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 ice-making facility. Brown said the ice project would cost $67,008.62 and that CAPA had applied to the Ketchikan Community Foundation (about $12,000) and the Rasmussen Foundation (about $35,000) as additional funding sources. She projected the facility would serve about 20–30 sport-fishing users per week during peak season and 5–10 commercial fishermen in its first season.

Other applicants described services and budgets in detail: Catholic Community Services’ Southeast Senior Services’ Mary Ann Mills said the senior nutrition program delivered 10,484 hot meals last year to 166 seniors and requested $25,000 to cover staff wages, food and administrative costs; she said anticipated food costs alone would be about $52,000 this year. Alaska Legal Services executive director Maggie Humm said the statewide nonprofit closed 27 cases for Ketchikan residents in fiscal 2024, generating measurable income gains and retroactive SNAP benefits for clients; Humm described the borough-funded project as elder and family law advocacy covering housing, benefits and safety matters.

Arts and youth organizations also presented: Ketchikan Theatre Ballet president Nikki Suamala said tuition covers roughly 54% of the school’s income and last year the program awarded about $22,000 in scholarships to local students; First City Players’ executive artistic director Elizabeth Nelson and Ketchikan Area Arts and Humanities Council director Kathleen Light summarized ongoing performances and a new downtown makerspace, respectively. Youth-focused programs that presented included Residential Youth Care’s after-school CAP program, Ketchikan Youth Court, Rendezvous Senior Day Services, and the Ketchikan Softball Club, which said it operates without membership fees and fields players ages 8–18 for year-round play and travel tournaments.

Smaller and newer organizations described niche services: Ketchikan Kitten and Mother Rescue president Nicole Collins said the group had helped about 63 felines since spring 2024 with neonatal and trap-neuter-return work and that grant dollars would mainly cover medical and neonatal care not already supported by the humane society. Special Olympics coach Terri Holderman and the Ketchikan Junior Shotgun League’s Warren Lee described athlete and travel needs; Ketchikan Committee for the Homeless (Path Shelter) treasurer Gary Boatwright said his $20,000 request would go primarily to utilities.

Committee members asked clarifying questions about budgets, service gaps and project timelines. For example, Mills was asked whether the senior meals program faced service gaps; she said drivers and staffing changes had created short-term vulnerabilities but that the center was recruiting additional drivers and coordinating checks on seniors’ well-being. Brown answered questions about CAPA’s pro forma revenues and multiple grant applications for the ice facility.

Committee chair nomination and vote: Committee member Palmer nominated Glenn Thompson for chair; the motion was seconded by Abby Massman and carried on a roll call vote recorded as Palmer yes, Shaw yes, Bradbury yes, Thompson aye and Massman yes. The committee moved on to schedule and process matters after presentations.

Next steps: Peter Amelon asked committee members to return scoring sheets by close of business Tuesday the 25th and said the committee will meet again Wednesday, April 2, to finalize funding recommendations for the borough assembly. The assembly will consider the committee’s recommendations in a work session on April 21 and the recommended total will be included in the borough budget introduction in May.

The committee adjourned after member comments thanking presenters and encouraging applicants to apply in future cycles.