OVERVIEW: The Rasmuson Foundation gives broadly to nonprofits and Indigenous organizations throughout the state of Alaska. Housing and homelessness have been a main area of focus in recent years, but giving broadly serves a range of community needs.
IP TAKE: The Rasmuson Foundation is Alaska’s largest private grantmaker, and while its giving stays in Alaska, it spans the entire state, including its most rural and underserved communities. Recent giving has been responsive to Anchorage’s housing crisis, supporting multiple large-scale housing projects and providers of services for homeless people in the state. Note that this funder is not only a major funder in Alaska, but a crucial funder for Native Americans, as well as the arts. There are excellent capital projects and capacity-building opportunities here, especially for arts organizations. This is a transparent and approachable organization that invites grantseekers to schedule a call or visit to discuss funding opportunities.
PROFILE: The Anchorage-based Rasumuson Foundation was established in 1995 by Jenny Rasmuson and her son, Elmer Rasmuson. The Rasmusons were Swedish immigrants who lived and worked in Alaska and loved the state. The Rasumuson family owned the National Bank of Alaska, and Elmer steered the bank through a period of substantial expansion from 1949 until 1975, when he turned the reins over to his son Edward. In 1999, Wells Fargo purchased the National Bank of Alaskafor $907 million. The proceeds constituted the bulk of the foundation’s endowed assets. That same year, Elmer donated $40 million to the foundation. He died a year later and left much of his $400 million estate to the foundation. In 2012, Elmer’s wife Mary Louise Rasmuson died, leaving $42.5 million to the foundation. Elmer’s son Ed became the foundation’s new chair in 2000 and chairman emeritus in 2021. He passed away on January 4, 2022, at the age of 81. Today, the foundation is guided by the third and fourth generations of the family.
The Rasmuson Foundation’s mission is “to empower Alaskans to help each other” and its grants aim to “improve the lives of Alaskans.” Grants support a broad range of interest areas including community development, housing and homelessness, health, education, the environment, arts and culture and Indigenous causes. The foundation also devotes a substantial portion of its funding to nonprofit organizational development. Grantmaking is mainly limited to Alaska, with grants reaching all regions of the state.
With the exception of two award programs for arts and culture, Rasmuson does nor organize its grantmaking thematically, choosing instead to award grants based on the type of funding offered. Programs include the following:
- Tier 1 Grants offer funding of up to $35,000 for “small capital projects and one-time investments” in nonprofits, Indigenous groups or governmental agencies that serve the people of Alaska.
- Community Support Grants provide grants ranging from $35,000 to $250,000 for larger “capital projects and projects with broad community impact.” This program prioritizes organizations with proven records of community collaboration and productive project management.
- Legacy Grants award amounts of $250,000 or more for capital projects and/or programs that provide “innovative solutions to issues of community or statewide importance.”
- Program-Related Investments are “financial instruments,” including low-cost loans or equity investments, in large-scale projects that support community development and economic opportunity.
- The foundation’s Sabbatical Program offers nonprofit and tribal executives with grants of $50,000 for “time away from the office for rest and personal renewal.” Sabbaticals are typically from 90 to 120 consecutive days.
Grants for Housing and Community Development
The foundation’s recent giving has doubled down on housing, particularly in the Anchorage area, which has faced a sharp increase in homelessness in the 2020s.
- Grants of $600,000 or more have supported the Alaska Coalition on Housing and Homelessness and the Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness. Other housing grant recipients include Covenant House Alaska, the Interior Regional Housing Authority of Fairbanks and Catholic Social Services.
- Other community and economic development grantees include the Alaska Community Foundation, Valley Transit of Wasilla and Juneau’s chapter of Spruce Root, which supports entrepreneurs with strategic and financial resources.
Grants for Indigenous Rights and Native Americans
Rasmuson names Alaska’s tribal nations and other Indigenous groups as priorities for its grantmaking, although the foundation does not name more specific grantmaking goals within this area of giving.
