ACF was formed in 1995 to be a public, nonprofit foundation for all of Alaska that promotes effective, sustainable, local philanthropy. Individuals, nonprofits and organizations can pool their resources into one foundation for maximum efficiency. Today, we manage about $75 million in assets. Through the generosity of donors like you, in the past 20 years ACF has awarded more than $50 million in grants to improve the lives of Alaskans.
Nonprofits serve essential needs across Alaska and deserve annual support. The Alaska Community Foundation supports the work of nonprofits and local communities in three major ways: by making grants from our permanent endowed and non-endowed funds, by convening nonprofits and community members together to maximize impact, and by serving as a source for donors who wish to make a difference.
We empower local communities to identify needs and solve local problems. In that spirit, ACF partners with nine Affiliate Community Foundations including Seward, Kenai, Chilkat Valley, Golden Heart, Talkeetna, Palmer, Petersburg, Ketchikan, Kodiak an Sitka. Led by dedicated volunteers, our nine Affiliates are pioneering home-grown philanthropy across Alaska.
We connect donors with causes they care about, and aid nonprofits with resources they might not otherwise have. With a wide variety of funds and giving options, everyone and anyone can support the causes they care about. Whether you are a nonprofit organization looking to set up an endowment for future reserves, a community leader partnering with others to accomplish projects for a better Alaska, or an individual or family looking to realize your own philanthropic goals, The Alaska Community Foundation can help you maximize your impact.
ACF works as a convener – bringing together key Alaskans, nonprofit leaders and multiple funding sources to respond to complex issues such as suicide prevention, homelessness and workforce development. The staff of the Alaska Community Foundation have deep roots in Alaska; in fact many of us are life-long Alaskans. We know the issues of our state and the organizations that are working effectively to address needs and expand opportunities.
As a grant maker, we grant funds to a wide variety of causes – arts, education, health and wellness, environmental projects, and even disaster relief.
Below, you’ll find just a few of the stories of these nonprofits and partnerships making a difference.
As a public foundation, we connect people who care with causes that matter. As such, we tailor our services to each individual’s charitable and financial interests and help people invest in the causes and organizations they believe will have the most impact in Alaska.
When you, as a donor, a nonprofit organization, or as a community member, give to a fund or a project at ACF, your donation is protected and grown, and the earnings are used to support the causes you care about for the long term. We believe that grants made tomorrow are as important as grants made today.
Most importantly, we serve our community because we are led by our community. The Alaska Community Foundation was founded by Alaskans for the long-term benefit of Alaska. It is your community foundation.
Whether that’s a place without homelessness, or one where beautiful works of art or natural spaces are accessible to all, we help Alaskans realize their visions. By enabling donors with a vehicle through which to give, we help them improve the world in which we all live – and create an Alaska where communities have the resources to thrive.
SCHOLARSHIP HIGHLIGHT
SAMIR AKAL
Scholarships can make dreams come true for deserving students. Samir Akal was born in Somalia during the height of a devastating civil war. His family was forced to flee in 2007, and in their time as refugees they moved in and out of camps in Ethiopia, Sudan, Libya, and Egypt. During this difficult time, Samir became inspired by the lack of basic medical and translation support available to refugees. While his family struggled to find a safe place to live, he focused on learning English and using his language skills to help others.
The family eventually immigrated to Alaska in 2014. To help support his family, Samir knew he would have to work full time while attending school, so finishing college seemed a distant goal. It was a joyful moment for his family when he learned he would receive the JJ Klein Scholarship from The Alaska Community Foundation. This scholarship focuses on students who show great promise despite facing adversity.
He is currently working at Providence Hospital and attending the University of Alaska Anchorage to earn a degree as a Physician’s Assistant. Thanks to the generosity of donors like you, students like Samir Akal can achieve their dreams of making a difference in their community.
DONOR HIGHLIGHT
TED TRUEBLOOD
As a military veteran, retired business owner, professional engineer, and former Rotary District Governor, Ted Trueblood knows about smart investments and returns. He understands the power of scholarships to change lives from the assistance he received as a student pursuing an engineering degree.
Ted is now in the position to help others launch their careers through scholarship support. This past year, he donated his IRA required minimum distribution as a qualified charitable distribution to two scholarship funds at The Alaska Community Foundation.
