Overview
The Northern and Regional Economic Development (NRED) Program is a Government of Alberta initiative that provides funding to strengthen and diversify local and regional economies.
Through NRED, municipalities, Indigenous communities, and non-profit organizations can access up to $300,000 per project to support initiatives that create jobs, attract investment, and build long-term community resilience.
The program is designed to help communities take on projects that might otherwise be out of reach, offering financial support to turn local vision into measurable impact.
What Steel River Group Delivers
Steel River Group provides end-to-end support to ensure communities maximize the benefits of NRED funding. We assist with:
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Proposal Development – we build strong applications that align with NRED criteria and clearly demonstrate impact.
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Project Execution – delivering professional branding, websites, video, and economic development strategies with our in-house team.
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Long-Term Value – ensuring that every project creates tools, strategies, and marketing assets communities can continue to use well after funding ends.
Up to $300,000 in Funding
Eligible projects can receive up to $300,000 in NRED funding, creating an opportunity for communities to make meaningful investments in their marketing, digital presence and long-term promotional capabilities.
Up to 75% of Project Costs
NRED can cover up to 50% of eligible project costs for municipalities and other eligible applicants, and up to 75% for eligible Indigenous applicants, helping communities significantly reduce the cost of major marketing initiatives.
November 19, 2026 Deadline
The 2026 NRED intake is now open, with applications due November 19. Communities considering new websites, marketing strategies, branding, photography or video initiatives should begin defining their projects now.
What Could NRED Help Your Community Accomplish?
Every community has different economic development priorities. Steel River Group can help develop initiatives around:
Investment Attraction
Position your community to attract businesses, developers, industry and new investment through stronger investment materials, digital tools and targeted promotion.
Community Branding & Positioning
Build a clear identity that communicates what makes your community unique and why people, businesses and investors should take notice.
Website & Digital Development
Create a modern digital presence that makes economic, investment, tourism and community information easier to find and more compelling to explore.
Marketing & Promotion
Develop campaigns, content and marketing assets designed to increase awareness of your community and its economic opportunities.
Photography & Video
Build a professional visual library that showcases your community, businesses, people, infrastructure and opportunities.
Tourism & Destination Marketing
Create the brand, digital presence and promotional assets needed to strengthen tourism and visitor attraction.
Business & Economic Development Tools
Develop business directories, investor resources, economic development materials and other tools that support local businesses and future investment.
We've Done This Before
Comprehensive Brand + Website
Rebuild & Tourism Feature — Breton, AB
When the Village of Breton wanted to strengthen its ability to attract investment, support local businesses and promote the community,
a successful NRED application helped turn that vision into reality.
The Village received $60,100 in NRED funding toward an initiative supporting branding, website development and marketing.
Steel River Group helped deliver a comprehensive transformation of Breton's community and economic development presence.
Overview
The Village of Breton partnered with our team to rebuild their brand from the ground up. This multi-phase project began in summer 2025 and continued into early 2026. The goal was to create a unified visual identity for the village and produce a full suite of modern content that reflects its character, community spirit, and natural surroundings. The work includes a new logo, brand book, website, tourism video(s), photography, community interviews, and content for upcoming marketing initiatives.
Project Deliverables
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Tourism videos
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Canada Day Parade featurette
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Community and business interviews
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Ground and aerial footage
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Short-form social clips
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New website
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Responsive layouts
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Integration of new media
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Updated structure and content
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Full brand refresh
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New logo system
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Updated colours and typography
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Brand book and guidelines
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Design assets for print and social
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Community and lifestyle photos
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Business owner portraits
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Event photography
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Drone photography
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Landscape and scenic images
Tourism Feature Video
A visual story connecting the golf course to the heart of the community.
Full Web Redesign
We completely rebuilt the Village of Breton website with a modern brand identity, new visuals, clear navigation, and full integration of video and photography.
Before & After
Grab the slider and drag left or right to compare the original site with the new modern design. The updated version brings in the refreshed brand, new visuals, and a clearer layout for residents, visitors, and businesses.
A clean, accessible layout built to work smoothly on every device.
Updated branding and visuals give the site a clear and engaging identity.
Pages and menus are organized so residents, visitors, and businesses can find information quickly.
New Brand & Identity Build
We created a completely new brand identity for the Village of Breton, including a modern logo, fresh visual style, and a full set of design guidelines.
Let's Build Your
NRED Application
You bring us your goals.
We'll help build the project and take care of the application.
You don't need to have a finished project plan, detailed scope or NRED application ready to go.
We'll start with a discovery session to understand your community, your marketing goals, the challenges you want to address and the budget you're prepared to invest.
From there, Steel River Group will help shape those priorities into a defined marketing project, recommend the right combination of strategy, website development, branding, photography and video, and establish a clear scope and budget.
Then, we'll prepare and write the NRED application on your behalf, giving your team a complete application package built around the project we've developed together.
Applications close November 19, 2026.
Ready to Start?
Email your availability for a discovery call to noah.capannelli@steelrivergroup.com with the subject line “NRED 2026.”
We'll meet with your team to discuss your goals, priorities and budget, then begin developing a project and NRED application tailored to your community.