Rasmuson Foundation News and Information

Alaska Nonprofits Awarded $11.9 Million

Cassandra Stalzer — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 19:03:05 +0100

Twenty-nine nonprofits that provide a wide range of benefits to Alaskans were selected for a collective $11,971,325 investment by Rasmuson Foundation. From historic preservation to outdoor exploration, the grantees selected for support have very different goals and missions, but are all similar in the support they engender within their communities.

"These grantees not only do good work and provide much needed services, but they are also well managed by their boards and staff," said Rasmuson Foundation President Diane Kaplan. "They have done their homework in getting community buy-in to their missions and community support for their projects. The Foundation is thrilled to provide assistance to these important organizations that improve the quality of life for people throughout our state."

Anchor Arms (dba Safe Harbor Inn) (Anchorage) received $1,500,000 to acquire a 50-room Ramada Inn motel to convert into transitional housing for homeless people and families. Safe Harbor's current waiting list has risen above 175 people, most of them families with children. This facility in Muldoon will enable Safe Harbor to double the number of people served each year and make a significant reduction in the incidence of homelessness in the community.

Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes (Juneau) received $54,930 to improve the Head Start playground in Wrangell by constructing a cover over the existing play equipment. In a community that receives more than 80 inches of rain per year and significant winter snowfall, a covered playground will encourage more children and families to spend time in outdoor play.

Camp Fire USA - Alaska Council (Anchorage) received $1,000,000 to construct a multi-purpose building for Camp Kushtaka on Kenai Lake and implement the "Campaign to Make it Possible" to raise funds for their Program Inclusion Fund. Camp Kushtaka is the oldest continually running, nonsectarian, coeducational overnight camp accredited by the American Camp Association. The "Campaign to Make it Possible" endeavors to provide programs to families that would otherwise not be able to afford them.

Kodiak Historical Society (Kodiak) received $123,000 to preserve the Russian American Magazin (Russian word meaning "store"), a National Historic Landmark building that houses the Baranov Museum. The building was constructed in 1808 by the Russian-American Company and has three distinctions: it is the oldest building in Alaska, it is one of only four remaining Russian-era structures in the United States, and it is the earliest documented log building on the west coast.

Homer United Methodist Church (Homer) received $75,864 to remodel and expand its community hall and kitchen that is used to host meetings by at least 19 community groups including Alcoholics Anonymous, Boy Scouts, Brownie Scouts, and Habitat for Humanity. The facility is available for rental for recitals and shows, private academic tutoring, rummage sales and other fundraisers, weddings, and funerals. The Food Pantry serves approximately 150 families weekly from the facility.

Ketchikan Area Arts and Humanities Council (Ketchikan) received $167,500 to purchase and renovate a building formerly used as a church to house their offices and provide program and gallery space. The spacious, high-ceiling sanctuary will be transformed into a gallery and program area. A larger gallery will allow for installation work, the wrap-around deck can be used for outdoor exhibits, and the original hardwood flooring in the sanctuary is the perfect surface for dance classes. The lower level will be used for classes and meetings, with room enough to allow for messy arts activities.

Sitka Trail Works (Sitka) received $170,617 to complete the Sawmill Cove Loop Trail system that will wind through a stand of old growth spruce and follow a stream to its source, a 150-foot waterfall, before moving on through a steep valley and past two more waterfalls. The first waterfall and viewing area are designed to be wheelchair accessible. Sitka Trail Works was incorporated to promote the development and maintenance of area trails by retraining and employing displaced timber workers. Originally funded with timber relief monies following the closure of the local pulp mill, the organization retrained 20 workers and built more than seven miles of new trails in the Sitka area.

Tlingit-Haida Regional Housing Authority (Juneau) received $780,000 to renovate and expand the Klawock Senior Supportive Housing facility on Prince of Wales Island. The project will increase housing units for seniors from 10 to 18, create elevator access to the second floor, and renovate the existing kitchen and lunch room into a "day facility" that can comfortably accommodate additional seniors for meals and socialization.

