OUR WORK

Grants

Alaska Children’s Trust awards grants to organizations in Alaska that work towards the prevention of child abuse and neglect.

GRANTS

With the generous support of our donors, we have invested more than $10 million in programs that support Alaska’s children and families.

Alaska has struggled for decades with some of the highest rates (per capita) of child abuse and neglect in the nation. Our future is influenced greatly by the types and level of trauma our children are exposed to and the protective factors with which they are equipped with to handle and process trauma.

Alaska Children’s Trust believes in the strong role communities play in the prevention of child abuse and neglect, and we know that to be effective in achieving our mission, we must utilize our resources in a strategic and sustainable manner and ensure that solutions and prevention methods are community-driven.

 

To equip our state with the tools and supports necessary to successfully ensure our children live in safe, stable, and nurturing environments, Alaska Children’s Trust is committed to investing in communities across Alaska.

There are two levels of annual grants, Tier 1 (awards up to $10,000) and Tier 2 (awards over $10,000, up to $50,000). There are additional grants dependent on the year, like our Alaska Native Cultural Camp grant, Child Abuse Prevention Month grant, Vote for Kids mini grants, conference sponsorship, and the Million Girls Moonshot- Engineering Mindset Grant.

One way to strengthen your organization’s application is to incorporate data on children and families. Learn more about how Alaska’s children are doing by referencing Kids Count data or information from the Economic Cost of Child Abuse and Neglect or Alaska Children’s Budget.

 

TIER 1 & 2 GRANTS

Eligibility

Applications are accepted from qualified 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, tribes, local or state governments, schools, or Regional Educational Attendance Areas in the state of Alaska. Organizations that have received past awards and are in good standing are eligible to apply.  Applicants with open Alaska Children Trust grants must be current on all grant reporting. Applications from organizations with outstanding grant reports will not be accepted.

Non-Eligible: Individuals, for-profit, 501(c)(4) or (c)(6) organizations, non-Alaska based organizations, and federal government agencies are not eligible for competitive grants.

Applications for religious indoctrination or other religious activities, endowment building, deficit financing, fundraising, lobbying, electioneering and activities of political nature will not be considered. Nor will any proposals that promote discrimination based on race, gender, marital status, sexual preference, age, disability, creed or ethnicity. Funds cannot be used for expenses incurred prior to the grant award.

Alaska Children's Trust is dedicated to the prevention of child abuse and neglect. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, political affiliation, or military status, in our programs or activities.

Subscribe to Alaska Children’s Trust's newsletter to receive funding notifications.

How Do I Apply?

1. After you have determined that your organization is eligible and read the guidelines for the grant you wish to apply for and are ready to apply, click here.

3. Then, create a login. First-time users, select “Create New Account” and complete the requested information. If you have previously applied for Alaska Children’s Trust grants, log in with your username and password.

4. From the Application Status Page, select “Apply” on the left side of the screen to access the list of available grants. Select the grant you wish to apply for.

5. Begin the application. Note the specific instructions for each question, as well as the character limit for responses (characters DO include spaces). File upload questions also have file size limits. Be sure to save your progress often; the grant portal times out after 40 minutes of inactivity. You may save your application as a draft and log back in at any time to edit.

6. Submit the application. Select “Submit Form” at the bottom of the application. Before doing so, make sure you’ve edited your application and it is free of errors. Once you submit your application, you can no longer edit it.

Please direct questions about grants to grants@alaskachildrenstrust.org. Please direct questions regarding the ACT Grant Portal to 907-248-7676.

TIER 1 (Up to $10,000) - CLOSED - Subscribe to our newsletter here for grant alerts

Community Based Child Abuse & Neglect Prevention Grants

When children, youth, families, and communities have the knowledge, skills, support, and resources to thrive, the risk of children and youth experiencing child abuse and neglect is greatly reduced.

Alaska has struggled for decades with some of the highest rates (per capita) of child abuse and neglect in the
nation. To effectively address this complex issue, ACT is utilizing the Center for Disease Control's framework to prevent Adverse Childhood Experiences and focus our Tier 1 Community Based Prevention grants on upstream/primary
prevention.

Upstream/primary prevention of child abuse and neglect involves addressing root causes and risk factors before instances of maltreatment occur. Key strategies that can prevent child abuse and neglect from occurring in the first place include:

• Strengthening economic supports for families.
• Promoting social norms that protect against adverse childhood experiences.
• Ensuring a strong start for children and paving the way for them to reach their full potential.
• Teaching skills to help parents and youth handle stress, manage emotions, and tackle everyday challenges.
• Connecting youth to caring adults and activities.

