot and Cree peoples, followed by Saulteaux and Métis and other Indigenous peoples.
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