Alaska Native Heritage Center (Anchorage) received $168,700 to complete Games of the North, a feature film that explores the hundreds of games that, over generations, were adapted from the unique skills needed to survive in the diverse environments of Alaska. The film's storyline follows four athletes as they jump, kick, carry, and wrestle their way through traditional sport competitions in the circumpolar Arctic. The film is being produced by Starseed Media with co-writer Phillip Blanchett (Pamyua).

Other grant awards announced today are:

Alaska Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired (Anchorage) - $139,600 for capacity building to increase sustainable revenue over five years.

Capital Community Broadcasting, Inc. (Juneau) - $72,888 to upgrade radio equipment and perform tower site work.

Carol H. Brice Family Center (Fairbanks) - $350,000 to rebuild the roof of a facility that houses several nonprofits.

Central Peninsula Health Foundation (Soldotna) - $295,000 to purchase and renovate a home in Soldotna for an adult substance abuse treatment facility.

City of Kenai - Kenai Community Library (Kenai) - $1,500,000 to expand and renovate the Kenai Community Library.

Farthest North Girl Scout Council (Fairbanks) - $200,000 for capital upgrades for the service center.

Great Alaska Council - Boy Scouts of America (Anchorage) - $1,000,000 to support phase one construction of Denali High Adventure Base Camp.

Haines Assisted Living (Haines) - $550,000 for the construction of an assisted living facility.

Kodiak Area Native Association (Kodiak) - $850,000 to purchase condominium office space.

Koahnic Broadcast Corporation (Anchorage) - $200,000 to support the Native Program Fund Sustainability project.

Kenai Historical Society (Kenai) - $55,000 for the relocation of five historic cabins.

Kenai Peninsula Community Care Center (Kenai) - $400,000 for the construction of a gymnasium at this residential treatment facility for teens.

Mat-Valley Community Charities Agency (dba) (Wasilla) - $466,976 for the purchase of a condominium unit, furnishings and equipment for the Treasure Loft Thrift store.

Metlakatla Indian Community (Metlakatla) - $150,000 to renovate the Town Hall and improve its energy efficiency.

Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks (Fairbanks) - $40,000 to purchase equipment for trail improvements and maintenance.

Providence Alaska Foundation (Anchorage) - $329,100 for the expansion of the pediatric clinic.

State of Alaska - Department of Health and Social Services (Juneau) - $519,150 for the Grantee Partnership Project that will realign grant making and monitoring processes to help DHSS effectively and efficiently serve the residents of Alaska.

Talkeetna Community Radio (Talkeetna) - $198,000 to purchase and renovate the KTNA facility.

The Foraker Group (Anchorage) - $120,000 to purchase technology for distance delivery of educational services.

Yuut Elitnaurviat - People's Learning Center (Bethel) - $495,000 for the completion of the interior build-out of an educational center.

About the Rasmuson Foundation
The Rasmuson Foundation was created in May 1955 by Jenny Rasmuson to honor her late husband E.A. Rasmuson. The Foundation is a catalyst to promote a better life for all Alaskans.

Janus

Karel Machalek — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 12:00:01 +0100

Karel Machalek
Janus
Metal
2002
Museum of the Aleutians

"Alaska Statehood Experience" Projects

Cassandra Stalzer — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 16:18:59 +0100

A community mural in Seward, a poetry performance in Juneau, a film shot by Kotzebue youth, and a new Atlas of our state are just some of the ways Alaskans are getting involved with activities that explore, debate and commemorate Alaska's 50th anniversary of statehood with support from the Alaska Statehood Experience project. Alaska Humanities Forum and Rasmuson Foundation today announced the award of $921,284 to 28 projects across the state that not only delve into the history of Alaska statehood, but also examine its meaning as we look ahead to the next 50 years. The complete list of project awards follows this release.

"The Alaska Humanities Forum was thrilled to receive high-quality proposals for Alaska's Statehood Experience -- and from every region and across such diverse groups," said Dr. Greg Kimura, president and CEO of the Alaska Humanities Forum. "These projects will create an historical legacy that will outlast the 50th anniversary, enriching generations of Alaskans to come."