- In 2021, the foundation collaborated with the Kellogg Foundation and Alaska’s tribal nations to expand access to dental care in Alaska’s rural areas.
- Other recipients include the Asa’carsarmiut Tribal Council, the United Tribes of Bristol Bay, the Alaska Native Heritage Center, the Alaska Federation of Natives and the Alutiiq Heritage Foundation in Kodiak.
Grants for Arts and Culture
In addition to its regular grantmaking programs, Rasmuson runs two giving programs to support the arts in Alaska. During the COVID-19 pandemic, this funder provided immense support for hundreds of Alaskan artists.
- The Distinguished Artist Award annually recognizes one Alaskan artists for their “creative excellence over multiple decades and significant artistic accomplishments.” Recipients are typically “recognized by peers and experts across the state as among the most highly accomplished in their field.” The foundation accepts nominations for this $50,000 award each year beginning in March. Recipients have worked in one or more of many artistic disciplines.
- Individual Artist Awards include project awards and fellowships. It is unclear if the foundation will continue to run this program, as details about selection and procedures have been removed from the site. Find profiles of past awardees on the program page.
- Via its other grantmaking programs, the foundation has supported Alaska arts organizations including Cyrano’s Theatre Company in Anchorage, the Alaska State Council on the Arts, Museums Alaska and the Peninsula Art Guild in Kenai.
Grants for Health and Mental Health
Grants for health and mental health have declined somewhat in recent years, although funding for tribal nations and Indigenous groups often includes funding for health and mental health services.
- Health grantees include the Hospice of the Central Peninsula, Christian Health Associates in Anchorage and the Petersburg Medical Center.
- Grantees receiving funding for mental and behavioral health services include the Alaska Behavioral Health Association, Hope Community Resources of Anchorage, Abused Women’s Aid in Crisis and the Foraker Group, which received funding for social worker training programs.
Grants for the Environment
Rasmuson does not name specific goals for its environmental giving. This is a smaller area of grantmaking, but a few grants support conservation outfits each year. Past grantees include the Prince William Sound Science and Technology Institute, the Anchorage Park Foundation, the Alaska Sustainable Fisheries Trust and the Great Land Trust of Anchorage. The foundation has also supported the Denali Education Center, which provides environmental learning programs in Denali Park.
Grants for Education
The foundation does not name specific priorities for its education giving, which supports a range of higher, K-12 and out-of-school youth programs. Grantees include the University of Alaska, the Boys and Girls Club of the Kenai Peninsula, the Alaska Literacy Program, the Girl Scouts of Alaska and the Great Alaska Council of the Boy Scouts of America.
Grants for Nonprofits
The foundation articulates a strong commitment to supporting the capacity and sustainability of nonprofit organizations that improve the lives of Alaska’s residents. In this work, the foundation collaborates with the Alaska Community Foundation and its Strengthening Organizations program. Rasmuson also supports the Foraker Group, which provides training, strategic support and organizational development to Alaska’s nonprofit and tribal organizations.
Important Grant Details:
Rasmuson’s typically grant range from $10,000 to $720,000 in a recent year. This foundation’s grants only serve organizations based in and serving people in Alaska, but grants reach every region of the state.
- Housing and homelessness has been the foundation’s largest giving area recently. Grants have focused on the Anchorage area, where there is a high need for housing and homeless services.
- This funder organizes its grantmaking by funding type rather than theme, opening the door to many different types of nonprofit and tribal organizations.
- This funder appears to accept applications for funding throughout the year via its application portal. However, grantseekers are strongly encouraged to schedule a time to speak with a program officer about their organization or project. Make an appointment here.
- For information about past grants, see the foundation’s searchable grants database.
- To speak with a program officer about the application process, set up an appointment here.
- For general inquiries, contact the Rasmuson Foundation at info@rasmuson.org or call (907) 297-2700.
- Sign up to receive email updates at the bottom of the website.
Important Grant Information:
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