Assembly Grants
Assembly grants are awarded based on community need and the Assembly’s goals and priorities for the fiscal year. These grants are intended to provide community support for social services, economic development, arts and culture, tourism management and promotion, recreation, energy efficiency and sustainability. The Assembly prioritizes funding awards that focus on areas of extreme need in the community, including childcare and affordable housing.
Assembly grants are appropriated as part of the annual budget process in June of every year. Learn more about CBJ’s budget process here.
Historical figures for Assembly Grant recipients can be found here.
Current Grant Recipients
Agencies Providing Grants
The Juneau Arts and Humanities Council (JAHC) is the official arts and humanities agency in the City and Borough of Juneau. The Council operates Centennial Hall facilities under an agreement and the Juneau Arts and Culture Center (JACC) to foster a vibrant arts and cultural environment and enhance the local economy.
The JAHC’s mission is to cultivate vibrant arts and cultural opportunities in the community and foster a strong, prosperous, and inclusive environment where creativity and innovation thrive.
CBJ provides pass-through funding to the JAHC to support arts and culture sub-grant awards. Click here to learn more about scholarships and grants the JAHC offers.
Learn more about the JAHC here.
The Juneau Community Foundation (JCF) is a non-profit organization that promotes philanthropy and effectively responds to the needs of the community to create a healthy, safe, and culturally rich environment. JCF uses CBJ funds combined with JCF’s Hope Endowment program funds for the Social Service Grants Program and Utility Waiver Program. CBJ funds can be used to award grants in the following areas:
Health
- Access to healthcare (affordable healthcare, insurance coverage)
- Suicide prevention (education, student assessments, self-report surveys, access to care)
- Substance abuse treatment/prevention (education, student assessments, self-report surveys, access to care)
- Infants and toddlers (prenatal care, pediatric care, nutrition)
- Seniors (access to healthcare, prescription medications, mobility, end of life care, adult daycare)
- People with Disabilities (access to care, integration into community)
Education
- Readiness to learn (literacy fundamentals for all ages)
- Early elementary performance (reading, writing)
- Success in high school (dropout/graduation rate, disproportionality)
- Community building in schools (student volunteers, parent engagement)
Income Stability
- Access to employment (access to childcare, quality of care)
- Shelter and housing (supported/transitional housing, emergency shelter, cost of living)
- Poverty (food, clothing, shelter)
- Young adult stability (employment, teen pregnancy)
- Family stability (adult/mentor support and availability, domestic violence)
Learn more about JCF’s grant and scholarship opportunities here.
Better Capital City
KTOO is a non-profit Juneau-based corporation that provides a variety of telecommunications services to Juneau and statewide audiences. Juneau’s Assembly provides KTOO grant funding to support the production and statewide delivery of Gavel Alaska, which provides live coverage of Alaska legislative meetings and events, Alaska Supreme Court coverage, administrative conferences and briefings, general government activities, and other areas of political interest.
Learn more about KTOO here.
The Alaska Committee is a non-profit corporation dedicated to making state government work better for all Alaskans by improving and enhancing Juneau as Alaska’s Capital City. The Assembly provides the Alaska Committee funds to support its operations, which include but are not limited to the following:
- Support of Gavel Alaska;
- Voter education activities;
- Promote Juneau as Alaska’s capital through various outreach efforts;
- Support infrastructure projects in Juneau to enhance the Capital;
- Work to put on the annual Legislative reception; and
- Participate and attend various local and state conferences to promote Juneau as Alaska’s Capital City.
Learn more about the Alaska Committee here.
Community Grants
The Juneau Downtown Business Association’s (DBA) mission is to promote and advocate, on behalf of their membership, for a vibrant and sustainable downtown. DBA works closely with CBJ and other partners such as the JAHC, Travel Juneau, Juneau Chamber of Commerce, Alaska Committee and JEDC to achieve goals identified in the Blueprint Downtown, Visitor Task Force, Juneau Economic Plan.
Main Street America
DBA is a member of Main Street America. Main Street America leads a movement committed to strengthening communities through preservation-based economic development in older and historic downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts. The Assembly provides funds to assist in DBA’s efforts to maintain Juneau’s accreditation as a Main Street America city, and support dedicated staff time to strategically implement the work of volunteer committees that work within the Main Street approach of Design, Promotion, Economic Vitality, and Membership.