Rasmuson Foundation President Diane Kaplan added, "Alaskans have great stories to tell about the place they live and the life they love. Each of these projects elicits and shares those stories, and creates a living narrative that we can continue to write as we progress into the second 50 years."

Proposals were reviewed by a panel of Alaskans who made award recommendations. The panel members were Cathy Rasmuson (Rasmuson Foundation), Evan Rose (Alaska Permanent Capital Management Company), Barbara Baugh, Sue Hull, Katie Hurley, Sonya Kelliher-Combs (Artist), Andrew Kwon, Cathy Mu�oz, Rep. Mary Nelson, Kris Perry (Office of the Governor).

The Alaska Statehood Experience is a partnership between the Alaska Humanities Forum and Rasmuson Foundation with support from KTUU-TV, Anchorage Daily News, Alaska Newspapers Inc., KNBA-FM (Koahnic Broadcast Corp.), Alaska Public Radio Network, and National Endowment for the Humanities � We the People.

The mission of the Alaska Humanities Forum is to enrich the civic, intellectual, and cultural life of all Alaskans through the wisdom and methods of the humanities.

Project Title	Organization Name	City	Grant Award
Eight Stars of Gold	Alaska's Kids	Anchorage	$17,850
Then/Now	InternationalGallery of Contemporary Art	Anchorage	$20,000
Cyrano'sCelebrates!	EccentricTheatre Company (Doing business as Cyrano's Theatre Company)	Anchorage	$30,000
The Stateof the Hood	Alaska Poetry League	Anchorage	$16,740
StudentsCelebrating Statehood: Tundra Style/Yupiulleq Nutemllarmek	Lower Kuskokwim School District	Bethel	$70,000
SpringStatehood Celebration: Two World Premieres	PerseveranceTheatre, Inc.	Douglas	$51,500
CelebrateAlaska!	Fairbanks Frontier Chapter, Sweet Adelines International	Fairbanks	$5,000
Alaska's History - It's Magic!		Juneau	$16,554
Eight Stars of Comedy Gold: 300 Years of Alaska History in 3000 Seconds	Alaska Children's Institute for the Performing Arts	Kenai	$30,000
Statehood!	Aurora Films	Anchorage	$20,000
50 Years of Statehood-Alaska’s Native Voices	Koahnic Broadcast Corporation	Anchorage	$100,000
The Atlas of Alaska	University of Alaska Fairbanks	Fairbanks	$10,000
Not Yet! Alaska Voices Opposed to Statehood	Kachemak Bay Broadcasting, Inc	Homer	$20,000
Fifty Years: A Light from the Village		Kotzebue	$50,000
History of the Alaska Mental Health Trust	Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority	Anchorage	$50,000
A Retrospective Analysis of Alaska Statehood from a Native Perspective	Sealaska Heritage Institute	statewide	$100,000
Remembering the 1950s: Life in Alaska Leading to Statehood	Anchorage Museum Association	Anchorage	$13,000
Alaska Natives and the Land: The Legacy of Statehood	Alaska Native Heritage Center	Anchorage	$50,000
Judge Wickersham and the First Statehood Bill	Tanana-Yukon Historical Society	Fairbanks	$20,000
Journey to Statehood		Haines	$20,000
Juneau Welcomes Statehood	Capital City Celebrations	Juneau	$10,140
Seward Home of Alaska's Flag	City of Seward	Seward	$20,500
Alaska Statehood Discussion Series	First Alaskans Institute	statewide	$25,000
The ANB/ANS and Alaska Statehood	Tlingit Readers	Juneau	$50,000
AK50 (K-12 mini-grant)	Alaska's Statehood Experience program	statewide	$50,000
Book Project 'Alaska at 50'	Alaska's Statehood Experience program	statewide	$25,000
Book Project Alaska's Statehood Experience	Alaska's Statehood Experience program	statewide	$25,000
ASE project start-up discretionary	Capital City Celebrations, Sealaska Heritage Institute, Eric Wohlforth, Ernestine Hayes	statewide	$5,000

Foundation staff updates

Cassandra Stalzer 907 334 - 0520 — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 17:49:36 +0100

Rasmuson Foundation announces the following staff additions and changes:

Chris Perez joins the Foundation as a program officer. His primary focus will be on grants and program-related investments in the area of community and economic development. Previously, Perez was a senior program officer for the F.B. Heron Foundation in New York City.