RFP Release:

Each year at the beginning of February

Total Award Available:

Up to $10,000, depending on which funding category the proposal chooses.

Deadline:

Friday, April 5, 2024 (11:59 p.m. AKST)

Award Announcement:  

No later than June 30, 2024

Grant Cycle:

One year (July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025)

Process

  • One application per organization.

  • Organizations can receive a Tier 1 and Tier 2 at the same time. However, funding must support separate programs/projects.

  • All applications must be submitted through Alaska Children’s Trust grant portal. Only completed applications that meet the basic eligibility criteria will be considered. No Letter of Inquiry is required.

  • Applicants are welcome to contact Alaska Children Trust staff prior to applying to discuss proposed projects.

  • If a proposal is declined, organizations may call Alaska Children Trust staff for feedback.

Focus Areas for Tier 1

ACT has identified three core areas of focus for Tier 2 grants for the prevention of child abuse and neglect: (1) early childhood development, (2) empowering youth, and (3) building community resilience. These core areas promote thriving children, healthy families, and community development.

1) Strengthening Economic Supports for Families (Up to $5,000)

Projects that provide concrete supports to children, youth, and families.

2) Skill Development (Up to $10,000)
Projects that provide parents, caregivers, and/or providers with training specifically in identifying and preventing child sexual abuse.

3) Promoting Social Norms (Up to $5,000)
Projects that incorporate lived experience approaches into the work of preventing child abuse and neglect.

4) Out of School Time & Mentoring (Up to $10,000)
Projects that support outside of school time programing connecting youth with supportive adults to build skills for life, either in group or one-on-one tutoring/mentorship settings.

TIER 2 (over $10,000 - up to $50,000) CLOSED - Subscribe to our newsletter here for grant alerts

Innovation Grants

Do you have a new and innovative idea that would prevent child abuse and neglect? Do you have a current program that, if it had more support, could have a greater impact preventing child abuse and neglect? Alaska Children’s Trust’s Tier 2 Innovation Grants were created to stimulate the development and adoption of groundbreaking approaches and technologies to prevent child abuse and neglect. Tier 2 grants fund projects over $10,000 up to a maximum of $50,000 per year. Requests can be single year or multi-year, up to three years.

Innovation is either introducing something new or infusing a current product/program with more resources to strengthen its reach and impact. It is usually driven and supported through data. It is compelled by an organization’s desire to understand and meet the ever-changing needs and challenges of the people they are serving while trying to prevent child abuse and neglect. As a catalyst for change, Alaska Children’s Trust has introduced Innovative Grants to stimulate new ways of preventing child abuse and neglect and strengthen the current methods that have proven successful.

Think bigger, think differently. Together we can prevent child abuse and neglect.

Deadline: Letters of Inquiry (LOI) are being accepted throughout the year.

Grant Cycle: One to three years

Process

  • Full proposals are accepted by invitation only. Organizations interested must submit a Letter of Inquiry (LOI). LOI’s are limited to 3 pages and must include the following:

    • Background of Organization

      • Mission statement

      • Date founded

      • Staff and board size, demographics and diversity

      • Constituency and geographic region served

      • Type(s) of service provided

      • Annual operating budget size

      • Any other key relevant information

    • Project Description

      • Factors contributing to the need for the project, include data if available

      • How the project is innovative

      • Why the project is important to your organization and constituency

      • How the project prevents child abuse and neglect

      • Components of the project

      • Target population

      • Geographical area served

    • Project Budget – in summary form, provide total project cost for each year requested (multi-year funding is limited to no more than 3 years), total funds requested from ACT, other sources of support outside of ACT funding and sustainability.

    • Please note any other factors you believe would help us understand your situation and request.

  • LOI's are reviewed quarterly.

  • Organizations can receive a Tier 1 and Tier 2 at the same time. However, funding must support separate programs/projects.

  • If LOI is selected, the organization will be invited to complete a full proposal which will be due 3 months from date of invitation.

  • All LOI's and full proposals must be submitted through the Alaska Children’s Trust grant portal.

  • Applicants are welcome to contact Alaska Children’s Trust staff prior to applying to discuss proposed projects.

  • If a proposal is declined, organizations may call Alaska Children’s Trust staff for feedback.

  • Having trouble applying? Read the step-by-step instructions on how to apply.

Tier 2 - Innovation Grants Guidelines

FORMS: Grant Payment Request Form >

Focus Areas for Tier 2

ACT has identified three core areas of focus for Tier 2 grants for the prevention of child abuse and neglect: (1) early childhood development, (2) empowering youth, and (3) building community resilience. These core areas promote thriving children, healthy families, and community development.

