You Make THE Difference Grant

Made possible by:

Empowering the People Who Power Our Communities

The Alberta Association of Agricultural Societies (AAAS) is proud to have been a recipient of the You Make THE Difference Grant: a national initiative designed to strengthen the individuals who make our rural communities thrive.

Across Alberta, Agricultural Societies bring people together — hosting fairs, exhibitions, and community events that preserve local traditions and fuel rural pride. But behind every successful event are the Difference Makers: the volunteers, board members, and leaders who show up year after year to make it all happen.

Through the You Make THE Difference Grant, AAAS had the opportunity to further invest in these incredible individuals, providing access to leadership training, mentorship, and personal development that help sustain and grow our sector for years to come.

The You Make THE Difference National Initiative is your province or territory’s opportunity to strengthen fair boards, empower volunteers, and build resilient rural communities through a fully-funded, high-impact training program.

Led by community-builder Ian Hill, You Make THE Difference is built on a simple but powerful belief: Train the people, and we can transform the place.

The program focuses on equipping grassroots leaders with the tools and confidence they need to strengthen their organizations and inspire future volunteers.

For AAAS, receiving this grant allowed us to bring this training directly to our network — empowering Agricultural Society members to grow as leaders, increase community engagement, and build more resilient organizations.

Use the button below to register for an upcoming You Make THE Difference session!

You Make THE Difference SessionsRegister HERE >

A province-wide in-person training tour designed to meet the unique needs of every fair board and agricultural society in your region.

Unlimited access to a comprehensive online training hub, featuring videos, step-by-step guides, and practical tools to support ongoing leadership development and community impact.

Exclusive access to the You Make THE Difference mobile app for every participating fair board—a powerful tool to support, equip, and connect leaders all year long. With on-demand training, ready-to-use resources, and access to a nationwide community, support is now just a tap away.

Participation by Ian Hill at your annual provincial conference or convention, including the delivery of a featured keynote address. Ian will attend in person to inspire, energize, and equip your members through his keynote and active involvement in key sessions or workshops. All travel, accommodation, and participation costs are fully covered by the grant, allowing your organization to benefit without any added expense—while maximizing reach, value, and province-wide engagement

A $1,000 administrative grant to support coordination of the program in your province or territory.

Who We Are...

Agricultural (Ag) Societies are volunteer driven, not-for-profit organizations whose mandate and diversity make them invaluable in the communities that they serve.

Download Our PDF >

For a map of the Ag Societies, please see below (or download the PDF). Please see below the map for a complete listing of the Agricultural Societies in Alberta.

MANDATE OF ALBERTA AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES (as per the Bill 14 Agricultural Societies Amendment Act, 2015)

“The object of a society is to encourage improvement in agriculture and enhanced quality of life for persons living in the community by developing educational programs, events, services and facilities”

The Alberta Association of Agricultural Societies (AAAS) is a not for profit, non-governmental, provincial association originally formed in 1905 and officially incorporated in 1947, that advocates and provides resources for the 291 Agricultural Societies in Alberta

( 1 Major / 7 Regionals / 283 Primary Ag Societies )

Frequently asked Questions

VISION

AAAS inspires in Alberta Communities

MISSION

Through education, facilitation and collaboration, AAAS empowers people to be leaders in high quality communities

VALUES

Excellence in direction and execution. Success through collaboration. Motivation through education and engagement. Advocacy through example. Dedicated to strengthen Agricultural Societies and their communities

Why it works

1. The people closest to the problem are best suited to solve it.

Rural communities know their own. Empowering locals as First Identifiers creates real, lasting change.

2. Upstream is better than downstream.

Early intervention—before a crisis—saves lives, preserves dignity, and protects community resilience.

Impact

The You Make THE Difference National Initiative is already making an impact from coast to coast! This list will continue to grow as more provinces are awarded. Stay tuned for updates!

BYLAWS 2020

Download a copy (PDF) >

AAAS History

Through the Decades to present day. Learn More >

STAFF

Meet the talented and friendly AAAS Team >

Bonnyville, A

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Athabasca

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Lac la Biche

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Additional Info

Once selected, the Agricultural Society becomes the local host and lead coordinator for Empowering Minds in their community. Their responsibilities include:

Forming a local organizing committee to assist with planning, outreach, and marketing.
This committee plays a critical role in driving local engagement and will gain hands-on experience in proven, high-impact community development strategies.
Work with Ian Hill, who will personally coach and guide each participating community through a structured, step-by-step implementation system. This process is designed to equip local leaders with practical tools for effective outreach, coordination, and long-term impact.
Supporting the six-week awareness campaign to reduce stigma and build anticipation
Coordinating the logistics for Empowering Minds Day—including the leadership session, in-school engagement, and community supper
Facilitating the 30-day follow-up, using email resources and the Empowering Minds mobile app to continue the momentum

AAAS and the Empowering Minds team are with each community every step of the way—providing templates, training, and one-on-one support to ensure success.

Thanks to the generous support of program sponsors, the Empowering Minds grant covers 100% of the direct program delivery costs, including:

Training, materials, and content for all elements of Empowering Minds Day
Travel and facilitation fees for Ian Hill and the Empowering Minds team
In-school youth engagement sessions
First Identifier training for community members
Marketing templates and promotional assets for the six-week awareness campaign
Access to the Empowering Minds mobile app and digital follow-up content
Ongoing one-on-one coaching from Ian Hill to guide each community through a proven engagement and delivery system

You Make THE Difference National Tour Application

Apply Now to Bring the ‘You Make THE Difference’ National Initiative to Your Province or Territory! We’re awarding a limited number of provincial and territorial grants to associations ready to strengthen their fair boards and rural communities.

This application will help us understand your goals and how we can best support your fairs, exhibitions, and agricultural societies. Thank you for your interest in bringing the You Make THE Difference Tour to your region!

Apply Here

You Make THE Difference Grant

Empowering the People Who Power Our Communities

Who We Are...

VISION

MISSION

VALUES

Why it works

1. The people closest to the problem are best suited to solve it.

2. Upstream is better than downstream.

Impact

BYLAWS 2020

AAAS History

STAFF

Bonnyville, A

Athabasca

Lac la Biche

Additional Info

You Make THE Difference National Tour Application

You Make THE Difference grant made possible by:

FOCUSED ON COMMUNITY

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