Key Topics

This page provides information on key grant writing topics of interest to grant writers working in Alaska. Jump to a section below.

Sample Proposals

One of the great challenges in grant writing is finding successful examples of the type of proposal you are trying to compose. The websites below provide sample proposals.

Candid Learning — Sample Documents A free collection of winning proposals, sample letters of inquiry (LOIs), cover letters, and budgets from actual funded grants, each accompanied by commentary from the funder who made the award.

Winning Grant Proposals (GrantStation) A searchable index of award-winning proposals from GrantStation's annual competition. The most recent winning proposals are open access; older entries require a GrantStation membership.

Open Grants (ogrants.org) A searchable repository of openly shared grant proposals, primarily from academic and research funders such as NSF and NEH. Particularly useful for researchers and those seeking federal research funding.

Sample Funded Proposals (UAF Office of Grants and Contracts Administration) A curated list of links to sample federal research proposals from agencies including NIH, NSF, NEH, and the Department of Education.

Data Tools

Most government and foundation funders ask grant seekers to document the problem or need a given project aims to address. Some federal awards are only available to applicants from federally designated disadvantaged communities. The tools below can help grant seekers build an evidence base for their communities, Tribes, and municipalities.

Note: Due to changes in federal policy since January 2025, some federal data resources are no longer available. These include the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool, the Department of Energy Energy Justice Tool, and the Department of Transportation Equitable Transportation Community Tool.

Alaska Community Measures (Alaska Municipal League) Developed with support from the Rasmuson Foundation, this tool allows users to select an Alaskan community and generate a report showing how it is classified across multiple federal disadvantage criteria — including census tract data, persistent poverty status, opportunity zone status, and low-income housing tax credit eligibility. Designed specifically to help Alaska grant applicants quickly identify and cite relevant federal designations in their proposals.

data.census.gov The U.S. Census Bureau's primary platform for accessing census data, including population, income, poverty, housing, and demographic information. Data can be filtered by state, borough, census tract, and other geographic levels.

State of Alaska DCRA Mapping, Analytics, and Data Resources The Division of Community and Regional Affairs provides community-level data for Alaska boroughs, census areas, and municipalities, including revenue sharing, utility status, municipal budgets, and election results. A useful resource for documenting community context in proposals.

Resources for Alaska Native Grant Seekers

The process of colonization in Alaska was violent and devastated Alaska Native communities and people. As Evon Peter explains, “the goal of the colonizer was to claim ownership of the land and exploit the resources and Indigenous peoples wherever they went. In Alaska, the resource the colonizers were initially after was fur, later it would become wood, salmon, gold, and oil. The goal would not change but the method to exploit would adapt to be appropriate with the times.” Through the colonial depredations of Russian and American settlers, Alaska Native communities were enslaved, displaced, and subjected to forced cultural change. This violence imposed lasting harms, which resound to the present day.

Yet Alaska Native communities are resilient. Alaska is the only place in the United States where the reservation system was not widely imposed. Instead, the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971 “divided the state into twelve distinct regions and mandated the creation of twelve private, for-profit Alaska Native regional corporations and over 200 private, for-profit Alaska Native village corporations,” with their proceeds benefiting “enrolled Alaska Native shareholders.” Federal law recognizes the distinct status of Alaska Native Tribes and communities through a legally enforceable government-to-government relationship with the United States. As a result, Alaska Natives have access to a number of federal funding opportunities specifically designated for Tribal Nations and Native peoples, though note that some federally funded programs in this area have been reduced or eliminated since 2025. The following resources are designed to support Alaska Native communities and Tribal organizations in accessing available funding.

One important starting point is the Bureau of Indian Affairs' Access to Capital Clearinghouse — a searchable database of all federal funding opportunities available to Tribal Nations and Native businesses. Benefits.gov also offers a valuable overview of grant and loan programs available to Alaska Native individuals and communities. The Alaska Tribal Funders section of this website provides links to tribal funders within the state.

ANTHC Tribal Capacity and Training Program ANTHC's Tribal Capacity and Training program provides technical assistance and training to Tribal governments to build capacity and enhance local environmental program management in rural Alaska communities.

Alaska Tribal Leaders Directory (Bureau of Indian Affairs) Contact information for each federally recognized Tribe, along with information about each BIA region and agency that provides services to a specific Tribe. Includes a map-based, interactive directory.

EPA Indian Environmental General Assistance Program (IGAP / GAP) Passed by Congress in 1992, this program authorizes the EPA to provide grants to federally recognized tribes and intertribal consortia for planning and establishing environmental protection programs on Tribal lands. Resources from several Alaska Tribes are available through this program: Bristol Bay Native Association Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska Kawerak, Inc.