1. Early Childhood Development

ACT will provide grants that support early childhood development work based on research that highlights the importance of social-emotional development in the first three years of a child’s life. Organizations funded under this portfolio area will have a specific focus on ages 0 to 3 years. ACT chose this age because of its importance in ensuring children have safe, healthy, secure, and engaging environments that allow them to develop social attachments, acquire physical and intellectual abilities, and build positive self-identities and trust of others. It is also the age range where the largest service gaps exist in Alaska, with childcare and early education programs for infants being the least available and affordable. The rapid brain growth that occurs during this time influences all future functioning and long-term school success. ACT will therefore prioritize funding for organizations that emphasize social-emotional learning and development and infant mental health including, but not limited to: high quality, evidence-based home visitation programs and parent skills training programs.

2. Empowering Youth

These grants will invest in organizations that are developing, modifying, implementing, and/or evaluating effective and proven curriculum to help students ages 12 to 16 learn the major tenets of developing healthy, intimate relationships. Curricula will have a clear focus on sexual education, be medically accurate, culturally-responsive, and LGBTQ+ inclusive. Topics addressed will include, but not be limited to: issues of consent; domestic and sexual violence, delaying parenthood; and; effective reproductive health interventions. Grantees in this area must be able to show how their approach is researched-based and can be effectively evaluated.

3. Building Community Resilience

ACT will invest in community-based efforts/initiatives focused on preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), bolstering positive childhood experiences (PCEs), and building resilience. ACT recognizes communities know their children and families best and, therefore, know how to help them prevent child abuse and neglect and heal those who have experienced trauma.

To be considered for a grant award, grant seekers must meet specific criteria and complete and submit the required application according to the specific guidelines of Tier 2. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, political affiliation, or military status, in our programs or activities. 

NEW! Advocacy for Children, Youth, and Families Grant

As the statewide lead organization focused on the prevention of child abuse and neglect, Alaska Children’s Trust (ACT) recognizes that policies and systems exert a profound effect on children, youth, and families. Policies and systems can either perpetuate or reduce risk factors leading to child abuse and neglect (CAN). Therefore, advocacy is a critical pathway toward safeguarding Alaskan children and families and building resilience at a community-wide level. 
 
To grow and strengthen advocacy for children and families in Alaska, ACT will award up to ten grants, at up to $5,000 each, to support eligible organizations to engage in advocacy in the 2025 legislative session focused on issues impacting children, youth, and families. Advocacy activities may include defending existing statutes or funding, proactively developing and moving new legislation forward, making a budget request, and actively preventing legislation that would harm children, youth, and families. 
 
Eligibility 
Applications will be accepted from qualified 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations. Organizations that have received past awards and are in good standing are eligible to apply.  Applicants with open ACT grants must be current on all grant reporting. Applications from organizations with outstanding grant reports will not be accepted. Note: If an organization does not have 501(c)3 status, they are required to obtain their own fiscal sponsor who has 501(c)3 status by the time of award. ACT will not be able to serve as the fiscal sponsor for any grant recipients. 
 
Allowable Activities 

  • Advocating for Alaska specific legislation and state budget items that directly impact children, youth, and families. 

  • Travel to Juneau 

  • Development of outreach materials 

  • Lobbying (it is the responsibility of each awardee to ensure they comply with all IRS and State of Alaska requirements regarding lobbying activities) 

  • Compensation for lived experience participation 

  • Constituent outreach or engagement activities 

 
Ineligible Activities 

  • Advocating for non-Alaska specific legislation and state budget items or legislation/state budget items that do not directly impact children, youth, and families. 

  • Endorsement of candidates 

  • Electoral activities 

  • Activities focused on local or federal policies or systems 

Expectations 

  • Awardees will be expected to have at least one individual participate in ACT’s Advocacy and Lobbying 101 training (Thursday, January 9, 11am-1pm) and ACT’s Legislative Session Orientation (Thursday, January 16, 11-12pm). Both of these will be offered via Zoom. 

  • Awardees will be expected to have at least one individual participate in biweekly group calls from beginning of February through mid-May to share updates on their legislative work, strategize with other advocates, and engage in learning opportunities.  

  • Awardees will complete a final report at the end of the grant period, including stories and data about the impact of the grant funds.  

 
Timeline 

RFP Released – Wednesday, November 13, 2024 

Proposal Due Date – Wednesday, December 4, 2024 

Funding Available 
ACT anticipates awarding a total of $50,000 under this RFP (Request for Proposal). Proposals are limited to a maximum of $5,000. 
 