DBA’s Main Street America program goals and activities may include:
- Promote downtown as a family-friendly destination through activities and program such as Gallery Walk, monthly First Friday events, Brunch Punch Card Promotion, and Dog Shopping Days;
- Foster an attractive, safe, and clean environment to attract people downtown, through activities and program such as partnering with the Visitor Industry Cluster Working Group, implementing a Downtown Ambient Lighting Plan, and coordinating the Annual Downtown Clean Up;
- Improve access to, from, and within downtown, such as by supporting the Umbrella Project, an umbrella sharing service for visitors to the downtown corridor, primarily targeted at people doing business in Juneau during the Legislative Session provided in coordination with the Alaska Committee; and producing and distributing a Downtown Map; and
- Strengthen and add capacity to DBA membership by promoting, fostering, and encouraging downtown business, and acting as an advocate on issues that face downtown businesses.
Downtown Ambassador Program
The Assembly funds DBA’s Downtown Ambassador Program, which provides uniformed information/security staff to circulate by foot in the downtown area during the months of May through September to assist cruise ship passengers in accessing Juneau’s downtown business core during the summer months. Ambassadors assist visitors with information and directions and patrol the area for potential public nuisances and risks that could affect summer visitors and residents.
Learn more about DBA here.
The Juneau Small Business Development Center (JSBDC) is part of the statewide Alaska Small Business Development Center Program hosted by the University of Alaska Anchorage through the Business Enterprise Institute. JSBDC provides in-depth, quality information and technical assistance to small businesses in order to promote business growth, expansion, innovation, and productivity. JSBDC uses CBJ grant funds to support new local jobs and increase economic activity in Juneau by continuing to provide free, confidential one-to-one business advising and professional business workshops.
Learn more about JSBD here.
Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) operates with a mission to perpetuate and enhance the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian cultures of Southeast Alaska. Its goal is to promote cultural diversity and cross-cultural understanding through public services and events. SHI is a nonprofit organization with a regional and statewide scope, reaching 70+ communities and 40,000+ beneficiaries in 2022.
CBJ provides SHI grant funds to support Celebration biennially. Celebration is one of the largest gatherings of Southeast Alaska Native peoples and is the second-largest event sponsored by Alaska Natives in the State of Alaska. The event draws about 5,000 people, including more than 2,000 dancers.
CBJ has provided SHI funds to support other community projects over the years including the Walter Soboleff Center and SHI’s Arts Campus in downtown Juneau. In fiscal year 2024, CBJ provided SHI grant funds to support the development and construction of its Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics Fab Lab/Makerspace in downtown Juneau.
Learn more about SHI here.
Tourism Best Management Practices (TBMP) is a cooperative effort of Juneau tour operators, cruise lines, transportation providers, and the City and Borough of Juneau. The TBMP program is intended to minimize the impacts of tourism in a manner that addresses both residents’ and industry concerns. By actively participating in this voluntary program, operators demonstrate their commitment to address important community concerns.
Learn more about TBMP here.
AJ Dock has operated in the port of Juneau since 2004. CBJ provides AJ Dock funding to support dock security as require by United States Coast Guard regulations, as well as funding for public restroom cleaning and maintenance.
CBJ provides Franklin Dock funding to support dock security as require by United States Coast Guard regulations, as well as funding for public restroom cleaning and maintenance.
Alaska Heat Smart is a nonprofit corporation working to provide heat pump consultation and financial assistance programs in Juneau. Heat Smart’s mission is to reduce the cost of living and increase the use of clean energy in Alaskan households by removing barriers to the adoption of energy efficiency measures and technologies like heat pumps. The program is based in Juneau, with volunteer leadership from your neighbors.
Alaska Heat Smart uses CBJ grant funds to fulfill the following services for the community:
- Facilitate installation of heat pumps and energy efficiency measures to demonstrate the benefits to consumers, the community, and the environment, in order to support broader adoption and contribute to community housing affordability and renewable energy goals;
- Use the above demonstration to refine the optimum approach, attract funding, and identify loan financing options for a long-term program that will deliver the greatest benefit to Juneau for reduced heating costs and carbon emissions; and
- Provide data to more clearly identify the impact on electrical demand and infrastructure of converting Juneau heating systems to heat pumps and ho wot manage demand growth.