Cassandra Stalzer, APR, joins the Foundation as communications manager. Stalzer was previously a public affairs specialist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and has 15 years experience in public relations and marketing in Alaska.

Jordan Marshall joins the Foundation as the initiatives and special projects manager. In this role, Marshall will oversee the Foundation's portfolio of proactive initiatives and projects, providing project management oversight.

Debra Lopez joins the Foundation as a grants management associate and event manager. Immediately prior to joining the Foundation, Lopez planned and directed nearly all major events at the University of Alaska Anchorage including its annual commencement ceremony.

This summer, Penny Gage of Sitka will serve as the Foundation's communications intern. The recent University of Alaska Fairbanks graduate is participating in a 10-week internship through the First Alaskans Institute Summer Internship Program.

Jeff Clarke was previously promoted to the position of vice president. He has been with the Foundation for six years and previously served as its chief administrative officer.

Denise Burger was named director of operations. Burger has been with the Foundation since 2007, and held previous positions as the senior executive assistant to the chancellor at the University of Alaska Anchorage and as chief of staff at the Anchorage Mayor's Office.

About the Foundation

The Rasmuson Foundation was created in May 1955 by Jenny Rasmuson to honor her late husband E.A. Rasmuson. The Foundation is a catalyst to promote a better life for all Alaskans.

Helping Alaskans Give More

Cassandra Stalzer, 907-334-0520 — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 18:19:33 +0100

June 17, 2008 � Research shows that Alaskans in higher income brackets give less to charity than similar wage earners across the nation, yet Alaska has more charities per capita than any other state. Last week the State of Alaska, with support from Rasmuson Foundation, rolled out a powerful tool to confront the challenge of getting Alaskans to give more.

Governor Sarah Palin signed House Bill 166, the Permanent Fund Check-Off, during a ceremony at the Rasmuson Foundation. HB166 will allow Alaskans to donate a portion or all of their Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) to qualifying charitable organizations, educational institutions and community foundations. The ceremonial signing was attended by legislators, Foundation staff and board, and leaders who work to strengthen Alaska's nonprofit community.

Standing (from left): Dr. Greg Kimura, Joy Atrops-Kimura, Jon Ross, Jaclyn Sallee, Carrie Irwin Brown, Jim Maley, David Hardenbergh, Diane Kaplan, Governor Sarah Palin, Rep. Lindsey Holmes, Sen. Lesil McGuire and son Grayson, Sen. Johnny Ellis, Mary Barber, Jim Caldarola, Dennis McMillian, Steve Lindbeck, Fran Ulmer, Randy Hagenstein, Karla Jutzi. Seated (from left): John Grimes, Alison Kear, Jenni Ragland, Cathy Rasmuson, Ed Rasmuson, Michele Brown, Peggy Owens, and Susan Ruddy. Photo Credit: Flavin Photography

Each year every Alaska resident receives a dividend check from the state's Permanent Fund that was created from oil revenues to benefit current and future generations of Alaskans. The amount of the annual pay out has ranged from $300 to $1,900 per person. A recent study shows that up to one-third of Alaskans would be willing to donate a portion of their PFD if an easy check-off option were implemented on the electronic application form.

Improving charitable giving among Alaskans has been a long-term goal of Rasmuson Foundation and its partners The Foraker Group and United Way of Anchorage. Alaska's nonprofit sector, which is very dependent on public funds, provides essential services across a vast and culturally-diverse geography. The concern the partners share is that the nonprofit sector, and the vital services it provides, will not be sustainable without increasing revenue from private donations.

Rasmuson Foundation authorized up to $900,000 to implement the PFD Check-Off program for the first three years. The funds will defray the state's cost of adapting the PFD application process to accommodate the new check-off options, the cost of processing nonprofit applications, and an education campaign targeted at Alaskans.

