Foundations & Grantmakers in Alaska
424 grantmakers in Alaska reported grants on their latest 990s. The 121 that made at least 5 grants gave $125.6M. The largest by giving are Kawerak Inc, Rasmuson Foundation and The Alaska Community Foundation. The list below ranks grantmakers with at least 5 grants by annual giving, and each funder links to a profile with its grant history and financials.
Looking for open funding opportunities instead? Browse Alaska grants
Foundation giving in Alaska at a glance
Active grantmakers
424
reported grants on latest 990
Annual giving
$125.6M
from the 121 with 5+ grants
Typical grant
$22K
median of each funder's average grant
Median annual giving
$65K
per grantmaker
Top 10 foundations in Alaska by annual giving
| # | Funder | City | Annual giving | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kawerak Inc | Nome | $17.7M | 30 |
| 2 | Rasmuson Foundation | Anchorage | $17.7M | 300 |
| 3 | The Alaska Community Foundation | Anchorage | $12.3M | 343 |
| 4 | Bristol Bay Native Association Inc | Dillingham | $6.1M | 20 |
| 5 | Child Care Connection Inc DBA Thread | Anchorage | $4.2M | 13 |
| 6 | Association of Alaska School Boards | Juneau | $4.2M | 17 |
| 7 | Juneau Community Foundation | Juneau | $4.0M | 37 |
| 8 | Aleutian Pribilof Island Community Development Association APICDA | Juneau | $3.6M | 25 |
| 9 | Sealaska Heritage Institute | Juneau | $3.5M | 12 |
| 10 | Arctic Education Foundation | Anchorage | $2.9M | 411 |
Ranked by grants reported on each funder's latest 990. Only grantmakers with at least 5 grants are ranked; 5 organizations that reported large giving in fewer grants (usually one transfer to an affiliated charity) are left out.
Most common focus areas
- Education 19 · 18%
- Environment & Animals 17 · 16%
- Human Services 13 · 12%
- Health 13 · 12%
- Community Improvement & Capacity Building 10 · 10%
- Recreation & Sports 10 · 10%
Share of grantmakers with a program NTEE code (37% carry any NTEE code); general grantmaking foundations (NTEE T) are not counted.
Community foundations in Alaska
- The Alaska Community Foundation $12.3M · 343 grants
- Juneau Community Foundation $4.0M · 37 grants
- Arctic Slope Community Foundation Inc $328K · 11 grants
Source: IRS Form 990 and 990-PF filings, latest available year per organization (most of the largest funders' latest filing: tax year 2024).
Most open to new grantees in Alaska
Foundations based in Alaska whose latest grant list had the largest share of organizations they had not funded in any earlier year on file.
| # | Funder | First-time grantees | Grantees | Avg first grant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arcadia Family Foundation | 81% (22) | 27 in 2025 | $4K |
| 2 | Brabson Library & Educational | 78% (29) | 37 in 2025 | $11K |
| 3 | MTA Foundation Inc | 71% (45) | 63 in 2025 | $2K |
| 4 | Alaska Children's Trust | 59% (20) | 34 in 2024 | $55K |
| 5 | Alaska Airlines Foundation | 44% (29) | 66 in 2024 | $7K |
| 6 | Kawerak Inc | 40% (12) | 30 in 2024 | $388K |
| 7 | Langston Family Foundation | 36% (10) | 28 in 2024 | $4K |
| 8 | Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium | 32% (24) | 75 in 2025 | $264K |
| 9 | Valley Hospital Association Inc DBA Mat-Su Health Foundation | 31% (39) | 127 in 2024 | $95K |
| 10 | The Alaska Community Foundation | 31% (105) | 342 in 2024 | $22K |
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990 and 990-PF grant lists. Only foundations with at least 20 grants in each of the last three years (and 20 distinct grantees in the latest), a filing from the last 2 years, and first grants averaging at least $1K are ranked; grants to individuals are left out, and recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed grantee can look new. How we calculate this.
