ACE Fund board reviews 2025 program results, sets 2026 RFPG timeline

The ACE Fund board reviewed 2025 program results, discussed lessons learned about grant timing and reimbursement, and approved a five‑week RFPG posting for 2026 with technical assistance and an evaluation committee.

Dr. Jessica Parker, superintendent of Little Mountain Movers Academy in East Anchorage, urged the board during public comment to simplify the bid submission process and to prioritize incentives for infant and toddler care. "It was quite the hardship for a lot of centers to go through the process, and I would just encourage a friendlier system that didn't utilize the same system that Muni uses for construction bids," Dr. Parker said.

Austin (speaker 5) provided a year‑in‑review for 2025, describing four primary ACE Fund programs: operational assistance (operated by Thread), early‑educator childcare subsidies (operated by Alaska Family Services), pilot & capital grants, and the Anchorage School District Title I early education program.

Key 2025 outcomes

- Operational assistance: Thread distributed a one‑time payment in summer 2025 that reached nearly 200 eligible organizations across Anchorage; staff reported broad use of funds for staff wages, rent/mortgage, utilities, insurance and equipment.

- Early‑educator childcare subsidies: $1,250,000 was allocated for the subsidy program operated by Alaska Family Services; payments began in June 2025 and 81 participants enrolled in year one. Austin reported about $844,000 in spending in year one with approximately $400,000 of unobligated funds that will return to the ACE Fund and be available for future awards.

- Pilot & capital grants: $2,000,000 was allocated in 2025 for pilot and capital projects. The health department issued an RFPG, received 48 applications by May 15 and recommended 20 awards. Awards ranged from roughly $15,000 for small facility improvements to about $224,000 for a project with the Anchorage School District. Fifteen of 20 projects spent all awarded funds; one project did not start and returned its allocation.

- ASD Title I programming: $2,000,000 supported eight high‑quality pre‑K classrooms in Title I schools, staffed with certified teachers and paraprofessionals and supported by a teacher expert and a mental health consultant; students were selected by lottery using risk factors such as homelessness.

Staff responses and policy adjustments

Board members asked why some awarded projects did not spend all funds. Austin and Carlos (Muni staff) explained that a late release of funds and long shipping timelines to Alaska constrained project schedules; staff said one project never started and returned $68,000. To reduce future reimbursement burdens, the 2026 RFPG will allow applicants to request up to 25% of award funds up front and support rolling payments where appropriate.

2026 RFPG and committees

Christina (speaker 2), who has recently taken a board/staff role, said the 2026 pilot & capital RFPG total is $1,125,000; pilot award requests may range $25,000–$200,000 and capital requests $5,000–$200,000. The RFPG will be posted for five weeks (shortened from six last year) and will include technical assistance (AgnewBack contract) and outreach materials to help applicants use Bid Express. Christina named the RFPG evaluation committee as herself, Mildred Parker, Chuck, Nolan and Issa from Rasmussen and said the board plans to establish a data & evaluation committee to measure program impact.

Board closure

Members generally praised the data and the United Way presentation that followed (see separate article). The meeting adjourned at 10:41.

Next steps: staff will post the RFPG, finalize technical assistance materials, return unspent 2025 funds to the ACE fund for future awards, and circulate final pilot project reports as they come in.