"Rasmuson Foundation sees this as a unique opportunity," said Rasmuson Foundation President Diane Kaplan. "We have 50 years of philanthropy experience in Alaska, and by funding the PFD check-off, the Foundation can help individual Alaskans experience the rewards of giving.

"Paying for the implementation of the PFD check-off program will ensure that 100 percent of the funds donors earmark from their PFD will go to the charity of their choice, and we hope that will encourage giving. If every Alaskan gave just a small part of their PFD to worthy organizations � whether it be senior centers, parks and trails, summer camps for kids, public radio stations, health clinics or women's shelters � the impact on the quality of life in our state will be palpable.

"Our goal is for the PFD check-off to inspire life-long philanthropy," said Kaplan.

The postmark deadline for nonprofits to apply to be listed on the PFD application form passed last week, and initial reports show more than 300 groups around the state have submitted applications and more are destined to arrive with each day's mail. Later this year the Alaska Giving Coalition, which is an affiliation of nonprofit leaders, development professionals, and grantmakers, will launch a statewide communications campaign to educate Alaskans about why and how they can give through the PFD check-off program.

The opportunity to wonder and connect

Steve Haycox — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 12:00:01 +0100

There's something magic about standing beside a historical artifact: it's the sense of being connected to other human beings, maybe famous ones, maybe not, who lived, worked and loved in a different time, a time that helped to shape our own.

I remember the first time I stood before the Declaration of Independence in that small, marble entrance hall in the National Archives building in Washington, D.C. and saw the actual parchment Thomas Jefferson wrote those extraordinary words on: "We hold these truths

Mission Statement
Museums Alaska

To provide opportunities for improving museum services in Alaska and enhancing public understanding of the purposes and functions of Alaska's museums.

to be self-evident, that all men are created equal . . .."
That's the same document he held in his own hands, the same paper from which he read to the Continental Congress in Philadelphia in 1776. It was an exhilarating and astonishing experience for me.

I get something like the same feeling when I sit in an archive or a presidential library and read the letters of an Alaska pioneer or the office memorandum of a federal official grappling with whether to create the Arctic National Wildlife Range (its original name). It's almost like being there as a participant, watching someone make a decision or formulate an observation that shaped the way we live and understand our world today. It is awesome.

A trip through the Alaska Gallery in the Anchorage Museum of History and Art always does that for me. To examine an atlatl used by an Inuit hunter on the Bering Sea or the Arctic Ocean a hundred years ago is to imagine him aiming carefully but quickly at a swimming seal, or perhaps a Sperm Whale, hurling his harpoon at just the right moment, striking home, and later bringing prized, needed food to his village. I know I don't have those skills, and if they depended on me, my fellow villagers would starve. But I can vicariously experience, albeit dimly, the responsibility that rested on his shoulders, and celebrate with the village his prowess and his success.

To stand in the Sheldon Jackson Museum in Sitka before a silken, gold-embroidered robe worn by a Russian Orthodox bishop in the early years of the 19th century is to marvel at that man's courage and patience, serving a scattered community of faithful spread across a vast maritime parish. It's also to wonder at the dedication of the handful of Russians � 823 was the largest number of Russians ever in Russian America at one time � who lived out their lives in small remote places � Unalaska, Kodiak, St. Michael, Sitka, ministering to the faithful and building for the future, our present.

The people who staff the more than sixty member institutions of Museums Alaska give me, give us all, these opportunities to connect with the people of our past in the most tangible way, through the very things they used and fashioned, things that are now the artifacts of our history, collected and preserved by the staffs of those museums. They also hand off that legacy to the future, to Alaskans yet unborn who will have the same opportunity to wonder and connect, and become part of the greater, transcending community of all us who have lived here, yesterday, today and tomorrow.

It's irreplaceable, that magic, and I thank the people who first collected the letters and the memoranda and the artifacts, and the ones today who continue to hold and care for them. They help me remember who I am, and where I have the remarkable fortune to be.

