Tier 2 Grants

Tribes, nonprofits and local governments. The Foundation accepts proposals from high-performing, Alaska-based 501(c)(3) organizations classified as “not a private foundation” under section 509(a) of the tax code. Tribes, cities, boroughs and faith-based 501(c)(3)s also are eligible to request support for projects that provide broad community benefits such as a library, health care facility or cultural center. In most cases, an organization will have successfully completed at least one Tier 1 project before being considered for a Tier 2 request.

Grants can support capital projects such as new and renovated buildings, projects of demonstrable strategic importance, and innovative solutions to issues of broad community or statewide significance.

Rasmuson Foundation generally does not fund: projects associated with core government functions such as roads, utilities, and public safety and, in general, K-12 education, general program operations, administrative, indirect or overhead costs, deficits or debt reduction, endowments or scholarships, fundraising events or sponsorships and reimbursement for items already purchased.

Applicants can include shipping, installation and labor costs in proposals.

Applying for a Tier 2 grant is a multi-step process. The first step is a Letter of Inquiry (LOI), which can be sent without invitation, although all applicants are encouraged to discuss project ideas with Foundation staff before sending the LOI. If the Foundation is interested in the project based on the LOI, the organization will be invited to submit a Tier 2 full proposal. Review of Tier 2 LOIs can take up to 90 days. Organizations will be notified by email when a Letter of Inquiry has been received.

After a Tier 2 full proposal is invited, staff will review and follow up with the applicant for a site visit. This can take up to nine months, depending on application completeness and project readiness. Once proposal review is complete, the Rasmuson Foundation board will consider the proposal at its June or November meeting. In most cases, a previous Tier 2 grant must be closed before a new application will be considered for funding.

We have temporarily paused grantmaking to allow time to improve our systems. Until mid-2024, Tier 2 and PRI proposals that already have been received will be considered and decided on by December 2023. No new proposals will be accepted until mid-2024.

Applications are evaluated on criteria including but not limited to: the organization’s track record, fiscal and management capacity, an active board and experienced staff, sources of financial support and the project’s benefit to the organization and the community it serves. The Foundation places a priority on organizations in which all board members contribute financially. That expectation does not apply to local governments including tribal governments.

Site visits are required for Tier 2 proposals and typically involve key staff and board members from the applicant organization. A site visit provides Foundation staff the opportunity to meet with an applicant to discuss the proposal in-depth. It also gives Foundation staff the opportunity to view the applicant’s facility or location for future developments.

The Foundation is rarely the first, the largest or the only contributor to any Tier 2 project. The Foundation expects the community in which the project is located will provide significant financial support.

The Foundation will consider requests for major capital projects when the following have been demonstrated:

• Strong, committed local cash support is in place.
• The board and key staff have supported the project and/or organization financially.
• The site has been secured, and permits are in place.
• Plans have been completed.
• A budget has been developed.
• If applicable, a fundraising plan is in place.
• Government funding has been requested and/or committed, if that funding reflects a significant portion of the project budget.
• Applicant is able to demonstrate that the project is sustainable.