Photo description: Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center’s animal care team checks on the cow elk enclosure. The center received a $20,000 Tier 1 grant in 2023 to purchase the ATV pictured above. (Photo courtesy of the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center.)
Hello Friends,
With the excitement of core grant programs reopening this year, I’m reminded of the impact of so many organizations around the state. While Rasmuson Foundation is often celebrated for providing big financial investments, we’re humbled by the work of our partners, who make big impacts with small changes.
The success of our Tier 1 program over the years has been in its ability to meet nonprofit needs quickly and without a complicated application process. This has always been our program for any nonprofit in need of funding to buy, build, create, or fix something that would make a difference in their ability to meet community needs.
The range of requests for this grant can vary from a few thousand dollars to $25,000 — now available up to $35,000. Sometimes it can go toward the purchase of a new vehicle, technology or temperature-controlled storage. Other times it might go toward the repair of a furnace, updated paint or new furniture, supporting the mission by improving operations. As Cathy Rasmuson says with a big smile, “We’ve purchased every copier in the state.”
As I reflect on the past year, here are three Tier 1 grants that were leveraged in creative ways.
The Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center used a $20,000 Tier 1 grant in 2023 to purchase two six-wheel ATVs. Previously, animal caretakers had been using four-wheelers with much smaller capacity and limited storage, requiring multiple trips across the 220-acre property to accomplish routine tasks like feeding animals or cleaning their enclosures.
When development director Becky Chambless called the Foundation to ask if upgrading the ATVs would qualify for a Tier 1 grant, she was met with an enthusiastic yes. Now, the ATVs — affectionately called Clifford and Big Red — have become an integral part of the center’s operations. “You have to have the tools that you need to do your mission well,” Chambless told us, reflecting on the grant.
This grant is a great example of how infusions of capital can transform an organization’s efficiency and operations. For other organizations, like the Seldovia Public Library, one-time Tier 1 grants can permanently expand services.
Seldovia Public Library used an $18,000 Tier 1 grant in 2022 to transform a storage room into a historical collection: the Seldovia Archive Reading Room. This quiet space houses books and magazines spanning from roughly 1900, the time of their founder Susan B. English, to 1970. Access to local history has been exciting for their patrons, who see their families’ histories reflected in the collection. “It’s like traveling in time,” said Cindy Mom, board member and volunteer librarian.
A 2023 $16,000-Tier 1 grant also helped Alaska SPCA‘s Mobi, a nearly 30-year-old mobile home converted to a veterinary clinic, stay on the road. Since 1996, the veterinary clinic on wheels has traveled the state providing spay, neuter, and vaccination services for pets in communities where access to veterinary care is challenging. A few repairs and updates including resealing the roof, replacing anesthesia machines and surgical equipment, and restocking the shelves, meant that Mobi could keep on traveling.
As you consider applying for a Tier 1 grant, remember: it’s about what you need and what will better help you deliver on your mission and service your community. Whether your ask is for $5,000 for new office furniture or $35,000 for a tech overhaul, the Tier 1 grant can meet your organization’s needs.
We’ve put a lot of work into updating our application process and providing tips and resources online. Applying online is easy, and it’s not required for you to speak with a Program Officer in advance. We’re looking forward to helping you “do good,” as our founder, Jenny Olson, would say.
Warmly,
Gretchen Guess
President & CEO, Rasmuson Foundation
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