The Alaska Community Foundation recently awarded a multitude of grants and scholarships, including seven new grants from the Anchorage Schools Foundation, a new scholarship recipient for the inaugural awarding of the Tim Akers Memorial Scholarship, and the second round of grants from the Capacity Building for Charitable Organizations grant program. Detailed information about the awards is included below.
Seven Anchorage Schools Receive Assistance
The Anchorage Schools Foundation, an ACF fund, recently granted seven grants to support projects that enhance the success of students in the Anchorage School District. ASF grants help to bolster a wide range of projects such as classroom supplies, recreational equipment, books, technology, after-school programs and other needs that are not supported by the school district and as determined by school district employees. Grants up to $500 each were granted to Anchorage school district professionals, including principals, teachers, nurses and counselors.
Recent Anchorage Schools Foundation grants include:
- Airport Heights Elementary School – 6th Grade Hydroponics Business. An introduction into 6th grade economics, students learn to run a small business with hydroponic gardening.
- Anchorage School District Gifted Program – Math from the Third Dimension. Students will explore math concepts using a 3-D or visual/spatial perspective using modules and objects.
- Chinook Elementary School – Roller Coasters & Physics. Students will use physics concepts to construct a roller coaster for marbles.
- Chugach Optional Elementary – Chugach Optional Garden Club. Students get hands-on experience to gardening, including garden beds, a chicken coop, and compost bins.
- Creekside Park Elementary – Hats Off To You! Students learn to give back to their peers by helping other students through tutoring and mentoring.
- Polaris K-12 School – Discovering the Microbes Within. The Biotechnology Training and Prepatory Program (BioTaPP) students will join a national program with The Marine Biological Laboratory to learn about bacteria, DNA extraction, and PCR technology.
- Whaley School – Art Supplies. Students will use art supplies to create beadwork and wooden artwork for veterans as part of a monthly community outreach project.
Anchorage School Foundation engages the community in a relationship with its public schools with the purpose of creating more flexible funding and improving outcomes for Anchorage classrooms. The ASF mission is to provide community and private funding to enhance the success of students in Anchorage classrooms. This mission is pursued through fundraising and grant making for innovative projects and needs as identified by teachers and other staff that have direct contact with students. ASF is a vital part of education in Anchorage. ASF is managed by a volunteer board of community advisors that prioritizes funding requests for projects not already supported by public funds to the school district. The Alaska Community Foundation manages all ASF’s assets. For more information on grant guidelines, to make a donation or to apply for an award with the Anchorage Schools Foundation, visit www.anchorageschoolsfoundation.org.
Alaska Nonprofits Receive Grants for Capacity Building
The Alaska Community Foundation awarded $34,595 to 11 Alaska organizations in the second round of grants from the Capacity Building for Charitable Organizations (CBCO) program, the first of which were awarded in October 2012. Capacity building grants aim to support nonprofit infrastructure with the goal of helping nonprofits to achieve their mission and sustain themselves over time. Grants are awarded in the following categories: Leadership Development, Organizational Development, Collaborating and Community Development and Evaluation of Effectiveness.
The nonprofit recipients of this grant will use the funds to grow infrastructure and capabilities:
- Alaska Association for Infant and Childhood Mental Health in Fairbanks will create a strategic plan.
- Association of Interior Native Education will expand the organization’s membership throughout interior Alaska.
- Camai Community Health Center in Naknek will take their Senior Leadership Team to a training conference.
- Kenai Peninsula Food Bank will train staff on new donor recognition software.
- Kenai Soil and Water Conservation District will develop a strategic plan.
- Museums Alaska, a statewide organization, will host a strategic planning session for their board of directors.
- Northern Susitna Institute in Talkeetna will develop staff desktop publishing skills to create marketing materials.
- Prince William Soundkeeper in Cordova will create and implement a new strategic plan.
- Seward Senior Center will have a strategic planning and board development training.
- Wellspring Revival Ministries in Fairbanks will provide staff training that focuses on positive interaction and communication with at-risk youth
The CBCO program is ongoing with deadlines every three months. A newly revised and updated application will be available by January 15, 2013. The next deadline is March 1, 2013 at 9:00pm. For grant guidelines, a list of potential capacity building activities, and additional information please visit www.alaskacf.org or call 907-334-6700. The Alaska Community Foundation would like to thank the Rasmuson Foundation for their generous support of this program.
A New Scholarship Supports Technology Education in Alaska
The Alaska Community Foundation Awards the Inaugural Tim Akers Memorial Scholarship to Seward Student
Donald Forrester
Donald Forrester, a student at the Alaska Vocational and Technology School (AVTEC) in Seward, is the first recipient of a $1,000 award from the Tim Akers Memorial Scholarship Fund. Forrester is a graduate of Mat-Su Central High School and enrolled at AVTEC to pursue a degree in Combination Welding in the fall of 2012. He was inspired by his grandfather to pursue a career in welding and hopes to work on the North Slope after completing his degree.
The Tim Akers Memorial Scholarship is a fund of The Alaska Community Foundation that was created to honor the memory of Tim Akers, who was dedicated to technology education in Alaska. Akers played an influential role in the development and production of the Prudhoe Bay Oilfield and served as a mentor and role model to many young Alaskans with little or no experience working on the North Slope. The scholarship will be awarded annually to an Alaskan student pursuing technology education.