The Alaska Community Foundation (ACF) today announced that its Western Alaska Disaster Relief Fund has raised more than $2.9 million since launching on October 12, 2025. Over 18,500 donors have contributed in response to the devastating impacts of ex-Typhoon Halong and preceding storms that tore through communities across the Yukon-Kuskokwim and Northwest Arctic regions. Gifts are arriving daily through the ACF online donation page, and also in envelopes filled with small bills, via gifts of stock, transfers from investment and retirement accounts, and through grant invitations from other foundations and corporations . Donations are from all 50 states and 34 countries.
In the first two weeks of its establishment, the fund has already distributed $575,000 in direct expenditures for urgently needed equipment and flexible grants to organizations working on the front lines of disaster response and recovery. Recipients include the Association of Village Council Presidents ($75,000), Maniilaq ($75,000), Alaska Native Heritage Center ($25,000), Kipnuk Traditional Council ($100,000), and Kwigillingok Traditional Council ($100,000). Beyond direct grants, ACF has purchased six laptops for the Kipnuk Traditional Council and is coordinating with Coastal Villages Region Fund to facilitate the purchase and transport of ATVs titled to Kipnuk and Kwigillingok for immediate cleanup, remediation, and salvage operations (roughly $200,000 in direct expenses).
“We are deeply grateful for the trust our Tribal and regional partners placed in us when they asked us to establish this fund,” said Alexandra McKay, President and CEO at the Alaska Community Foundation. “Honoring that trust means listening hard and, when possible, providing flexible funding that allows local leaders to direct resources where they’re needed most—whether that’s emergency supplies, evacuation support, or beginning the long work of recovery and rebuilding.
The fund’s advisory committee, which includes regional and statewide leaders, and which is informed by an even wider network of community leaders and experts in various fields related to the response, is meeting at least weekly to evaluate requests and ensure strategic deployment of resources. With the Yukon-Kuskokwim region now declared a federal disaster area, the committee is conducting additional research to maximize leverage of available resources and avoid duplication of federal assistance.
Grant recipients represent a cross-section of the response effort:
- The Association of Village Council Presidents and Maniilaq serve as the regional Tribal associations for the Yukon-Kuskokwim and Northwest Arctic regions, respectively, providing coordinated support across multiple affected communities
- The Alaska Native Heritage Center is providing culturally-grounded, direct support for more than a thousand people evacuated to Anchorage, ensuring evacuees remain connected to their communities and cultural practices during displacement.
- The Kipnuk and Kwigillingok Traditional Councils are addressing immediate needs in two of the hardest-hit communities
“With many donor commitments still being fulfilled in the coming weeks, we anticipate continued growth in the fund,” Megan Cacciola, Vice President of Programs and Grants at the Alaska Community Foundation. “The need remains significant, and these flexible, community-driven resources will be critical throughout the recovery process.”
The Western Alaska Disaster Relief Fund continues to accept donations at alaskacf.org/westernalaska. All contributions support communities affected by the October 2025 storms.