Alaska Local Grants

The Juneau Arts and Humanities Council administers the City and Borough of Juneau Major Grants to provide operating support for local arts nonprofit organizations. The program seeks to cultivate vibrant arts and cultural opportunities and to build a strong, prosperous community where creativity and innovation thrive. Funding may support a specific project or season operations. Review criteria include compatibility with core values, artistic quality, community benefit, organizational capacity to manage programs and events, number of individuals served, evaluation processes, prior compliance with grant policies, budget realism, and sound program management. Organizations must be current with licenses and registrations. Eligible applicants are local nonprofit organizations serving Juneau and surrounding Southeast Alaska communities. Projects funded in 2024 to 2025 will occur from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025. The program supports community art encouragement and services that enrich quality of life and promote the creative economy. Applications are due May 1, 2024. Grant size and duration beyond the one year period are not stated. Additional information is available from the Juneau Arts and Humanities Council.

The Juneau Affordable Housing Fund (JAHF), established by the City and Borough of Juneau (CBJ), aims to increase affordable (0% to 80% area median income (AMI)) and middle-income (80% to 120% AMI) housing in Juneau. This initiative aligns with the CBJ's broader mission to address housing needs within the Capital City. The JAHF directs financial resources towards various activities including funding capital costs for rental and ownership housing, supporting capacity-building efforts for non-profit housing developers, and leveraging CBJ investments with other funding sources to maximize the creation and preservation of quality affordable and middle-income housing units. The primary beneficiaries of the JAHF are households within the affordable (0-80% AMI) and middle-income (80-120% AMI) ranges, as well as non-profit housing developers, public housing authorities, tribal governments, and for-profit developers who contribute to the creation of such housing. The impact goals include increasing the number of available affordable and middle-income housing units, fostering long-term affordability, and encouraging downtown housing development. The JAHF prioritizes the use of capital to develop housing units, specifically funding for acquisition, construction, rehabilitation, or preservation of affordable, middle-income, and senior housing, as well as homeowner opportunities. A key focus is on long-term affordability, with a preference for units created with affordability covenants or that are permanently affordable. Additionally, the fund prioritizes housing development within the boundaries established by the Downtown Juneau Residential Tax Abatement Map. Expected outcomes include a significant increase in the supply of affordable and middle-income housing units in Juneau. Measurable results will be tracked through the number of housing units created or preserved, the proportion of units designated for long-term affordability, and the geographic distribution of new developments, particularly in the downtown area. The CBJ’s strategic priority, as reflected in the JAHF, is to implement its Housing Action Plan by directing financial resources and incentives to address the critical need for diverse housing options across different income levels, thereby enhancing the overall livability and economic stability of the community.

The Storefront Improvement Program (SIP) is a discretionary reimbursement grant established by the City of Soldotna in 2012. Its primary goal is to revitalize commercial areas within Soldotna by stimulating private investment, fostering economic growth, and enhancing the overall visual appeal and vitality of the city's commercial districts. This program aligns with the City's long-range plan, Envision Soldotna 2030, specifically addressing goals such as promoting downtown development, encouraging redevelopment in key areas like the river and major highways, supporting diverse local businesses for a healthy economy, and improving the streetscape along major routes. The SIP targets property owners and business lessees within Soldotna’s commercial areas, with the aim of boosting traffic, increasing property values, and improving the city's aesthetic. The program prioritizes exterior improvements to business facades visible from the street, including elements like storefronts, windows, exterior lighting, canopies, awnings, painting, masonry work, permanent landscaping, decorative signs, and accessibility improvements. The emphasis is on transformative changes, and projects incorporating multiple elements receive greater weight during the competitive application process. Expected outcomes include a more vibrant and attractive commercial landscape, increased foot traffic for local businesses, and an uplift in property values. By sharing the cost of beautification, the program seeks to empower local business owners to invest in their properties, contributing to a more prosperous local economy. While routine upkeep, maintenance, or required updates (e.g., signage due to change in ownership) are not eligible, the program encourages proactive improvements that enhance the architectural character and functionality of commercial buildings. Measurable results could include an increase in the number of beautified storefronts, a rise in new business openings or expansions in commercial areas, and potentially an increase in sales tax revenue for the city. The program's theory of change posits that by directly incentivizing aesthetic and functional improvements to business exteriors, the city can create a more inviting environment that attracts both residents and visitors, thereby stimulating economic activity and supporting the long-term health of its commercial sectors. The competitive application process ensures that funding is directed towards high-impact projects that best align with the program's objectives.

Groundwork Grants, developed in partnership with Myriad Consulting & Training and funded by the California State Library, aims to provide essential financial support to institutions that document the experiences of individuals, groups, and communities whose contributions to California's history and culture have been historically underrepresented. This program directly aligns with a broader mission to safeguard California's cultural heritage in its most inclusive form for future generations. By focusing on underrepresented narratives, the grant supports a more complete and equitable understanding of the state's diverse past and present. The target beneficiaries for this grant program are organizations that document historically underserved and underrepresented communities. This includes, but is not limited to, African American, Asian American, Hispanic/Latinx, Native American groups, persons with disabilities, those experiencing poverty or homelessness, veterans, farmworkers, LGBTQ+ individuals, senior residents, immigrants, refugees, and rural communities. The program's impact goals are to address identified needs related to emergency readiness within these institutions, reduce response and recovery costs in the event of a disaster, and ultimately ensure the long-term preservation of invaluable cultural heritage assets. The grant prioritizes institutions that represent or document these historically underserved communities. Additionally, priority is given to organizations that have recently undergone preservation assessments, particularly those incorporating disaster readiness, through a Ready or Not consultation or other qualified preservation consultants. This focus on both inclusive representation and proactive disaster preparedness ensures that the most vulnerable and vital cultural heritage assets are protected. Expected outcomes include improved emergency readiness among cultural institutions, a reduction in the economic burden of disaster response and recovery, and the enhanced safeguarding of California's cultural heritage. Measurable results will stem from the allocation of over $1 million in competitive funding for the first round, with maximum individual awards of $15,000. Support options include assistance in disaster plan development, disaster recovery and spill kits, preservation supplies, environmental monitoring equipment, staff training, consultations with facilities specialists, and supplies for minor building maintenance or security needs. The emphasis on practical support aims to directly address and mitigate risks to cultural heritage.

This grant provides funding to community organizations in Soldotna for programs and events that enhance the cultural, economic, and overall quality of life for residents, particularly focusing on public welfare and community growth.

This grant provides funding for projects that explore, document, and share the rich human history of Juneau, Alaska, encouraging community involvement and education through public-facing outcomes.