NSEDC participates in the Bering Sea Fisheries to provide economic development to our member communities through education, employment, training and financial assistance while protecting subsistence resources.
Norton Sound Economic Development Corporation’s grantmaking is built around a regional benefit-share model: it sends funds to member communities in the Bering Strait and Norton Sound area, with municipal governments and local entities appearing repeatedly in the recent grants list. The largest recent awards reach into the high six figures, including $899,968 to the City of Nome and $873,511 to the City of St Michael, both listed under community benefit share and discretionary grants. That pattern matches the organization’s stated role in providing economic development for member communities through education, employment, training, and financial assistance while protecting subsistence resources. The foundation’s grant records also show support for civic systems and local institutions. In 2024 it awarded $520,000 to Norton Sound Health Corp in Nome, and $476,095 to Nome Joint Utilities in Nome, indicating that health and utility entities sit alongside city governments in its funding mix. Bering Strait School District appears as well, with grants in Unalakleet in both 2023 and 2024. Across the recent list, awards are concentrated in Alaska communities tied to the corporation’s membership base, and the mix includes both annual community distributions and discretionary grants.
Community benefit funding is a defining part of this foundation’s work. In 2025 it gave $669,585 to Native Village of Savoonga as a discretionary grant, and it made additional community benefit share awards to municipal governments such as the City of Gambell, the City of Teller, and the City of Unalakleet. Education and youth-related support also appears in the record. The Bering Strait School District in Unalakleet received $469,226 in 2024 and $307,751 in 2025, showing repeated support for a core regional education provider. The foundation also backs health and infrastructure-related purposes. Norton Sound Health Corp in Nome received $520,000 in 2024, while Nome Joint Utilities in Nome received $476,095 in 2024 and $256,140 in 2025. Those awards sit alongside the corporation’s stated focus on water, sewer, energy, and other community infrastructure.
Typical grants cluster around a mid-five-figure to low-six-figure range, with p25 at $19,832, median at $77,076, and p75 at $250,504. The recent list also shows much larger community distributions for member communities, especially through community benefit share and discretionary grants. Giving is recurring: the same recipients appear across multiple years, including several cities and local institutions. The foundation operates as a regional development corporation rather than a private family foundation, and it uses both open programs and community-level distributions. Several active programs accept unsolicited applications, including scholarships, community employment, community-based training, water and sewer, energy, and large infrastructure funds.
$6.3M
$400.6M
$27.5M
$35.1M
Most grants fall between $20K and $251K, with a median of $77K.
25th Percentile
$20K
Median
$77K
75th Percentile
$251K
Janis Ivanoff
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Giving is overwhelmingly local: 99% of grants go to recipients in Alaska, and the top state by grant count is Alaska. Recent awards are spread across Bering Strait and Norton Sound communities, with Nome, St Michael, Gambell, Unalakleet, Stebbins, Teller, Elim, Savoonga, Golovin, Shaktoolik, Koyuk, and Shishmaref appearing in the record. The recipient country distribution is entirely U.S.-based, with 136 grants in the United States.
Its recent grants go mainly to member communities and local institutions in the Norton Sound and Bering Strait region, including city governments, a school district, a health corporation, and utility providers. The organization’s stated focus areas also include fisheries, economic development, education and workforce training, energy, infrastructure, and small business and loan programs.
No. The recent record shows repeated support to the same recipients across years, including several city governments and the Bering Strait School District. That pattern sits alongside annual community distributions and discretionary grants.
The typical grant size is $19,832 at the 25th percentile, $77,076 at the median, and $250,504 at the 75th percentile. Recent awards also include larger community-level grants in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Active programs cover scholarships and loan repayment, community employment, community-based training, large infrastructure, community energy, water and sewer, and substance abuse prevention. The organization also lists community benefit share as a recurring funding mechanism for member communities.
