2025 Social and Economic Development Strategies - Alaska
ALASKA
Recipient: Organized Village of Kake
Project Title: Keku Furs Tannery Project
Project Description: The Organized Village of Kake will establish Keku Furs Tannery, which will be the only tannery in Southeast Alaska. The project aims to transform their current small-scale tannery operation into a self-sustaining business that operates year-round and employs 5% of the local population. Located in Kake, a remote community of fewer than 600 people, the project addresses critical economic needs by creating 2 full-time and 28 part-time jobs. The tannery will process sea otter hides and serve traditional hunters and artisans throughout the region, who currently must send materials to Anchorage or San Francisco for processing. This initiative will support local economic growth while preserving traditional practices and creating opportunities for knowledge transfer between generations. The project includes comprehensive training programs and will establish the business infrastructure needed for long-term sustainability. By providing stable employment opportunities and supporting traditional practices, the project aims to strengthen the community's economic foundation and cultural heritage.
Location (City/State): Kake, Alaska
ANA T/TA Region: Alaska
FY25 Award Amount: $732,883
Project Period: 09/30/2025 — 09/29/2028
Recipient: Alutiiq Heritage Foundation
Project Title: Kodiak Island Traditional Arts (KITA) Project
Project Description: The Kodiak Island Traditional Arts (KITA) project aims to strengthen the Alutiiq arts economy to help artists generate meaningful income to support their families. The three-year project has three main objectives. The first objective is to provide professional and artistic development training to 40 Alutiiq/Sugpiaq artists, offering both in-person and virtual options to enhance their income-generating capabilities. Objective two will create and distribute educational materials about federal and state laws regarding protected materials and art authentication to 75 artists and 150 community members through printed guides, digital resources, presentations, and social media campaigns. The final objective will establish a Native Tourism welcome center and working group, partnering with 15 tourism stakeholders to create new opportunities for artists and develop a regional tourism plan incorporating Alutiiq art. The project will be implemented through partnerships with organizations including Kodiak Area Native Association, Kodiak Arts Council, Discover Kodiak, and Kodiak College. These collaborations will help artists develop business skills, expand their customer base, and connect with the tourism industry while protecting the authenticity of traditional art forms.
Location (City/State): Kodiak, Alaska
ANA T/TA Region: Alaska
FY25 Award Amount: $616,976
Project Period: 09/30/2025 — 09/29/2028
Recipient: Native Village of Council
Project Title: Establish Strategic Planning and Development at NVC
Project Description: The Native Village of Council (NVC) will strengthen its organizational capacity through establishing comprehensive strategic planning and development. Through this project, NVC will implement annual strategic planning retreats facilitated by a contracted third-party consultant, resulting in annual strategic plan documents. The project includes quarterly strategic planning processes to monitor implementation of goals and objectives while establishing strategic practices within existing Tribal Council governance. The development staff will oversee strategic planning cycles and establish planning and development policies and procedures that align NVC's operational activities with its strategic goals. Through training and engagement in the sector of Tribal self-determination, NVC will increase its capacity to govern while increasing administrative capability for strategic implementation of goals and objectives. The project leverages seed funds from Kawerak, Inc. to build sustainable organizational practices that will support NVC's long-term vision and mission.
Location (City/State): Nome, Alaska
ANA T/TA Region: Alaska
FY25 Award Amount: $858,137
Project Period: 09/30/2025 — 09/29/2028