Grant Opportunities

The Alaska Community Foundation is home to eleven Affiliate community foundations with local advisory boards that make grants in their local communities.

* These dates are subject to change. Please see the "Program Details" link for the most up-to-date and accurate information.

Application Period: September 1, 2024 - October 15, 2024 (5:00pm)

Description: The Alaska Impact Reporting Initiative is looking for stories that increase public understanding of complex, underreported issues in Alaska.  Full details available at https://www.akjournalism.org/grants.

Eligibility: Individuals and journalism organizations (both nonprofit and for-profit) are eligible to apply. A majority of the project team must be Alaska-based. The project itself must be a story or series of stories. Grants cover out-of-pocket expenses such as travel, document collection, equipment rental and specific services such data analysis and editing. Wages of up to 50% are an acceptable expense. 

Award Size: The total funding pool and maximum grant award are both $40,000, but the grant selection committee may choose to award more than one grant at lower amounts.

Project Period: Proposed projects must be planned to start no earlier than Dec 1, 2024 and end no later than December 31, 2025. Extensions may be requested if there are unexpected delays or opportunities.

Funding: This opportunity is made possible by the Alaska Center for Excellence in Journalism, a fiscally sponsored project of the Alaska Community Foundation, with funding from the Atwood Foundation.

Contact: Kortnie Horadzovsky | info@akjournalism.org
Inquiries will be responded to generally on Mondays and Wednesdays.

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Application Period: September 1, 2024 - October 15, 2024 (5:00pm)

Description: The Alaska Arts Reporting Initiative is looking for arts and cultures stories in Alaska that expand beyond current coverage. Full details available at https://www.akjournalism.org/grants.

Eligibility: Individuals and journalism organizations (both nonprofit and for-profit) are eligible to apply. A majority of the project team must be Alaska-based. The project itself must be a story or series of stories. Grants cover out-of-pocket expenses such as travel, document collection, equipment rental and specific services such data analysis and editing. Wages of up to 50% are an acceptable expense. 

Award Size: The funding pool for this initiative is $15,000. The maximum single grant amount is $10,000. The Center expects most awards to be around $5,000, subject to the discretion of the grant selection committee.

Project Period: Proposed projects must be planned to start no earlier than Dec 1, 2024 and end no later than December 31, 2025. Extensions may be requested if there are unexpected delays or opportunities.

Funding: This opportunity is made possible by the Alaska Center for Excellence in Journalism, a fiscally sponsored project of the Alaska Community Foundation, with funding from the Atwood Foundation.

Contact: Kortnie Horadzovsky | info@akjournalism.org
Inquiries will be responded to generally on Mondays and Wednesdays.

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Application Period: TBD

Description: The Alaska Kidney Foundation funds organizations that are addressing the causes of and treatments for kidney disease in Alaska as well as organizations supporting Alaska residents with or at risk of developing kidney disease. Applicants should be working to further at least one of the following goals:

• Alaskans with kidney disease will have emergency relief for basic human needs.
• Alaskans with kidney disease will have timely kidney transplants, and donations for all organs will be increased.
• Alaskans at risk of kidney disease will have early screening.
• Alaskans will be educated on the importance of preventing kidney disease.
• Alaskans with kidney disease will be knowledgeable and empowered health care consumers.

Eligibility: ACF's Standard Eligibility Requirements apply.

Award Size: Applicants who have not received funding from the Alaska Kidney Foundation may apply for up to $25,000 in funding.

Project Period: The project must begin after the award is initiated. Expenses incurred before the grant agreement is signed are not eligible for reimbursement with awarded funds. A final report will be due twelve months after the award is announced. Extensions may be requested if needed.

Funding: This grant opportunity is funded by the Alaska Kidney Foundation.

Contact: ACF Programs & Grants Team | grants@alaskacf.org | 907-334-6700

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Application Period: January 15, 2025 - March 31, 2025

Description: Awarded to all Anchorage football, flag football, and choir groups that commit to volunteering as a group to complete a local community service project, these grants support football team, flag football team, and choir activities generally. Use of the funds shall benefit the entire team or choir, not individual members of the group.