Alaska Native Values in Modern Governance: A Gathering (UAA) An annual two-day training event hosted by UAA's College of Business and Public Policy, featuring sessions on grant writing, financial management, nonprofit board governance, and other topics relevant to Alaska Native Tribes, corporations, and nonprofits.

Incorporating Equal Access and Opportunity Language into Proposals

Traditionally, grant seekers have been taught to develop objectives that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and timebound (SMART). Increasingly, applicants to many foundations and state funders are also expected to address how their projects will advance equal access and opportunity for historically underserved communities. The information below is meant to help guide Alaska grant seekers in meeting the requirements of their funders. It should not be construed as advocacy for any particular set of values.

Important: Since 2025, federal funders have eliminated certain language and criteria from their NOFOs. The University of Alaska system has also removed this language from its websites. Always read the current NOFO carefully to determine if including these criteria will impact the scoring of your proposal. Many private foundations and some state and municipal funders continue to require that proposals demonstrate how projects will benefit historically underserved communities and advance equal access to opportunity.

An essential rhetorical move where equal access and opportunity are concerned is to explain which disadvantaged or historically marginalized communities will benefit from your project, and how, in detail. The Data Tools section above includes resources that help users document the needs of a given community. When an area falls within one or more disadvantaged categories — such as a persistent poverty designation or opportunity zone — it provides concrete evidence to cite in your narrative and may qualify a project for special funding status or set-asides. 

Despite widespread foundation interest in equal access and opportunity, many worthy nonprofits still struggle to obtain funding in part because they lack the dedicated staff capacity to pursue grant awards — a perennial challenge in this space.

Further reading:  "UA Board Final Statement + Motion" University of Alaska System, and "Proposed Changes to Federal Grants," National Council on Nonprofits.

 

Disaster Resilience Resources

Alaska is vulnerable to a number of natural disasters, including earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and the many effects of climate change — melting permafrost, loss of sea ice, and coastal flooding among them. The resources below can help Alaska communities prepare for and respond to disasters.

Writing Resources

FEMA Guide to Grant Writing for Resources or Recovery Assistance

Alaska-Specific Grant Opportunities

Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management — Hazard Mitigation Grant Program

Municipality of Anchorage Office of Emergency Management — Disaster Grant Opportunities

Federal Disaster Grant Opportunities

CISA — Emergency Communications Funding Programs

Department of Education — Disaster Recovery Unit (opportunities for schools)

FEMA Grants

FEMA — Disaster Assistance for Governments and Private Non-Profits

FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance Grants

FEMA Preparedness Grants

NOAA — Alaska Region Funding Opportunities

USDA Community Facilities Program

USDA Rural Development Disaster Assistance

SBA Disaster Assistance (low-interest disaster loans for businesses and homeowners)

Challenges Facing Grant Writers in Alaska

The following are some of the most persistent challenges facing grant writers in Alaska. If you have ideas for how to address any of these, share them on the Discussion Board.

1 Reporting and Compliance. Many federal awards include demanding reporting and compliance requirements that can be difficult for small organizations to manage. Sometimes these requirements are so burdensome that organizations decide not to apply because they lack the capacity to administer them. Indirect cost recovery can offset some administrative expenses, but at small organizations, administrators are often already stretched. How can small organizations and communities address reporting and compliance challenges cost-effectively?

2 Procurement in Rural Communities. Federal procurement guidelines require grantees to obtain multiple competitive bids for proposed work. Many small Alaska communities lack multiple local contractors, making this difficult to comply with. How can small Alaska communities work together to address this challenge? Are there exceptions to these requirements for small or remote communities?

3 Capacity Gaps. The most competitive applicants for federal funding are often large, integrated grant writing and project management firms with writers, engineers, and data specialists on staff. Many small organizations and communities cannot afford such services. How can small organizations build the capacity needed to compete for federal awards, or find resources to contract effective grant writing professionals?

4 Federal Funding Volatility. Since early 2025, federal grant funding has become significantly less stable, with thousands of already-awarded grants terminated and payment systems frozen without notice. For Alaska organizations that depend heavily on federal dollars — including Tribes, municipalities, and rural nonprofits — this has created acute challenges. How should Alaska grant writers adapt their funding strategies in response? What role can Alaska-based community and private foundations play in filling funding gaps?

Share your thoughts and strategies on the Discussion Board. Feel free to post additional challenges or questions there.

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