ALASKA NATIVE FUND

The Alaska Conservation Foundation (ACF) in partnership with an Alaska Native Steering Committee has launched the Alaska Native Fund to support Indigenous-led conservation work.The Fund’s mission is to: “advance Alaska Native priorities for protecting the land and sustaining our ways of life.” The goals of the Fund are to: 1) increase foundation and private resources for the conservation work of Alaska Native organizations; 2) support Alaska Native determination of environmental issues, strategies, solutions and funding; and 3) build relationships that will grow and strengthen the conservation movement in Alaska.

The Fund willprovide an Indigenous framework for impacting critical environmental issues while promoting innovative strategies to strengthen the capacity of Alaska Native organizations and communities. The Steering Committee has identified the following priority issues: impacts of extractive industries, food security (protecting subsistence resources), climate change, energy,and holistic wellness (environmental health.) Projects incorporating the following strategies will be supported: leadership, policy development, art and expression, communication and technology. In addition to grantmaking, the Fund will host gatherings of Alaska Native organizations and leaders to address emerging issues of significance, and develop collaborative strategies among Indigenous groups and foundations.

The genesis for the FundwastheSeminar on Private Philanthropy, Indigenous Capacity and Environmental Stewardship that ACF hosted at the 2009 Environmental Grantmakers Association meeting in partnership with the Oak Foundation, Native Americans in Philanthropy, International Funders for Indigenous Peoples and Seventh Generation Fund for Indian Development. This seminar launched an importantdialogue regarding the environmental issues impacting Indigenous communities and the rolefoundations could play in advancing Indigenous-led work on these issues. ACF convened additionalmeetings with Alaska Native leaders throughout 2010 to further explore strategies to strengthen understanding and support for their work. As a result of these discussions, ACF began laying the groundwork for creating a fund to supportenvironmental work of Alaska Native organizations, and a Native Steering Committee was established that bringsdiverse geographic, generational and organizational perspectives to management of the Fund.

ACF is in aunique position to effectively leverage resources for, and raise awareness of, the importantcontributions of Alaska Natives to conservation of Alaska’s natural environment. In the past ten years, ACF has granted over $2.3 million to at least 40 distinct Alaska Native organizations. This experience has guided our efforts to develop the Alaska Native Fundas means of building connections to advance Alaska Native priorities for protecting the land and the ways of life it sustains.

Leadership

ACF has engaged forty Alaska Native individuals and organizations, as well as a peer network of Indigenous funders, in the evolution of this fund. The fund is now guided by an Alaska Native Steering Committee representing diverse geographic, organizational, and generational perspectives. The Steering Committee will set issue priorities, determine grant allocations, and conduct outreach to potential grantees and funding partners, and evaluate the fund’s impact. Members to date include:

Vera Metcalf, Executive Director of the Alaska Eskimo Walrus Commission-Nome. (Siberian Yup’ik) AEWC is a program of Kawerak, a regional Alaska Native nonprofit in Nome; AEWC focuses on co-management of subsistence resources from the Northwest Arctic south to Bristol Bay. As AEWC Director, Vera also serves on the Pacific Walrus Technical Committee and is currently the Chair of the Pacific Walrus Conservation Fund. Vera also represents EWC on the Indigenous People's Council for Marine Mammals, consisting of commissions formed to 'identify and address marine mammal issues of common concerns.' She is a former member of the U.S. Arctic Research Commission.

Orville Huntington, Construction Worker for City of Huslia (Athabascan) Orville worked for the US Fish and Wildlife Service for fourteen years as a Tribal Biologist. He has worked for the Huslia Tribe and advocated on behalf of Tribes for more than eight years. He has served on the Huslia Tribal Council, Huslia City Council, Koyitl’otsina Ltd. Board of Directors (village corporation BOD), and as Interior Regional Housing Authority BOD, AK Native Science Comm. BOD. He continues to serve on the Alaska Federation of Natives Board of Directors, and the Interior Athabascan Tribal College Board of Trustees as the Chair, the State of Alaska Rural Education Committee, the Koyukuk River Advisory Committee (Fish and Game AC), and on the NSF Office of Polar Programs AC.

Kimberly Williams, Executive Director of Nunamta Aulukestai-Dillingham. (Yup’ik) Nunamta Aulukestai means "Caretakers of the Land” in Yup’ik and is comprised of eight Alaska Native Village Corporations that have come together to carefully manage the future of Bristol Bay. Kimberly has served as a land Resources Agent for the Tanana Chiefs Conference Extension Indian Reservation Program, University of Alaska Cooperative Extension Service and as an agent for the UAF Marine Advisory Program in Dillingham. She is a former Executive Director of the Alaska Sea Otter and Steller Sea Lion Commission. Kimberly is very involved in her community and region through service to the Curyung Tribal Council, Dillingham City School Board and Bristol Bay Area Health Corporation.

Jonella Larson-White, Executive Director, Alaska Native Arts Foundation-Anchorage. (Siberian Yup’ik) The ANAF promotes economic development of Alaska Native peoples and cultural expression through the promotion and sale of Alaska Native art.A graduate of Nome-Beltz high school and UAF, she holds a Masters degree in Museum Studies from HarvardUniversity.

Consultant

Evon Peter, Owner / CEO, Gwanzhii, LLC.-Fairbanks. Evon (Neetsaii Gwich'in, Koyukon) is the former Chief ofArctic Village. Through Gwanzhii, LLC, he has consulted on projects throughout Alaska, including an ongoing role with ACF on the development of a fund for Alaska Native organizations and on strategies for building partnerships between Alaska Native and non-Native environmental organizations.

ACF Staff

Polly Carr, Program Officer.Polly will provide ACF support to the fund, staffing meetings, coordinating grant proposal/review process, and providing financial/legal considerations. Polly has worked in the Alaska nonprofit environmental community for thirteen years, partnering with a range of Alaska Native organizations and leaders. Her focus is building capacity of leaders, organizations, and diverse networks to strengthen the environmental movement.

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