The Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues has submitted a request to the City of Edmonton for an increase of $1.5 million in capital funding and $668,000 in operational funding for Community Leagues in 2012.

This is represents the second half of the $3 million in capital funding and $1.3 million in additional operating funding that the Federation requested in 2011. City council approved the first half of this program last year.

“It’s a significant request, no question,” acknowledged EFCL executive director Allan Bolstad. “It reflects the many challenges leagues face when building, repairing and running their facilities.”

In addition to this request, the Federation has asked for another $30,000/year to pay half of the cost of a league executive training program. The other half of the funding would come from a planned membership fee increase, along with internal fundraising and cost savings at the EFCL.

If approved, it is felt that this program would help the leagues operate more smoothly and allow them to grow their operations.

“The board has been giving a lot of thought to ways in which league’s can raise their game,” Bolstad noted. “It was recognized that many leagues will need some help.”

League training would be done on a number of fronts through this program. This would include workshops for individual positions, (i.e. president, treasurers, secretaries, hall managers, rink managers), along with strategic planning and improvements to league bylaws.

The Federation’s financial requests will be considered by city council during its 2011 budget deliberations. A decision is expected in early December.