Eligibility: Anchorage School District high school football teams, flag football teams, and choir groups are eligible for these grants. If the team or choir group has a booster club with 501(c)3 status with the IRS or PTA, they may apply on behalf of the team or group. A team or choir that received funds in the previous round of awards must complete their final report before they are eligible to apply again.

Award Size: Anchorage public high school flag football teams may apply for grants of $1,500. Anchorage public high school football teams may apply for grants of up to $7,500. Anchorage public high school choir groups apply for awards of $1,000.

Project Period: Projects must be completed, funds expended, and final reports submitted by December 31, 2025. 

Selection Criteria: The goal of this program is to support all eligible applicants.

Funding: These grants are supported by the Jack and Nona Renn Anchorage Football Fund and Choir Fund. Jack Renn (1939 – 2019) served as an on-field football official from 1981-2015 in local and state games and tournaments and then kept the clock from 2015-2017. Through the activities of her neighbor’s three children, Nona Renn became aware of the needs of high school choirs. To honor these children and to benefit them and others, Nona established the Anchorage Choir Fund fund to provide additional funding to Anchorage high school choirs for the years to come.

Contact: ACF Programs & Grants Team | grants@alaskacf.org | 907-334-6700

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Application Period: October 1, 2024 - November 15, 2024 (11:59pm)

Description: The Anchorage Schools Foundation was created to support activities that enhance students’ success in the Anchorage School District. School professionals are invited to apply, including principals, teachers, nurses, counselors, administrators, and certified staff. Projects should reflect an innovative or creative approach to education; impact multiple students; and be completed within the current academic year.

Eligibility: The applicant must work at the school where the grant project activities occur. The authorizing official of the school should be the principal. The ASD Grants Office requires a copy of all grant applications. You can contact the grants office at DevelopmentAndGrants@asdk12.org

Award Size: Typical grant awards range from $100 – $750.

Project Period: Awards are ideally made in late November, and grant funds are sent out in late December. Projects should be planned, and funds spent for the school year’s 3rd and/or 4th quarter. Final reporting is due a year after the award date. Extensions may be requested, but teachers are not eligible to re-apply for funding if they have an active project underway.

Funding: This grant opportunity is funded by the Anchorage Schools Foundation Small Grants Fund.

Contact: ACF Programs & Grants Team | grants@alaskacf.org | 907-334-6700

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Application Period: February 15, 2025 - March 31, 2025 (11:59pm)

Description: The Anchorage Trail Care Fund was established to provide a source of funding for summer soft surface trail maintenance and construction projects in the Anchorage Bowl, from Girdwood to Eklutna. Soft surface trails are meant to include non-paved trails on public land where maintenance is not generally funded through local, state, or federal budgets.

Eligibility: ACF's Standard Eligibility Requirements apply. Prior grant recipients may apply for additional support once all grant reporting requirements have been fulfilled. Applicants may choose to request funding for either one summer trail maintenance project or one trail construction activity.

Award Size: Grant awards will be up to $2,500.

Project Period: Grant-funded projects must be completed within nine months from the date of grant disbursement (funds are anticipated to be granted and paid out by the end of March, contingent on timely submission of grant agreement documentation, with final reports due December 31). Extensions may be requested.

Selection Criteria: Applications will be evaluated according to the following criteria:

Likelihood of success: organization is capable and has a viable plan to achieve success. 

Additional funding sources: Organization has secured, or is in the process of securing, additional funds necessary for project completion.

Public support for project: Project has demonstrated public support.

Impact on Anchorage trail networks: Plan indicates a positive impact on trail usage through increased trail capacity, usability, and/or accessibility.

Historical use of trail: (For trail maintenance proposals.) Evidence provided showing historic trail use by a variety of users. 

Sustainability: Projects should be designed to require minimal maintenance to retain their designed purpose. 

Alignment with SCORP: Projects should be aligned with the most current Alaska Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan.

Funding: These grants are made possible by the Anchorage Trail Care Fund, which was generously seeded by Jim and Sally Burkholder and supported by many individual donors like you. 

