Alaska Children’s Trust: Tier 2 – Innovation Grants

From Alaska Children's Trust

The mission of Alaska Children’s Trust (ACT) is to improve the status of children in Alaska by generating funds and committing resources to eliminate child abuse and neglect.

Type of Support

Overview

ACT’s Tier 2 Innovation Grants aim to stimulate the development and adoption of groundbreaking approaches and technologies to prevent child abuse and neglect. Projects funded by these grants can receive from $10,000 up to a maximum of $50,000 per year, for up to three years. The grants focus on introducing new ideas or enhancing existing programs with the goal of increasing their reach and impact, driven by data and the changing needs of the community. ACT encourages thinking in new and different ways to prevent child abuse and neglect. The grant program specifically targets three core areas for the prevention of child abuse and neglect: early childhood development, empowering youth, and building community resilience. Each area focuses on key aspects such as social-emotional development in early childhood, developing healthy relationships and sexual education for youth, and preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) while building resilience in communities.

Eligibility

Organization's Location
USA
Program Location
AK
Organization Type
Qualified 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations
Equivalent organizations located in the state of Alaska
Tribes
Local or state governments
Schools
Regional Educational Attendance Areas
Other
  • Located in the state of Alaska
  • Organizations that have received past awards and are in good standing are eligible to apply
  • Applicants with open ACT grants must be current on all grant reporting
  • Projects must be focused on one of the focus areas
  • No more than one Tier 2 LOI/application per organization is allowed at any given time
  • Organizations can receive a Tier 1 and Tier 2 at the same time, but funding must support separate programs/projects

Ineligibility

Individuals
For-profit organizations
501(c)(4) or (c)(6) organizations
Non-Alaska based organizations
Federal government agencies
Applicants with open ACT grants past due on any grant reports
Applications for religious indoctrination or activities, endowment building, deficit financing, fundraising, lobbying, electioneering, and political activities
Proposals promoting discrimination based on race, gender, marital status, sexual preference, age, disability, creed, or ethnicity
Expenses incurred prior to the grant award.
10k – 50k

Submission

Review Criteria

Alaska Children’s Trust prioritizes grants that focus on primary prevention and strengthening family units. This approach emphasizes the following essential elements:

  1. Encouraging community engagement and inclusion.
  2. Enhancing healthy parenting capabilities and fortifying family bonds.
  3. Tackling the social determinants contributing to an environment prone to Child Abuse and Neglect (CAN).
  4. Offering broadly accessible support and services.
  5. Leveraging and augmenting existing familial strengths for ongoing progress and development.
  6. Elevating parental leadership, enabling parents to access resources, support, and effective parenting strategies.
  7. Integrating insights from the Adverse Childhood Experiences study to mitigate trauma and enhance resilience.
  8. Advocating for interventions backed by evidence or demonstrating promising outcomes.

Furthermore, it supports the promotion of the five Protective Factors outlined by the Center for the Study of Social Policy, which emerged from a comprehensive analysis of research on young children:

  • Parental Resiliency: The ability to cope with stress and crises, backed by a supportive network, engendering problem-solving skills.
  • Social Connections: Established networks including family, friends, colleagues, and connections with other parents of young children.
  • Knowledge of Parenting and Child Development: Essential insights into child growth and development processes.
  • Concrete Support in Times of Need: Access to crucial community services, such as transport, food aid, job training, and mental health resources.
  • Healthy Social/Emotional Development: Fostering a nurturing environment where children feel loved, have a sense of belonging, and can interact amicably with others.