Showing 121 grantmakers in Alaska with 5+ grants on their latest 990, most giving first
Kawerak Inc
Nome, AK
Assets
$97.0M
Grants
30
Total Given
$17.7M
Rasmuson Foundation
Anchorage, AK
Assets
$845.4M
Grants
300
Total Given
$17.7M
The Alaska Community Foundation
Anchorage, AK
Assets
$243.9M
Grants
343
Total Given
$12.3M
Bristol Bay Native Association Inc
Dillingham, AK
Assets
$96.8M
Grants
20
Total Given
$6.1M
Child Care Connection Inc DBA Thread
Anchorage, AK
Assets
$4.0M
Grants
13
Total Given
$4.2M
Association of Alaska School Boards
Juneau, AK
Assets
$4.4M
Grants
17
Total Given
$4.2M
Juneau Community Foundation
Juneau, AK
Assets
$92.8M
Grants
37
Total Given
$4.0M
Aleutian Pribilof Island Community Development Association APICDA
Juneau, AK
Assets
$198.1M
Grants
25
Total Given
$3.6M
Sealaska Heritage Institute
Juneau, AK
Assets
$60.2M
Grants
12
Total Given
$3.5M
Arctic Education Foundation
Anchorage, AK
Assets
$30.5M
Grants
411
Total Given
$2.9M
Cook Inlet Tribal Council
Anchorage, AK
Assets
$127.5M
Grants
18
Total Given
$2.7M
Apca Inc
Anchorage, AK
Assets
$4.7M
Grants
18
Total Given
$2.4M
Atwood Foundation Inc
Anchorage, AK
Assets
$56.7M
Grants
87
Total Given
$2.4M
The CIRI Foundation
Anchorage, AK
Assets
$63.9M
Grants
250
Total Given
$2.3M
Alaska Conservation Foundation
Anchorage, AK
Assets
$17.2M
Grants
57
Total Given
$2.1M
Alaska Children's Trust
Anchorage, AK
Assets
$1.6M
Grants
34
Total Given
$1.8M
Seward Association for the Advancement of Marine Science
Seward, AK
Assets
$36.3M
Grants
6
Total Given
$1.4M
Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association Inc
Anchorage, AK
Assets
$75.9M
Grants
12
Total Given
$1.4M
Rural Alaska Community Action Program
Anchorage, AK
Assets
$47.9M
Grants
31
Total Given
$1.3M
The Aleut Foundation
Anchorage, AK
Assets
$565K
Grants
522
Total Given
$1.3M
Catholic Social Services
Anchorage, AK
Assets
$40.9M
Grants
11
Total Given
$1.3M
Doyon Foundation
Fairbanks, AK
Assets
$49.2M
Grants
552
Total Given
$1.3M
Maniilaq Association
Kotzebue, AK
Assets
$302.3M
Grants
12
Total Given
$1.2M
Bill Stroecker Foundation
Fairbanks, AK
Assets
$24.1M
Grants
74
Total Given
$1.2M
Here's the math on clicking through this list.
You, clicking into all 24 funders
~2.8 hrs
at ~7 min per funder profile
Your agents, the same 24
~1 min
every profile evaluated and scored, with reasoning
Questions about foundations in Alaska
What are the largest foundations in Alaska?
By grants reported on their latest 990s, the largest are Kawerak Inc ($17.7M across 30 grants), Rasmuson Foundation ($17.7M) and The Alaska Community Foundation ($12.3M). Together the top 10 account for 61% of the $125.6M given by the 121 grantmakers in Alaska that made at least 5 grants. Organizations that reported large giving in fewer grants, usually a single transfer to an affiliated charity, are left out of the ranking.
How big is a typical foundation grant in Alaska?
The typical grant is about $22K (the median of each grantmaker's average grant). Half of these grantmakers gave less than $65K in total in their latest filing year, so many are small foundations that give to a few organizations they already know. The largest funders make many more grants, but also get the most requests.
Are there community foundations in Alaska?
Yes. We found 3 community foundations in Alaska with grant activity. The largest by giving are The Alaska Community Foundation, Juneau Community Foundation and Arctic Slope Community Foundation Inc. Community foundations pool gifts from many local donors and usually run open grant rounds for nonprofits in their area, which makes them a good first stop for local funding.
How do I find Alaska foundations that accept unsolicited proposals?
Most private foundations don't run an open application. Their 990-PF says whether they only give to preselected charities, and their past grants show who they actually fund. Start with the funders above whose grant counts and typical grant size fit your budget, then check each profile's grant history for organizations like yours before you reach out. Read the grant prospecting guide.
Related guides
- Grant prospecting: how to find funders that fit
How to shortlist foundations in Alaska from their 990s and giving history.
- AI grant writing: draft proposals in your voice
Turn a shortlist into LOIs and proposals drafted from your own materials.