Contact: ACF Programs & Grants Team | grants@alaskacf.org | 907-334-6700

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Application Period: December 1, 2024 - January 29, 2025 (11:59pm)

Description: Summer camps are a rite of passage for Alaskan youth and essential childcare infrastructure for Alaskan families. The Camp Initiative supports summer enrichment programming for Alaskan youth, including both overnight and day camps.

Eligibility: ACF's Standard Eligibility Requirements apply. These funds are not intended to support early childhood education or summer programming for year-round childcare providers.  Camp capital needs are not eligible for this grant program.

Award Size: Large, statewide camp providers* and organizations providing camps in remote, rural** locations are eligible for grants of up to $45,000. All other camp providers are eligible for grants of up to $20,000.

* Large, statewide camp providers serve at least 250 youth through overnight programming or at least 500 youth through day programming.
** Remote, rural locations are off the road and marine highway system. Outdoor recreation camps offered within state and national parks are not considered remote, rural locations.

Selection Criteria: Applications will be reviewed by an advisory committee according to the following criteria:

Capacity to Implement: Does the organization demonstrate that it can implement this camp (or these camps) safely and responsibly?

• We will review the organization’s history, fiscal capacity, and successful demonstration of prior implementation of camp programming, or ACA counselor/staff training, or educational programming.

Reach & Impact: To what extent will the proposal increase the quantity of young people with access to camp experiences or improve the quality of camp experiences?

• We will review the project’s commitment to reach under-resourced families through scholarships, outdoor activities, and benefit to the organization and community and/or region served.

Equitable Access to Diverse Camp Experiences Statewide: To what extent will this proposal contribute to ensuring youth statewide have equitable access to a diverse range of camp experiences?

• The Camp Initiative will prioritize projects to distribute grant funding, to the extent feasible, equitably across Alaska’s geographic regions.
• The Camp Initiative will also prioritize projects to distribute grant funding, to the extent feasible, to a diverse range of camp types, including traditional, culture, specialist, faith-based, special needs, etc.

Project Period: Proposed projects are for camps that take place during summer 2025, with final reports due at the end of October. Extensions to the following summer may be requested if extenuating circumstances arise that require camp cancellation.

Funding: The Alaska Community Foundation has partnered with Rasmuson Foundation, Mat-Su Health Foundation, and The George & Stephanie Suddock Foundation to provide support to summer camps across Alaska. The program is also supported by the Walter J. and Ermalee Hickel Alaska Fund.

Contact: ACF Programs & Grants Team | grants@alaskacf.org | 907-334-6700

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Application Period: January 15, 2025 - February 28, 2025 (11:59pm)

Description: The Community Food Security Through Gardening Grant Program seeks applications from eligible organizations for projects that address food security issues by promoting and facilitating gardening projects in Alaska.

This opportunity applies a broad definition of food security, meaning access by all people at all times to safe, nutritious, and local food for healthy lifestyles.

Priority will be given to organizations that:

• Are located within the Matanuska-Susitna Valley. Funding is also available for projects outside the Matanuska Valley.
• Provide participants with hands-on practical education regarding location-specific gardening best practices, crop selection, garden planning, and outcomes that empower participants to boost community food security by way of gardening.
• Demonstrate a commitment to addressing food security concerns via growing and distributing nutritious produce within the community in which the organization is located.
• Intend to use grant funds for school gardens, community gardens, tower gardens, edible gardens, and other hands-on projects that build gardens.
• Leverage funds from other sources (local, state, federal, other grants, funds from the organization itself, and in-kind donations).
• Received funding from this grant in 2024.

Eligibility: ACF's Standard Eligibility Requirements apply. 

Individuals seeking funding: consider fiscal sponsorship with a local 501c3 designated nonprofit. While ACF cannot grant directly to individuals per policy, ACF can work with an eligible fiscal sponsor to fund your work. To learn more about how this nonprofit collaboration can work for you, give the ACF Programs & Grants team a call, 907-334-6700 or email us at grants@alaskacf.org.

