Strengthening Communities Grants: Kindling Conversation Stipends

The Alaska Humanities Forum's Strengthening Communities Grants program aims to connect Alaskans through community storytelling and conversation. By providing Kindling Conversation Stipends, the program offers support and funding for individuals to host inclusive discussions within their communities. Each stipend includes a $250 grant and themed toolkits to facilitate meaningful dialogue. This initiative fosters understanding and connection among diverse groups, enhancing community engagement across Alaska.

By investing in the stories, ideas, and community-building efforts of Alaskans across the state, the Forum’s Strengthening Communities Grants Program seeks to spark connection and deepen our understanding of others, ourselves, and our communities.
Each year, the Forum awards project grants to nonprofit organizations and state, local, and federally recognized tribal governments across the state. We also provide stipends to individuals looking to host community conversations through our Kindling Conversation program.
Are you ready to get people in your community talking?
Kindling Conversation Stipends are built to help you do just that. We provide themed toolkits, host support, and $250 of funding to Alaskans interested in hosting short, thoughtful community conversations tailored to connect people across difference and foster inclusive conversational spaces throughout the state.
Each toolkit has a focused conversation guide, a springboard to launch discussion, community agreements for the shared space, and participant surveys so that you’ll have everything you need to host.

Eligibility

Anyone may host a community conversation. Individuals, tax-exempt organizations, and schools in Alaska are eligible to receive a $250 stipend to help defray the cost of hosting the program.TimelineKindling Conversation gatherings may be scheduled at any time of the year. Applications must be submitted at least 1 week prior to the event.Kindling Conversation stipend recipients must host their conversation within 3 months of application.Conversation hosts must apply for a stipend before hosting a conversation.In order to be eligible for the $250 stipend, the community conversation must be at least an hour-long and have at least five participants apart from the facilitator/host. Eligible ExpensesThe Kindling Conversation stipend is an unrestricted stipend to defray the cost of promoting, hosting, and facilitating the event. The stipend recipient may choose to use the grant to cover food, advertising, printing, facilitation, or facilities fees, or anything else.At this time, we are offering only one stipend per organization or individual per year without prior approval.

Ineligibility

Applications received after the conversation has been held will not be considered.