Learn more about Alaska Heat Smart here.
In fiscal year 2024, CBJ provided Juneau Housing First Collaborative (Housing First) grant funds to support the development and construction of Phase III of the Juneau Housing First Collaborative Project that helps address homelessness in Juneau. Phase III would add 28 units of housing to the Forget-Me-Not-Manor facility.
Learn more about Housing First here.
The Juneau Nordic Ski Club (JNSC) is a non-profit organization run almost entirely by volunteers. JNSC enhances, develops and promotes Nordic skiing in Juneau through youth development, trail development and trail maintenance. In fiscal year 2024, CBJ provided funds to JNSC to support the purchase of new snow grooming equipment.
Learn more about JNSC here.
Juneau Climbing and Recreation (JCR), the non-profit organization that operates Juneau’s only indoor rock-climbing facility (the Rock Dump), works to inspire a lifelong pursuit of the outdoors in every generation through principal goals of promoting physical education for youth and encouraging indoor climbing to improve one’s strength and balance. In fiscal year 2024, CBJ provided grant funds to JCR for the initial design and planning of a new indoor rock-climbing facility.
Learn more about the Rock Dump here.
Agencies Providing Services on CBJ’s Behalf
Established in 1987 as a private, nonprofit corporation, Juneau Economic Development Council (JEDC) receives core funding from the CBJ while leveraging this investment to develop additional funds through strategic alliances with forward-looking businesses, community groups, and government agencies. JEDC’s programs and services stem from annual priorities set by the JEDC Board in alignment with the Juneau Economic Plan, as well as any special initiatives identified by the CBJ Assembly & City Manager’s Office directed to JEDC.
JEDC’s mission is to foster a healthy and sustainable economic climate in Juneau and throughout Southeast Alaska. In collaboration with other organizations, JEDC implements initiatives to maintain, expand, and create jobs and economic opportunities.
JEDC delivers on its mission through five areas of focus:
1) Help Make Juneau a Great (Capital) City
2) Strengthen Key Regional Industries
3) Develop Talent
4) Promote Entrepreneurship and Small Businesses
5) Deliver Economic Development Services
Learn more about JEDC here.
Southeast Alaska Association for the Education of Young Children (AEYC) has been providing leadership in early childhood education for over twenty years. Their membership and Board of Directors consist of parents, teachers, child care providers, school age staff, social service professionals, and anyone who recognizes the importance of the early years.
CBJ’s Assembly provides funding to AEYC for the following programs:
- Child Stipend Program
- Childcare Employee Stipend Program
- Hiring, Educating, and Retaining of Teaching Staff (HEARTS) Initiative
- Childcare Worker Apprenticeship Program
Learn more about SEAEYC here.
Travel Juneau (formerly the Juneau Convention & Visitors Bureau) is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to the visitor industry and its economic benefit to Juneau, Alaska. Travel Juneau’s primary goal is to increase the overnight stays of business and leisure travelers, who in turn support local businesses through their spending.
The City and Borough of Juneau and a partnership of more than 225 local businesses financially support Travel Juneau. A Board of Directors oversees the organization, which has a staff of six full-time and two part-time employees. Travel Juneau serves both CBJ and its partners by marketing Juneau as a destination and helping locally owned businesses market their services to visitors and potential visitors. Overall, Travel Juneau seeks to ensure that Juneau enjoys a more stable, sustainable economy year-round.
CBJ funds all or part of the following functions performed by Travel Juneau:
- Crossing Guards Program
- Destination Marketing
The Juneau Festival Committee is comprised of Juneau residents dedicated to providing a 4th of July fireworks display for the community. CBJ funds this firework display on an annual basis.
The Douglas 4th of July Committee is an all-volunteer organization that works to make Douglas, Alaska, a fun and friendly place to live, work, and play. CBJ provides annual funding to help accomplish this mission.
Learn more about the Douglas 4th of July Committee here.
Parents for Safe Graduation is a non-profit organization run by volunteers (normally parents of seniors or rising seniors from the Juneau School District). The “Safe Grad” event is held the night of school graduation ceremonies and is funded through donations from businesses, personal sources, and CBJ.
Learn more about Parents for Safe Graduation here.