Award Size: With a total annual budget of $100,000, ACF will award ten $10,000 grants.

Project Period: Grant-funded projects must be completed within nine months from the date of grant disbursement (funds are anticipated to be granted and paid out by the end of March, contingent on timely submission of grant agreement documentation, with final reports due December 31). Extensions may be requested.

Selection Criteria: Applications will be reviewed by an advisory committee according to the following criteria:

Aligned Purpose: To what extent is the purpose of the project aligned with the goal of engaging community members in a reliable source of food for participants and communities?

Targeted Impact: To what extent does the project plan include clear, concrete measures of success?

• Strong applications should demonstrate how funding will directly impact gardening and food security in the community served by the project.
• Projects involving training should demonstrate metrics on how many participants have/will be trained upon completion of the project and their perceived reach in the community (number of community members involved, impacted, taught, etc.).

Hands-on Approach: To what extent is the project hands-on?

Collaboration: To what extent does the project engage partner organizations to achieve its vision? And to what extent does the project leverage funds from other sources?

Sustainability: To what extent does the project plan indicate a commitment to the long-term?

Funding: These grants are funded by a generous legacy gift of Willow-based gardeners, Gerald and Kathryn Freeley.

Contact: ACF Programs & Grants Team | grants@alaskacf.org | 907-334-6700

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Application Period: May 1, 2025 - June 13, 2025 (5:00pm)

Description: The GCI Suicide Prevention program funds projects and organizations will help reduce rates of suicide in Alaska and promote mental wellness through strengthened community and personal connections. Organizations seeking project or operational support are encouraged to apply.

Priority is given to organizations that:

• Empower Alaskans to work together to promote community wellness.
• Demonstrate measurable results, accountability, cultural sensitivity, and unify communities.
• Include an element of Suicide Prevention training in the project plan.
• Will impact communities that might not have easy access to suicide prevention support programs.

Eligibility: ACF's standard eligibility requirements apply. Specific information is outlined in the Grant Guidelines.

Award Size: Grant requests may be a minimum of $1,000 and up to $15,000; average award is approximately $7,500.

Project Period: The project must begin after the award is initiated. Expenses incurred before the grant agreement is signed are not eligible for reimbursement with awarded funds. A final report will be due twelve months after the award is announced. Extensions may be requested if needed.

Funding: These grants are generously supported by GCI. Learn more about how GCI's commitment to philanthropy is transforming Alaska.

Contact: ACF Programs & Grants Team | grants@alaskacf.org | 907-334-6700

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Application Period: September 1, 2024 - December 1, 2024 (Midnight)

Description: Grants from this fund benefit Alaska Natives residing west of the 156th Meridian and supports projects, internships, and organizations whose efforts support charitable, literary, educational, and scientific purposes. The fund is also devoted to supporting projects that promote subsistence food security.

Eligibility: ACF's Standard Eligibility Requirements apply. Projects must primarily benefit Alaska Natives residing west of the 156th Meridian.

Award Size: The Marston Foundation Fund grants funds approximately $30,000 total in projects per year.

Project Period: Proposed projects must be planned to start no earlier than January 1, 2025 and end no later than December 31, 2025.

Funding: This opportunity is funded by the Muktuk Marston Foundation Fund.

Contact: The Marston Foundation | grants@marstonfoundation.org

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Or download the Marston Foundation Fund Application Form and email a copy to grants@marstonfoundation.org

Application Period: December 1, 2024 - January 29, 2025 (11:59pm)

Description: The Social Justice Fund supports organizations and projects that seek to eliminate systemic discrimination, increase the power of disenfranchised and under-resourced communities, and promote equal rights and equitable opportunities for all. Priority will be given to organizations that:

• Address root causes in addition to reducing harm and relieving the symptoms of systemic issues.
• Show a commitment to lasting, fundamental mindset shifts in relation to social justice issues.
• Serve communities outside the Anchorage bowl and are located in the communities they serve.