Grant Period 
The period of performance will be upon execution of the grant agreement through 31 May 2025. 
 
For questions related to the request for proposals, please contact: 
Jen Griffis 
907-202-9322 
jgriffis@alaskachildrenstrust.org 
 
For questions related to the on-line application system, please contact: 
grants@alaskachildrenstrust.org 

Alaska Native Culture Grants - CLOSED - Subscribe to our newsletter here for grant alerts

Children and youth are less than 25% of Alaska’s population, but they are 100% of our future. Investing in their mental health today helps our communities thrive for generations. For Alaska Native youth, promoting access to cultural activities helps strengthen two of the strongest protective factors associated with youth mental wellbeing: a connection to one’s culture and community and the presence of a caring adult outside of one’s immediate family.

Promoting protective factors can also be fun! From traditional foods cooking classes to Alaska Native dance groups, organizations across Alaska are finding exciting ways to promote mental wellbeing, strengthen youths’ cultural connectedness, and build healthy relationships.

This is especially important today. Alaska’s high school students report rising levels of sadness and hopelessness, and Alaska’s teen suicide rate is increasing. There is also a growing racial/ethnic disparity in the data; American Indian/Alaska Native youth experience mental health challenges at disproportionate rates.

To promote mental wellbeing and increase protective factors for youth, the Alaska Children’s Trust will provide up to $1,000 to support work that engages Alaska Native youth in cultural activities. This could include (but is not limited to) activities that:

  • Engage youth in subsistence activities;

  • Teach traditional arts and crafts;

  • Promote Native language learning;

  • Expose youth to Native history, spiritual beliefs, and cultural values.

Eligibility:

Applications are accepted from qualified 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, or equivalent organizations located in the state of Alaska. Equivalent organizations may include tribes, local or state governments, schools, or regional educational attendance areas. Individuals, for-profit, 501(c)(4) or (c)(6) organizations, non-Alaska based organizations, and federal government agencies are not eligible for competitive grants. Applicants with outstanding and past due grant requirements are ineligible for funding.

Deadline:

Applications were due by 11:59 a.m. on Friday, April 5. Decisions regarding funding will be made by no later than April 30th.

Grant amount:

Applicant can apply for up to $1,000.

Reporting:

Grantees will submit a short final report including the number of youths served and project successes. ACT also encourages grantees to submit photos.

Conference/Training Sponsorship (Up to $1,000)

To support the exchange of information and professional development of individuals working towards ensuring children and families live in safe, stable and nurturing communities, Alaska Children’s Trust provides a limited number of sponsorship grants for conferences/trainings. These grants do not support individual training or attendance to a conference.

Eligibility:

Any individual, organization (nonprofit, religious, or tribal), community/neighborhood associations or coalition is eligible to apply. No 501(c)(3) status is required. Only one grant per organization per year.

Grant Amount:

Applicants can apply for up to $1,000. Funds can be used for venue/equipment rental, food, scholarships, outreach materials or other supplies needed for the conference/training.

Deadline:

Rolling deadline that is open until all funds have been dispersed.

Process:

  • All applications must be submitted through Alaska Children’s Trust grant portal. Only completed applications that meet the basic eligibility criteria will be considered. No Letter of Inquiry is required.

  • Applicants are welcome to contact Alaska Children Trust staff prior to applying.

  • If a proposal is declined, organizations may call Alaska Children Trust staff for feedback.

TIER 1 & 2 GRANTS

Reporting

Tier 1 reports are due by the last day of the month after the end date as indicated on your grant agreement. All reports must be submitted through our grant portal.

Tier 2 single year awards are due by the last day of the month after the end date as indicated on your grant agreement. Multi-year awards, an end of year report is due by the last day of the month after the month the award was received. A final report is due the last month after the end date as indicated on your grant agreement.

Questions about the report, due dates, or non-expending funds, contact Alaska Children's Trust directly. Contact Trevor Storrs at tstorrs@alaskachildrenstrust.org or (907) 248-7676.

Amendments

For all grant amendments, please complete the Grant Amendment Request Form and forward it to Trevor Storrs, tstorrs@alaskachildrenstrust.org.

Grant Recipients

Preventing child abuse and neglect does not look the same in every part of Alaska, and ACT is focused on investing in community-driven solutions with upstream approaches to prevention. Explore ACT's Tier 1 Community Prevention Grants since 2016 by using your mouse to click on projects across the state.

Please note, the location of the pin is representative of where the organization is headquartered, not necessarily where the prevention activities took place, frequently organizations have locations in Anchorage or Juneau but serve communities in more rural areas of the state.