The University of Alaska Foundation seeks, secures, and stewards philanthropic support in partnership with the University of Alaska system to help shape Alaska’s future.
The University of Alaska Foundation’s recent grantmaking is dominated by large, recurring support for the University of Alaska in Fairbanks, with grants of $26,615,329 in 2025, $18,244,756 in 2024, and $9,638,458 in 2023 for student, program, and other department support. That pattern points to a funder built around institutional support rather than a broad external grantmaking portfolio. The foundation’s work is tied closely to the University of Alaska system and to Alaska-focused education, research, and campus operations. Beyond general university support, the foundation’s stated focus areas include higher education, scholarships, Arctic and Alaska research, public broadcasting through KUAC, cultural and Indigenous programs, and campus facilities and faculty support. Its scholarship activity is especially central: the organization administers and awards scholarships through the AWARDED system for students at UAA, UAF, UAS, and community campuses. It also maintains named programs such as the Angus Gavin Migratory Bird Research Grant and the Alaska Education Tax Credit initiative, which connects charitable gifts to education in Alaska. The overall picture is a foundation funding the university system’s core capacity, student access, and Alaska-centered academic and cultural work.
Scholarships are a major strand of the foundation’s work. Through the AWARDED scholarship management system, the University of Alaska Foundation administers scholarships for students at UAA, UAF, UAS, and community campuses, including merit-based, need-based, field-of-study, and other donor-specified awards. It also notes that University of Alaska Foundation Scholarships total over $6.1 million annually. Research support is another clear theme. The Angus Gavin Migratory Bird Research Grant is listed as a named grant program for wildlife and migratory bird research, linking the foundation to environmental and conservation science in Alaska. In addition, the Angus Gavin Grant is identified as a scholarship opportunity tied to the University of Alaska system. The foundation also supports education-related funding infrastructure. Its Alaska Education Tax Credit activity facilitates gifts that may qualify for state education tax credits, connecting donors with education and workforce development in Alaska.
$19.8M
$609.5M
$39.4M
$35M
Most grants fall between $13.9M and $22.4M, with a median of $18.2M.
25th Percentile
$13.9M
Median
$18.2M
75th Percentile
$22.4M
TLISA NORTHCUTT
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The grant-size profile is large and concentrated: the 25th percentile is $13,941,607, the median is $18,244,756, and the 75th percentile is $22,430,042. That aligns with a foundation making sizable institutional awards rather than many small grants. The recent grant list also shows repeat support to the same recipient across 2023, 2024, and 2025, all to the University of Alaska in Fairbanks for student, program, and department support. The foundation is not a fund for individuals. It also makes program-related investments. Scholarship opportunities are administered through the AWARDED system, and some awards require donor-set information in student profiles.
Giving is local and entirely Alaska-based in the available grant data: 100% of grants go to recipients in AK. The recent grants are awarded to the University of Alaska in Fairbanks, and the active scholarship and research programs also point to Alaska-wide university system support. The foundation’s named scholarship activity reaches students at UAA, UAF, UAS, and community campuses, while the Alaska Education Tax Credit program is also focused on education in Alaska. No non-U.S. recipient countries appear in the grant distribution.
It supports higher education, scholarships, Arctic and Alaska-focused research, public broadcasting through KUAC, cultural and Indigenous programs, and campus facilities and faculty support. Its named programs also include migratory bird research and education-tax-credit-related giving.
The foundation administers and awards scholarships through the AWARDED scholarship management system for students at UAA, UAF, UAS, and community campuses. Scholarship types include merit-based, need-based, field-of-study, and other donor-specified awards.
The grant data shown is entirely Alaska-based: 100% of grants go to recipients in AK, and the geographic scope of giving is local.
The typical award is large. The 25th percentile is $13,941,607, the median is $18,244,756, and the 75th percentile is $22,430,042.
The recent grant record shows repeated support to the same recipient across three consecutive years: $9,638,458 in 2023, $18,244,756 in 2024, and $26,615,329 in 2025, all for student, program, and department support at the University of Alaska in Fairbanks.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Current and upcoming funding from University of Alaska Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Grant requests must be submitted by the UA Foundation; intended for University of Alaska programs or projects. Applications are accepted year-round, with quarterly or semiannual review depending on request type.
Deadline: Quarterly calls: Dec. 1, March 1, June 1, Sept. 1 each year
Who can apply: Grant requests must be submitted by the UA Foundation; intended for University of Alaska programs or projects. Tier 1 is primarily for small capital projects and one-time investments.
Deadline: Year-round; rolling review
Who can apply: Grant seekers must first submit a Letter of Inquiry through the UA Foundation. Selected LOIs are invited to submit a full proposal.
Deadline: LOI deadlines: Feb. 1 and Aug. 1 each year
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA | FAIRBANKS, AK | $19,791,011 | 2026 | STUDENT, PROGRAM AND OTHER DEPARTMENT SUPPORT FOR THE UNIVERSITY |
| UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA | FAIRBANKS, AK | $26,615,329 | 2025 | STUDENT, PROGRAM AND OTHER DEPARTMENT SUPPORT FOR THE UNIVERSITY |
| UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA | FAIRBANKS, AK | $18,244,756 | 2024 | STUDENT, PROGRAM AND OTHER DEPARTMENT SUPPORT FOR THE UNIVERSITY |
| UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA | FAIRBANKS, AK | $9,638,458 | 2023 | STUDENT, PROGRAM AND OTHER DEPARTMENT SUPPORT FOR THE UNIVERSITY |
UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA
$19,791,011STUDENT, PROGRAM AND OTHER DEPARTMENT SUPPORT FOR THE UNIVERSITY
UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA
$26,615,329STUDENT, PROGRAM AND OTHER DEPARTMENT SUPPORT FOR THE UNIVERSITY
UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA
$18,244,756STUDENT, PROGRAM AND OTHER DEPARTMENT SUPPORT FOR THE UNIVERSITY
UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA
$9,638,458STUDENT, PROGRAM AND OTHER DEPARTMENT SUPPORT FOR THE UNIVERSITY