The goal of the Cultural Heritage Grant Program is to support organizations in the Bristol Bay region that engage BBNC shareholders, descendants and community members through a wide range of educational activities promoting, preserving and celebrating our Alaska Native cultural heritage and way of life.

There are two programs to support eligible entities in the Bristol Bay region and grant awards through both programs range from $1,000 to $5,000:

Cultural Heritage Grant Program – to support projects and activities by organizations in the Bristol Bay region focused on:

• Preservation, practice and teaching Native languages of Bristol Bay.
• Native knowledge, history, skills and practices.
• Cultural activities, traditions, subsistence, traditional arts and crafts, dance, history.

or

Native Place Names Grant Program  – to support projects and activities by organizations in the Bristol Bay region focused on:

• Documentation of traditional names of Bristol Bay communities, rivers, lakes, mountains, hills, bays, beaches and other physical features
• Stories, oral histories, research and pronunciations of traditional places

Eligible entities are now welcome and encouraged to submit a proposal for consideration. The 2018 guidelines and application for both grant programs can be found at the bottom of this page under Related Items.

NEW FOR 2018:

Rolling Application Submission: To be more responsive to community needs and activities, applications to the Cultural Heritage and the Native Place Name grant programs are now accepted on a rolling basis throughout the calendar year. Applications can be submitted throughout the year and award decisions will be made on a quarterly basis. In most cases, applicants will be notified of a funding decision within 6-8 weeks after the application is received at the BBNC Education Foundation. We hope that this change will allow additional flexibility for project planning and implementation throughout the calendar year. We do recommend applicants plan activities that would take place 3-6 months after the date the application will be received by the BBNC Education Foundation. Please allow 6-8 weeks for proposal review.

Annual Eligibility: Organizations are now eligible to apply for – and receive – a maximum of ONE (1) award under both grant programs, per calendar year. Current grantees with an open grant must submit a final report for their existing grant before a new proposal is submitted.

At any time during the application process, you are welcome and encouraged to contact Ricardo Lopez, BBNC Education Foundation Program Officer, with questions or for additional assistance. He can be reached at: (907) 265-7852 or email: rlopez@bbnc.net.

If you would like to receive a hard copy of the application materials, please email us at bbncef@bbnc.net.