• The organization must be an Alaska 501(c)(3) nonprofit or tribal entity for at least one year at the time of application.
  • Note: 501(c)(4) and 501(c)(6) organizations may apply as long as the individual meets the other criteria listed below.
• The leader must be a full-time (at least 35 hours per week) nonprofit executive leader or tribal administrator.
• The leader must be an Alaska resident with at least seven years of experience in the nonprofit sector or with a tribal organization and at least five years of experience in their current leadership position.
• An individual who already received a Rasmuson Foundation Sabbatical Award is not eligible for an additional award.
  • This does include previous recipients who currently serve at a different organization.

Your tenure at the non-qualifying organization would be considered as part of the seven-year requirement and would not re-set with the new designation of tax status.

The Sabbatical Awards include grants of up to $50,000 to support 90-120 continuous days. The majority of funds are intended for the sabbatical recipient’s personal expenses and travel. Up to 10% of the total award may be allocated to the organization to support interim leadership or staffing during the executive’s absence.

Examples of personal expenses and travel:

• Flight tickets
• Rentals and reservations including cars, hotels, and Airbnb’s
• Meals and incidentals (including parking and other fees incurred during the sabbatical)

No. The grant cannot be used to cover the cost of family members’ flights. However, it may be used for meals, rental car, vacation home, etc. or other reservations that cover family members, if they are made primarily for the Sabbatical Program recipient and are under the recipient’s name.

There are several things that the Sabbatical Award cannot be used for:

• Medical leave
• Tangible items and capital purchases
  • Examples: cameras, laptops, vehicles, and etc.
• Professional development and education
  • The sabbatical is intended for rest, rejuvenation, and personal exploration, not for academic coursework, credentialing, or anything else that serves further an individual’s career.
• Flight tickets for anyone other than the sabbatical recipient
• Reservations and rentals that are not primarily for the sabbatical recipient and not made under the recipient’s name

Yes. The applying organization is expected to continue the executive’s salary and benefits during the sabbatical period. The grant is designed to supplement personal sabbatical expenses, not replace salary.

Ten percent of the Sabbatical grant award can go to the organization; if more than 10% is needed, further justification needs to be provided in the application.

• The organization must continue paying the leader’s salary and benefits during the sabbatical.
  • The grant is designed to supplement personal sabbatical expenses, not replace salary.
• The organization’s board of directors and interim team must support the leader taking a sabbatical.
• The leader must be relieved of all organizational obligations for the duration of the sabbatical and be allowed to fully step away from the organization.
• The organization must identify an interim leader who will manage the organization in the leader’s absence.
  • Ongoing support of interim staff is available through The Foraker Group or the Alaska Tribal Administrators Association (ATAA) at no charge to the organization, before, during, and after the sabbatical.
• The leader must return to their role at the organization for at least one year after the sabbatical.
  • The purpose of the sabbatical is to extend the longevity of the leader’s commitment to the organization and sector.
• Within 90 days of completing the sabbatical, the leader must provide the Foundation with a written report on the benefits of the time away from work and any challenges faced. Photos and videos are encouraged.

Yes. Awarded organizations receive technical assistance from partner providers, The Foraker Group and the Alaska Tribal Administrators Association (ATAA). These partners provide coaching, training, monthly check-ins, re-entry planning support, and general insight through the whole process of the sabbatical, from award to closing.

Technical assistance from these organizations is available as a resource to the awarded Tribe or nonprofit at no cost.

A Rasmuson Foundation Sabbatical Awards panel includes board members and past sabbatical awardees.

The required documents for the Sabbatical Award application include:

• Organization financials
• Three references
• A signed board or tribal council letter of support
• A detailed personal sabbatical budget, including how you plan to use your time, where you intend to travel, etc.
• Identification of interim leadership

Panelists look for applications that clearly demonstrate:

• The executive leader and tribal administrator’s readiness and need for a sabbatical
• Thoughtful organizational preparation and delegation
• Strong board alignment and leadership planning

Applicants are discouraged from emphasizing salary details in their narrative.

Note: A sabbatical will not be awarded if the panel concludes that the organization would be unable to sustain itself in the leader’s absence.

Applications can be done online through the Grants Login page using your organization’s account. If your organization does not have an existing account in our grants system, then you will need to create one. Applications are closed and will reopen in 2027.

Any questions about the Sabbatical Award can be directed to sabbatical@rasmuson.org.

Yes! Applicants are encouraged to schedule time with a program officer for questions about the program including eligibility, budgeting, interim leadership planning, application process, and more. This can be done through the Foundation’s booking webpage. Emails about the Sabbatical Awards can be sent to sabbatical@rasmuson.org

Applications are closed and will reopen in 2027.