Several active programs accept unsolicited applications, including the scholarships and education awards, community employment, community-based training, large infrastructure, community energy fund, and water and sewer fund. Community Benefit Share and Substance Abuse Prevention are marked as not accepting unsolicited requests.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Native Village of Savoonga | Savoonga, AK | $669,585 | 2025 | Discretionary Grants |
| City of Teller | Teller, AK | $513,066 | 2025 | Comm Ben Share/Discretionary Grants |
| City of Stebbins | Stebbins, AK | $454,500 | 2025 | Comm Ben Share/Discretionary Grants |
| City of Golovin | Golovin, AK | $356,480 | 2025 | Comm Ben Share/Discretionary Grants |
| City of Elim | Elim, AK | $353,718 | 2025 | Comm Ben Share/Discretionary Grants |
| City of St Michael | St Michael, AK | $346,812 | 2025 | Comm Ben Share/Discretionary Grants |
| Native Village of Koyuk | Koyuk, AK | $317,265 | 2025 | Discretionary Grants |
| Native Village of Gambell | Gambell, AK | $311,632 | 2025 | Discretionary Grants |
| Bering Strait School District | Unalakleet, AK | $307,751 | 2025 | Discretionary Grants |
| City of Unalakleet | Unalakleet, AK | $264,926 | 2025 | Comm Ben Share/Discretionary Grants |
| Nome Joint Utilities | Nome, AK | $256,140 | 2025 | Discretionary Grants |
| City of Gambell | Gambell, AK | $231,699 | 2025 | Comm Ben Share/Discretionary Grants |
| City of White Mountain | White Mountain, AK | $209,621 | 2025 | Comm Ben Share/Discretionary Grants |
| City of Shaktoolik | Shaktoolik, AK | $184,912 | 2025 | Comm Ben Share/Discretionary Grants |
| City of Wales | Wales, AK | $173,974 | 2025 | Comm Ben Share/Discretionary Grants |
| City of Koyuk | Koyuk, AK | $164,762 | 2025 | Comm Ben Share/Discretionary Grants |
| City of Nome | Nome, AK | $161,731 | 2025 | Comm Ben Share/Discretionary Grants |
| City of Brevig Mission | Brevig Mission, AK | $155,000 | 2025 | Comm Ben Share/Discretionary Grants |
| City of Savoonga | Savoonga, AK | $154,000 | 2025 | Comm Ben Share/Discretionary Grants |
| City of Diomede | Little Diomede, AK | $150,000 | 2025 | Comm Ben Share/Discretionary Grants |
| Kawerak Inc | Nome, AK | $77,489 | 2025 | Discretionary Grants |
| Native Village of Wales | Wales, AK | $69,387 | 2025 | Discretionary Grants |
| Nome Public Schools | Nome, AK | $67,455 | 2025 | Discretionary Grants |
| Native Village of Brevig Miss | Brevig Mission, AK | $63,237 | 2025 | Discretionary Grants |
| Stebbins Community Assoc | Stebbins, AK | $37,288 | 2025 | Discretionary Grants |
| Nome Emergency Shelter Team | Nome, AK | $30,000 | 2025 | Discretionary Grants |
| Native Village of St Michael | St Michael, AK | $24,861 | 2025 | Discretionary Grants |
| Bering Sea Womens Group | Nome, AK | $20,000 | 2025 | Discretionary Grants |
| Norton Sound Health Corp | Nome, AK | $20,000 | 2025 | Discretionary Grants |
| Nudlaghi Leadership Institute | Anchorage, AK | $17,500 | 2025 | Discretionary Grants |
| Native Village of Elim | Elim, AK | $14,095 | 2025 | Discretionary Grants |
| Nome Community Center | Nome, AK | $13,000 | 2025 | Discretionary Grants |
| Teller Traditional Council | Teller, AK | $13,000 | 2025 | Discretionary Grants |
| Boy & Girls Clubs of SC AK | Anchorage, AK | $12,080 | 2025 | Discretionary Grants |
| Native Village of Shaktoolik | Shaktoolik, AK | $11,500 | 2025 | Discretionary Grants |
| Bering Sea VFW Post 9569 | Nome, AK | $10,000 | 2025 | Discretionary Grants |
| Elim Covenant Church | Elim, AK | $9,999 | 2025 | Discretionary Grants |
| Wales Native Corporation | Wales, AK | $9,999 | 2025 | Discretionary Grants |
| SeaShare | Bainbridge Isl, WA | $8,979 | 2025 | Discretionary Grants |
| Northern Bering Sea Regional | Anchorage, AK | $8,468 | 2025 | Discretionary Grants |
| PAWS of Nome | Nome, AK | $8,394 | 2025 | Discretionary Grants |
| Marys Igloo Trad Council | Teller, AK | $8,250 | 2025 | Discretionary Grants |
| Tundra Health Initiative | Nome, AK | $7,119 | 2025 | Discretionary Grants |
| Native Village of Unalakleet | Unalakleet, AK | $6,000 | 2025 | Discretionary Grants |
| Savoonga Prebyterian Church | Anchorage, AK | $5,909 | 2025 | Discretionary Grants |
| Project Hope For Our Future | Savoonga, AK | $5,236 | 2025 | Discretionary Grants |
| City of Gambell | Gambell, AK | $770,099 | 2024 | Comm Ben Share/Discretionary Grants |
| City of Unalakleet | Unalakleet, AK | $589,726 | 2024 | Comm Ben Share/Discretionary Grants |
| Norton Sound Health Corp | Nome, AK | $520,000 | 2024 | Discretionary Grants |
| Nome Joint Utilities | Nome, AK | $476,095 | 2024 | Discretionary Grants |
Native Village of Savoonga
$669,585Discretionary Grants
City of Teller
$513,066Comm Ben Share/Discretionary Grants
City of Stebbins
$454,500Comm Ben Share/Discretionary Grants
City of Golovin
$356,480Comm Ben Share/Discretionary Grants
City of Elim
$353,718Comm Ben Share/Discretionary Grants
City of St Michael
$346,812Comm Ben Share/Discretionary Grants
Current and upcoming funding from Norton Sound Economic Development that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Projects must benefit the community as a whole and aim to reduce energy costs through safe, reliable, and efficient energy infrastructure.
