Dear Alaskans,  

Our longtime Board Chair Ed Rasmuson, would say, “If you do what’s right, you’ll never be wrong.” In times of uncertainty, we may question our work and ourselves. But know that I believe in you, just as Ed would. I believe in the work of our Tribes and nonprofits and I know we wouldn’t have the Alaska we love without you. You’re doing what’s right and your work matters, and that’s why our foundation is committed to investing in Alaskans today and well into the future.

My role at Rasmuson is to think about Alaska every day and determine how our foundation can make a difference. This was meant to be a year of celebration as we mark our first 70 years as a foundation. The reality is, it’s hard to celebrate when we know the stress our partners and neighbors are facing with unpredictable budgets, scarce resources, and growing needs. From a recent survey by The Foraker Group, we learned that 22% – 100% of many organizations’ operating budgets depend on federal funds.

Alaskans are resourceful and resilient, qualities I love but wish we wouldn’t have to prove as often.

Last week, a few board members joined me on one of many Community Conversation trips scheduled for 2025. We visited the Copper River Valley and witnessed the positive impact of community coming together for decades, if not thousands of years, as we met with Marce Simeon at the Native Village of Tazlina, Michelle Anderson at Ahtna, Inc., and Charlene Noellner at the Native Village of Gakona, among many others, including teams at Copper River Native Association and the Sutton Public Library. An afternoon community reception in Glenallen was well attended by organizations from across the region and underscored what we had learned at each of our visits: Alaskans work together and help each other.

We are here to help, too. Our grants are open and available. Tier 1 grants are reviewed regularly, and the online application process is streamlined. If you have a need, review our guidelines and see if a Tier 1 grant is the right fit for you. These are awards of up to $35,000. For needs up to $250,000, the Community Support grant application is available online and requests are reviewed quarterly. Legacy grants are for those bigger needs, and I encourage you to not be afraid to ask. If you’re not sure where to start, just give us a call or schedule a meeting with a program officer. In addition to our resourcefulness and resilience, Alaskans answer the phone and respond to emails, something else I love about our community.  

We will continue to be out in the community, and I’m always open to a conversation or coffee. Later this year, I’m looking forward to Community Conversations with board members in Cordova, Homer, Kake, Kenai, Petersburg, Valdez, and Wrangell. We’ve also added Anchorage Community Conversations with regular visits to nonprofits and Tribal partners just to check in. Let us know if you have something coming up and want to invite us.

Our regional listening sessions return next month. I appreciate everyone who participated in our pilot series last year and hope that you found value in it. I know I did. Stay tuned for dates and instructions.

Thank you for all you do,

P.S. Track federal actions that could impact Alaska and receive updates from The Foraker Group here.