PFD "Check-off": June 14 deadline

Cassandra Stalzer — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 16:32:54 +0100

June 14, 2008, is the postmark deadline for Alaska nonprofits to apply by mail to be listed in 2009 as eligible charitable organizations under the new PFD "Check-off" program administered by the Permanent Fund Dividend Division of the Alaska State Department of Revenue. House Bill 166, recently signed into law by Governor Sarah Palin, provides Alaskans with a mechanism for making charitable donations to their favorite nonprofits. Nonprofits must apply annually to be qualified under the law.

Rasmuson Foundation strongly recommends Alaska nonprofits visit The Foraker Group website to review the eligibility criteria and frequently asked questions, link to the statute and download the official agency application. The Foraker Group has established a toll-free PFD information hotline and dedicated email address to assist organizations during this very quick application period. Call 1-888-785-GIFT (4438) or email pfdinfo@forakergroup.org for more information.

Organizations that miss the June 14 deadline will have another opportunity to qualify next year.

Rasmuson Foundation, a private family foundation funding nonprofits in every corner of the state, will pay for all start-up and initial operating costs associated with the proposed legislation, to include state time necessary to process the donations.

About the Foundation

The Rasmuson Foundation was created in May 1955 by Jenny Rasmuson to honor her late husband "E.A." Rasmuson. The Foundation is a catalyst to promote a better life for all Alaskans.

Mountain and Sea

Salty Hanes — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 12:00:02 +0100

Salty Hanes
Mountain and Sea
Cotton, glass
2005
Juneau-Douglas City Museum

The Dream Bag

Kate Boyan — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 12:00:01 +0100

Kate Boyan
The Dream Bag
Glass beads, leather
2001
Pratt Museum

Sabbatical Program expanded

Cassandra Stalzer — Fri, 30 May 2008 15:12:21 +0100

This year executives from tribes and all nonprofit sectors will be eligible to apply for the 2009 Rasmuson Foundation Sabbatical Program that is designed to provide time away from the office for rest, personal renewal and professional growth. The postmark deadline for applications is Oct. 1, 2008.

Those who hold the positions of CEO, president, executive director or tribal administrator can apply by downloading application materials from the Rasmuson Foundation website. In addition, anyone knowing a nonprofit or tribal leader that would benefit from a Sabbatical can nominate that person online at the website, and an application package will be mailed to their nominee.

"Leaders of Alaska's nonprofits and tribal governments shoulder incredible responsibility for the health and well-being of their communities," said Rasmuson Foundation President Diane Kaplan. "The hours are long, the demands intense and the resources are sometimes scarce. We believe that by giving these leaders a chance to rest, renew and recharge, their organizations will be stronger and Alaskans will reap the benefits."

Many participants who have completed the program credit their sabbatical with preventing professional and emotional burn-out. Sabbatical program recipients have spent time reconnecting with family, traveling, and pursuing personal interests. Organizations have also benefited as boards and staff members assume additional responsibility during their leaders' absence.

There have been 20 sabbatical recipients since the program began in 2004. Sabbaticals can run from two to six continuous months. Each grant awarded can total up to $30,000 to cover salary and expenses incurred during the sabbatical. The application requires a written plan for how the organization will be managed in the leader's absence and a letter from the organization's board endorsing their executive's decision to apply for the sabbatical.

"For five years the Foundation exclusively awarded sabbaticals to individuals serving health and social service organizations," explained program officer Sammye Pokryfki. "As the program matured it became clear that sabbaticals would be beneficial to organizations and individuals from across the entire nonprofit sector. So for the first time this year, the Sabbatical Program will be available to all Alaska nonprofit CEOs and tribal leaders."

The two primary criteria for selection are the benefit of the sabbatical for the individual and the organization, and the demonstrated ability of the organization to sustain itself in the executive's absence. Personal interviews with finalists play a major role in the decision process.

Guidelines and application materials are available at the Foundation's website or by calling (907) 297-2700 or toll free (within Alaska) at 1-877-366-2700.

About the Foundation

The Rasmuson Foundation was created in May 1955 by Jenny Rasmuson to honor her late husband "E.A." Rasmuson. The Foundation is a catalyst to promote a better life for all Alaskans.