Ted sees using his required minimum distribution as a tax-smart strategy for those who are over 70½ who want to use their IRA in a tax advantaged manner. “Giving your IRA distribution to charity is a stress-free, low-effort action to take, and The Alaska Community Foundation makes it easy to give,” Ted said. He added, “When my wife and I learn about the young people who have received the scholarships, we know we are making a difference.”
GRANTEE HIGHLIGHT
SOCIAL JUSTICE FUND AWARDEE FACING FOSTER CARE
The Social Justice Fund, which started with a generous contribution by John Rubini and Clare Bertucio, and has expanded through the donations of many others, focuses on emerging social justice needs in Alaska and encourages collaboration among organizations tackling social justice issues.
Facing Foster Care in Alaska (FFCA) received a Social Justice grant in 2017 for its innovative approach to improving the foster care system in Alaska. Formed and led by current and previous foster care youth, FFCA aims to support foster youth and reverse Alaska’s ranking as the state with the second highest per capita number of foster youth waiting for adoptive homes in the nation.
Today, the young people leading FFCA regularly advocate at the legislative and judicial levels. They also work diligently to ensure that foster youth have access to mentorship and peer support, education about their rights and resources, leadership training, and tools such as laptops and quality clothing to help them succeed. Their latest project involves launching the Office of Youth Empowerment, one of the first of its kind in the nation, in partnership with University of Alaska Anchorage’s Child Welfare Academy.
Between 2009 and 2017, Pick.Click.Give. (PCG) has been a conduit of over $18.5 million for nearly 1,000 unique nonprofits across Alaska. The intent of the PCG program is to promote philanthropy in Alaska by increasing the dollars available to nonprofits, increasing the number of Alaskans who engage in philanthropy, and by promoting the benefit of the philanthropic sector statewide.
In 2017, the dollar amount of all PCG contributions was $2,577,041.03, contributed by 25,111 Alaskans to 664 individual nonprofits. The Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) amount was $1,100, and the average total donation amount per person was $103.43, meaning each contributor gave 9.40% of their PFD to charity through the program.
Combined with the nearly $18.5 million dollars donated through the program since its inception in 2009, Pick.Click.Give. is well on its way to having delivered $20 million dollars to Alaska’s nonprofit sector by the end of 2018. 2017 proved to be a good year for public radio, basic services, social justice, and Alaska’s pets.
Top Ten 2017 Pick.Click.Give. Pledge Recipients: Donations and Number of Donors
Nonprofit | Amount Donated | Number of Donors |
Alaska Public Media | $123,727 | 1,625 |
Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest and the Hawaiian Islands | $122,025 | 1,656 |
Beans Café | The Childrens Lunchbox | $102,275 | 1,679 |
Food Bank of Alaska | $65,874 | 889 |
Abused Womens Aid in Crisis Inc AWAIC | $63,171 | 1,112 |
Catholic Social Services | Brother Francis Shelter and Clare House | $62,600 | 707 |
Alaska SPCA | $42,750 | 848 |
Alaska Dog and Puppy Rescue | $39,950 | 901 |
Friends of Pets | $34,979 | 621 |
ACLU of Alaska Foundation | $31,800 | 475 |
The Affiliate Program is at the heart of ACF and core to our mission. Established in 2008 through a partnership with Rasmuson Foundation, the Affiliate Program currently supports ten Affiliate communities across Alaska to build localized philanthropy.
ACF empowers local groups of dedicated volunteer Advisors to grow their community’s endowments to support statewide nonprofits and charitable projects, now and forever. Affiliate Advisory Boards recommend grants to local nonprofits, lead efforts to support organizations within their communities, and encourage their communities to invest in themselves to build stronger and more vibrant lives for their residents. As a result, ACF and its Affiliates increase individual philanthropy among Alaskans, encourage local leadership to identify community issues and invest in solutions, and grow permanent charitable assets in communities across Alaska to sustain nonprofits.
*Donor to the Alaska Campaign
At the Alaska Community Foundation, our mission is to inspire the spirit of giving and connect people, organizations and causes to strengthen Alaska’s communities now and forever.
It is only through the generous support of donors like you that ACF is able to work with communities across our state connect people who care with causes that matter. Thank you for your support and commitment to making a lasting impact in Alaska. Together, we are building communities that thrive.
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