AMF Funding Request

The Cause

The Aurora Masquerade Foundation, a recently established 100% volunteer not-for-profit organization located in Calgary, Alberta. Our goal is to host masquerade gala fundraisers helping charities that aid marginalized communities throughout Canada, to maximize their fundraising capabilities.

Our inaugural fundraising event is an 800 person Venetian Themed Masquerade Ball at the Empire Banquet Hall on March 1, 2025.

Net proceeds from this event will support the Calgary based 2SLGBTQQIA+ charities Calgary Outlink and Skipping Stone.

We chose the Venetian Masquerade theme to celebrate the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and their allies with vibrant, inclusive symbolism.

Historically, masquerades have been occasions of both festivity and protest. In Venice, masks were more than a tradition; they promoted equality and personal freedom. By masking their identities, revelers transcended social divisions, creating a space of complete inclusivity. This custom of revealing one’s identity at midnight—or choosing not to—mirrors the ongoing journey of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, where the freedom to reveal one’s true self is not always guaranteed.
In today’s challenging climate, marked by misinformation and contentious government actions, particularly in Alberta, our commitment to supporting the 2SLGBTQIA+ community is unwavering. We aim to offer support in meaningful and effective ways, embracing the spirit of the Venetian masquerade to advocate for inclusivity and equality.

Join us in our journey. Embrace the mask, support the cause, and be part of a movement that celebrates diversity, promotes equality, and brings hope to those who need it most. Together, we can make a difference, one masquerade at a time.

Who Will it Benefit?

Proceeds from this event will support the Calgary based 2SLGBTQQIA+ charities Outlink and Skipping Stone.

Calgary Outlink is a community-based, not-for-profit charity dedicated to providing support, education, outreach, and referrals for the 2SLGBTQIA+ and allied communities in Calgary, Alberta.

Calgary Outlink’s mission is to be a connection point for gender and sexually diverse people to community and support.

Calgary OutLink has been in the community for 25 years. Support, education, resources, and networking are the areas that Outlink offer to theLGBTQ+ and Calgary communities, as well as family and friends.

Skipping Stone provides affirming care to trans and gender-diverse youth, adults, and families.
Skipping Stone provides support to kiddos as young as 6 or 7 to adults into their 60s or 70s as well as parents, partners, families and all those who love and support trans and gender diverse folks.

Skipping Stone connects trans and gender diverse youth, adults and families to the supports and services they need and deserve and has attracted national and international attention and acclaim.

Since it’s inception 6 years ago, Skipping Stone has impacted the lives of over 10,000 individuals across Alberta.