Deadline: Applications are due February 15, May 15, August 15, or November 15 each year.
Native Village of Koyuk
$317,265Discretionary Grants
Native Village of Gambell
$311,632Discretionary Grants
Bering Strait School District
$307,751Discretionary Grants
City of Unalakleet
$264,926Comm Ben Share/Discretionary Grants
Nome Joint Utilities
$256,140Discretionary Grants
City of Gambell
$231,699Comm Ben Share/Discretionary Grants
City of White Mountain
$209,621Comm Ben Share/Discretionary Grants
City of Shaktoolik
$184,912Comm Ben Share/Discretionary Grants
City of Wales
$173,974Comm Ben Share/Discretionary Grants
City of Koyuk
$164,762Comm Ben Share/Discretionary Grants
City of Nome
$161,731Comm Ben Share/Discretionary Grants
City of Brevig Mission
$155,000Comm Ben Share/Discretionary Grants
City of Savoonga
$154,000Comm Ben Share/Discretionary Grants
City of Diomede
$150,000Comm Ben Share/Discretionary Grants
Native Village of Wales
$69,387Discretionary Grants
Nome Public Schools
$67,455Discretionary Grants
Native Village of Brevig Miss
$63,237Discretionary Grants
Stebbins Community Assoc
$37,288Discretionary Grants
Nome Emergency Shelter Team
$30,000Discretionary Grants
Native Village of St Michael
$24,861Discretionary Grants
Bering Sea Womens Group
$20,000Discretionary Grants
Nudlaghi Leadership Institute
$17,500Discretionary Grants
Native Village of Elim
$14,095Discretionary Grants
Nome Community Center
$13,000Discretionary Grants
Teller Traditional Council
$13,000Discretionary Grants
Native Village of Shaktoolik
$11,500Discretionary Grants
Bering Sea VFW Post 9569
$10,000Discretionary Grants
Elim Covenant Church
$9,999Discretionary Grants
Wales Native Corporation
$9,999Discretionary Grants
Northern Bering Sea Regional
$8,468Discretionary Grants
PAWS of Nome
$8,394Discretionary Grants
Marys Igloo Trad Council
$8,250Discretionary Grants
Tundra Health Initiative
$7,119Discretionary Grants
Native Village of Unalakleet
$6,000Discretionary Grants
Savoonga Prebyterian Church
$5,909Discretionary Grants
Project Hope For Our Future
$5,236Discretionary Grants
City of Gambell
$770,099Comm Ben Share/Discretionary Grants
City of Unalakleet
$589,726Comm Ben Share/Discretionary Grants
Nome Joint Utilities
$476,095Discretionary Grants
Who can apply: Projects must address infrastructure that serves the entire NSEDC member community.
Deadline: Applications are due February 15, May 15, August 15, or November 15 each year.
Who can apply: Projects must address water and sewer needs in NSEDC member communities. The fund is intended for community infrastructure projects; emergency requests address issues immediately threatening community health or system integrity.
Deadline: Applications are due February 15, May 15, August 15, or November 15 each year.
Who can apply: Each class must have at least 10 participants. Applicants must provide a location, syllabus, detailed budget, and comply with limits of $2,000 for instructor fees, $5,000 for supplies or tuition, and $5,000 for transportation, room and board, and fees.
Deadline: No fixed deadline is stated; training is available upon community request.
Who can apply: Participating organizations must be city governments and/or IRA or Traditional Councils in NSEDC member communities. The funded position must be temporary, non-exempt, no longer than six months, and filled by a current college or vocational student or a high-school student entering junior or senior year.
Deadline: Applications are accepted January 1 through September 30 for current-year funding. Applications must be approved before employment begins.
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