Ketchikan grants committee hears presentations from 19 nonprofit applicants, elects chair

Members of the Ketchikan Gateway Borough Grants Committee heard presentations from 19 nonprofit organizations seeking borough grant funding and elected Glenn Thompson as committee chair during the meeting.

Committee economic development coordinator Peter Amelon told members 19 applicants had been forwarded to the committee and the total funding requested was $352,004.71, which he said was “about just under $48,000 under the total funding for the program this year.” He said staff recommended capping the program at $400,000 for the year after recent growth in the fund.

The presentations covered a range of community services. Ketchikan Killer Whales swim club board member Tiffany Cook described a 50-year-old program that serves 54 swimmers ages 6 to 18 and stressed year-round programming and volunteer development, saying the club has been “active in the community since 1973.” She said a current priority is training more certified officials so local meets can be sanctioned and times count for regional qualification.

Jen Brown, executive director of the Ketchikan Agricultural Producers Association (CAPA), outlined a phased plan to build a 13 million food hub at the Saxon Seaport and requested borough support for an initial…