ACE Fund board outlines strategic plan, hiring timeline and budget questions; data gaps and grant barriers flagged

The Anchorage ACE Fund board on Oct. 9 presented a draft three‑year strategic plan, detailed its executive director hiring process and reviewed a proposed budget that relies on marijuana‑tax receipts and existing fund balance, while assembly members and staff pressed for clearer data management and changes to grant processes.

The work session, led by Trevor Storrs, chair of the ACE Fund board, and Austin Quinn Davidson, the fund's interim executive director, covered hiring (30 applications received), proposed program spending and short‑term fixes intended to stabilize Anchorage childcare and early‑childhood services.

Board and staff said the strategic plan's aim is to stabilize the local childcare sector and position it for sustainable growth. “We brought together a group of folks … to really be transparent and making sure that there's ways for community members and those in the profession to be at the table,” Storrs said. The draft plan sets five strategic initiatives and expects a final plan to come to the board for approval on Nov. 6.

Why it matters: the ACE Fund is a municipal funding stream intended to support childcare and early childhood programs in Anchorage. Board members said current funding cannot fully close the sector's needs — estimates in the session put annual marijuana‑tax receipts in the roughly $5.5 million range, with earlier collections and rollovers making this year’s budget larger (board members referenced figures near $8 million to $8.7 million in total available funds).

Hiring and timeline: the board's three‑member hiring committee (Storrs, Khalil and Jesse) included interim Executive Director Austin Quinn Davidson in the review process and reported that applications were open four weeks and closed in September, yielding 30 applicants. The committee plans a two‑tier interview process: an initial round of roughly five to 10 interviews, then two to three finalists for more in‑depth interviews. The goal is to complete hiring by late…