About Alaska Conservation Foundation
We protect Alaska's unique landscapes and ways of life by supporting conservation leaders, organizations, and initiatives.
Focus Areas
Public lands and waters protectionWildlife conservationClimate resilience and adaptationEnvironmental justiceCommunity-based conservationLeadership development and internships
Who They Fund
Alaska Native / Indigenous communitiesCoastal and Alaska communitiesEnvironmental movement organizations and coalitionsYouth and interns (emerging leaders)
Funding Style
general operating / unrestricted support
About Alaska Conservation Foundation
The Alaska Conservation Foundation backs conservation work across Alaska through a mix of rapid-response funding, community-based grants, and long-term support for Indigenous stewardship, wildlife, and climate resilience. One distinctive feature is its Rapid Response Grants program, which is described as the only program of its kind in Alaska and is designed for fast-breaking, unforeseen environmental threats of statewide or national significance. Its grantmaking also reaches small grassroots organizations through Discovery Grants and supports Alaska Native and local communities through programs tied to conservation leadership and environmental defense. Recent awards show the foundation funding both broad coalition work and place-based projects. Alaska Pacific University received $256,816 in 2025 for collective conservation work, and Alaska Seeds of Change Through Abh received $216,482 in the same year for collective conservation. The foundation also supported Native Conservancy, Eklutna Native Village, and Igiugig Village Council, reflecting sustained attention to Alaska-based organizations working on conservation, stewardship, and response to environmental pressure.
What Alaska Conservation Foundation Funds
A major thread in the Alaska Conservation Foundation’s work is collective conservation and community-led environmental protection. Alaska Pacific University received $256,816 in 2025 for collective conservation, while Native Conservancy received $155,365 in 2025 for a similar purpose. Another clear area is Indigenous stewardship and sentinel programming: Native Village of Venetie received $90,930 in 2025 for Indigenous Sentinels, and Tanana Tribal Council received $35,835 in 2025 for the same program area. The foundation also funds coastal and climate-related work. University of Alaska Southeast received $114,463 in 2025 for kelp mariculture, and Spruce Root Inc received $43,294 in 2025 for coastal resilience. Movement-building and advocacy appear as well, including support for Northern Alaska Environmental Center and Susitna River Coalition.
How Alaska Conservation Foundation Gives
Typical awards sit at a median of $22,500, with the 25th percentile at $10,364 and the 75th percentile at $42,698. The recent grant list shows repeated support to the same organizations across 2024 and 2025, including Alaska Pacific University, Alaska Seeds of Change Through Abh, Native Conservancy, Eklutna Native Village, Sitka Conservation Society, Ahtna Intertribal Resource Commission, Aleut Community of St Paul, Northern Alaska Environmental Center, and Alaska Center Education Fund. That pattern suggests continuing relationships rather than one-off awards. The foundation operates active programs including Rapid Response Grants, Discovery Grants, the Alaska Defense Fund, the Alaska Mining Impacts and Prevention Fund, the Watchable Wildlife Conservation Trust, and the Ted Smith Conservation Internship Program. Several programs accept unsolicited applications, while the Martha Levensaler Leadership Fund Grants do not.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$2.1M
Total Assets
$17.2M
Total Revenue
$8M
Total Expenses
$6.1M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $10K and $43K, with a median of $23K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$23K
75th Percentile
$43K
Geographic Reach
Local2 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
MICHAEL BARBER
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