This fund offers unrestricted, general operating support to small/developing organizations (<$500,000 annual budget) with a primary mission of advancing social justice. Project support is also available to those small/developing organizations advancing social justice through specific projects (but without social justice as a primary part of their mission).

Eligibility: ACF's Standard Eligibility Requirements apply. Additionally, organizations must have an annual budget of less than $500,000/year (semi-independent projects that are fiscally sponsored by a larger organization are also eligible to apply. Please contact us if you are curious about this kind of eligibility).

Note: Lobbying and political campaigning are not eligible activities or expenses. While lobbying activities are not allowable, advocacy is! To learn more about how to distinguish, please refer to the Advocacy vs. Lobbying Language Guide. Please contact us if you have questions about whether your project fits into this category.

Award Size: Requests may be up to $15,000 per organization. In 2024, we expect to award $100,000-$150,000 in total grants to 8-10 organizations.

Selection Criteria: Applications will be evaluated according to the following criteria:

Mission: To what extent is the organization or project focused on advancing social justice? How does the organization define social justice?
Outcomes: What outcomes are you working towards, and what impact do you expect this work to have?
Community: Who is being served by the organization or project? And what is your relationship with that community?
Approach: What is the organization or project’s approach to social justice, and why is it likely to be effective?

To the extent possible, ACF will work to ensure that the funding supports a wide range of approaches to social justice and services a wide range of under-resourced and disenfranchised people across the state.

Project Period: Unrestricted, general operating grants can be used at any time to support any expense of the nonprofit. Proposed project grants must be planned to start no earlier than March 1, 2025 and end no later than February 28, 2026.

Funding: This opportunity is funded by the Social Justice Fund, which was generously seeded by Jonathan B. Rubini and Clair Bertucio in 2015 to run through 2025. Many dozens of additional donors have contributed to the fund.

Contact: ACF Programs & Grants Team | grants@alaskacf.org | 907-334-6700

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Application Period:  TBD

Description: The Strengthening Organizations opportunity is designed to support successful nonprofits' growth and development, the kind of capacity building work that relies on a stable and relatively predictable near-term future: in other words, not the context we find in the face of recent executive orders and federal action. We’re hearing from many organizations in crisis, organizations looking for expert advice on what to do, how to survive, and whether they can quickly pivot to a new funding model.   

For these reasons, we’ve decided to hold off on opening the Strengthening Organizations Spring grant application.  If you would like to sign up to receive updates as we have them, please sign up here: https://alaskacf.org/grant-notifications/ 

If your nonprofit is experiencing consequences from federal actions, please share updates here: https://www.jotform.com/team/250425960600046/real-time-consequences.

Contact: ACF Programs & Grants Team | grants@alaskacf.org | 907-334-6700

Application Period: November 1, 2024 - December 16, 2024 (11:59pm)

Description: The Vocational Fund for Alaska’s Future grant program supports projects that build a highly skilled workforce in Alaska’s natural resource development industries. Projects that build career awareness, employability skills, and promote cross-sector skill acquisition will be especially competitive. Preference is given to:

• Oil, gas, and mining industries.
• Projects that leverage funds from other sources (eg. local, state, federal, and private funders as well as in-kind funds from the organization itself).
• Projects that benefit rural Alaska or programs that reach rural communities in Alaska. Particular preference is given to projects in the Bristol Bay Region.

Eligibility: ACF's Standard Eligibility Requirements apply.

Award Size: Typical grant amounts range from $10,000-$50,000.

Selection Criteria: 

Alignment with Fund Purpose: Projects should clearly address workforce skill gaps in Alaska industries.
Impact on Workforce Development: Projects should clearly demonstrate measurable outcomes for workforce development.
Feasibility & Right-Size: Projects should be feasible within the requested budget and able to be completed by the organization(s) applying.

Project Period: Proposed projects must be planned to start no earlier than January 1, 2025 and end by December 31, 2025. Extensions can be requested if needed. Grantees must complete their current project before they are eligible to apply for additional funding.

Funding: These grants are made possible by the Vocational Fund for Alaska's Future.

Contact: ACF Programs & Grants Team | grants@alaskacf.org | 907-334-6700

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