Posted on November 26, 2010

Rasmuson Foundation Announces $2.5 Million in Recent Grants

The Anchorage-based Rasmuson Foundation has announced sixty-eight grants totaling more than $2.5 million, including a $750,000 program-related investment to NCB Capital Impact for a credit enhancement vehicle for nonprofit facilities within Alaska.

Through its Tier 1 program, the foundation awarded grants of up to $25,000 to a variety of nonprofits with capital needs, including the Kachemak Heritage Land Trust, which received $17,779 for the preservation and relocation of the Victor Holm cabin; the Native Village of Eyak, which was awarded $15,000 to restore the Mummy Island cabin; and Russian Orthodox Sacred Sites, which received $11,143 to renovate the historic Russian Orthodox Church in Kenai.

Through its Tier 2 program, which supports strategic projects and the expansion or start-up of innovative programs, the foundation awarded grants to seven organizations. Recipients include the Association for the Education of Young Children's, which was awarded $17,180 to develop and launch a statewide distance training program for early care and education providers; the Yukon River Drainage Fisheries Association, which received $16,000 to create an atlas of traditional knowledge natural indicators in the Yukon River fishery; and the American Heart Association, which was awarded $15,000 for its Big Wild Heart of Alaska program.

The foundation also awarded a number of grants through its arts and culture initiative, which is designed to provide high-quality arts experiences in rural and underserved communities and enhance the capacity of arts organizations in the state.

With the second- and third-quarter grants, the foundation has awarded a total of $6.2 million in the first nine months of 2010. For a complete list of grants, visit the Rasmuson Foundation Web site.