Rasmuson Foundation explains grant processes
The Nome Housing Coalition’s bimonthly meeting featured a presentation from Monica Garcia-Itchoak and Bob Doehl on the Rasmuson Foundation’s grant opportunities. Municipal, tribal, corporate and nonprofit leadership from across the region tuned in to hear how to get aligned with the right type of grants. Rasmuson grants are available to Alaska-based nonprofits, individual artists and nonprofit leaders.
Monica Garcia-Itchoak explained that they work to build long lasting relationships with communities and focused her presentation on two types of grants: Tier 1 grants and Tier 2 grants. Towards the end of the meeting, she also briefly mentioned several other opportunities the foundation provides: sabbatical grants for nonprofit leadership and grants and fellowships for artists.
Tier 1 grants are for under $25,000 dollars and are primarily for capital projects, such as buildings, equipment, or playgrounds. GarciaItchoak explained that there are no deadlines for these grants, which are accepted on a rolling basis and take 60-90 days to review. Organizations can apply for one per year, and a checklist for the application process, which includes organization financials and project descriptions, are available on their website.
Tier 2 grants are for more than $25,001 and have more in-depth requirements. They usually are granted in the range of $100,000 to $400,000 and are granted twice a year upon approval from the board. Garcia-Itchoak explained that some experience with the Tier 1 grant process is preferred before applying for the Tier 2. These grants go to large capital projects, such as new clinics or head starts, community centers or significant renovations. This round, which is being presented to the board in June, has the most applicants they’ve ever had for Tier 2 grants. “This seems to be a very competitive time across Alaska,” Garcia-Itchoak said.
Senior Fellow Bob Doehl said they know it takes an incredible number of pieces to make projects successful, and they work with applicants to find good fits in grants, but also in processes. He said, for example, that they love working with Alaska Housing Finance Corporation workbooks. The most important part, he said, is defining the project: what is it, how much will it cost, how long will it take, and how will it operate.
Predictably, there was a lot of discussion from the audience. City Manager Glenn Steckman explained the needs landscape, from recreational programs for kids to general housing issues. He also stressed the importance of avoiding a situation where local organizations are competing against each other for the same grant. “Everybody is chasing money right now,” he said.
Thankfully, the Tier 1 grants aren’t in a competitive space, and are given out regularly. Doehl encouraged listeners to start with those if they have small incremental changes that they can make.
Kawerak’s Mary David asked about limits of the grants and if they can be used to purchase land. Doehl explained that yes, capital acquisition can include property. While he had never heard of a maximum cap on the grants, and the Foundation aims to give away 5 percent of its worth every year, grants above $500,000 get a lot more scrutiny than smaller grants. Acknowledging that $500,000 doesn’t go very far in trying to address many of the larger, pressing needs of communities, he reminded the audience that Rasmuson is only one piece of the funding
puzzle, and can be up to 50 percent of the project total. For larger projects, he said, they also help applicants find other opportunities to supplement the applications.
Northrim Bank’s Drew McCann asked about combining the funding with Low Income Housing Tax Credits. Doehl agreed that these are an integral part of the funding stack in many cases, and that working with AHFC project-based vouchers is convenient for them, as well.
The Rasmuson Foundation has been involved in many housing projects across the state, including the Bethel Winter House, Juneau’s Housing First project and Providence Alaska House, among others.