The first round of grants from the Coronavirus Nonprofit Relief Fund has been awarded!
As Alaskans, we take pride in our ability to support one another through trying times. Living as we do in a geographically isolated corner of the world, far from any other states, alongside the singular beauty and savagery of the earth’s wildest places, we know we must always have each other’s backs. Now, in the face of this unprecedented pandemic, that spirit of community is called upon with new urgency.
On August 13, The Alaska Community Foundation (ACF) closed its first round of grant applications for the Coronavirus Nonprofit Relief Fund (CNRF). ACF worked tirelessly to get this first round out quickly and to those who need it most. The total grantmaking allocation for this program is $35 million, with $18 million available in the first round, $10 million in the second, and the remaining balance distributed in the third round.
United Way of Southeast Alaska has received $800,000 to partner with local restaurants and Juneau’s nonprofit relief programs for the distribution of food to our most vulnerable populations.
The first round of grants saw a massive response: 174 applicants from across the state, with requests totaling over $60 million. After careful consideration, ACF and DHSS (Department of Health and Social Services) have awarded $18.5 million of CNRF funding to 90 organizations that provide a variety of essential services to their communities. Dillingham City School District has received $300,000 for critical access to internet connectivity and distance-learning devices. The Nenana Volunteer Fire/EMS Department has been awarded $260,000 to purchase a COVID equipped ambulance for safe patient transport over long distances. United Way of Southeast Alaska has received $800,000 to partner with local restaurants and Juneau’s nonprofit relief programs for the distribution of food to our most vulnerable populations. thread has been granted $1 million for its regranting program to fund childcare programs throughout the state. These organizations and their fellow grantees provide invaluable stability to their communities during these uncertain times, which will help to support the whole of Alaska.
We are humbled by the opportunity to distribute these funds and contribute to the benefit of our state. As we move into the second round of grant applications, closing August 26, we lean on the community that continues to support us, and one another, through these turbulent times. We look forward to seeing the benefits of the CNRF funding spread throughout Alaska, thanks to our grantees’ tireless efforts. In the meantime, there is work still to do.