April 16, 2026, Seward Folly Staff
The Seward Community Foundation awarded its 2026 annual grants this past week, continuing its mission to strengthen local non-profits and enhance the quality of life in the Seward and Moose Pass communities. At a ceremony held this past Saturday evening at the Tidewater Taphouse, organizations gathered to receive grants of up to $12,000 to support vital community programs.
As an affiliate of The Alaska Community Foundation, the Seward Community Foundation plays a crucial role in the region’s development through strategic grantmaking. The Foundation’s endowment generates returns that are reinvested directly into the community, funding initiatives across health, education, human services, arts and culture, youth programs, and community development. A local advisory board, comprised of community members who understand the unique challenges and opportunities facing Seward and Moose Pass, guides these investments to ensure they align with current community needs.
5th-Grade Field Trip and Seward Arts Council receive grant awards. Photos by Tamara Filipovic
Below is the script used by the Seward Community Foundation Board Members when announcing the awarded grants.
Lowell Point Fire: $4425
Lowell Point Fire Department serves not only the Lowell Point area but also response for mutual aid for Seward and the Bear Creek Area. These funds will be used to match a Code Blue grant for essential medical devices and will purchase pump and hose testing equipment.
This project was funded with:
Seward Community Foundation Fund
Larson Family Fund of the Seward Community Foundation
Margaret A. Anderson Fund of the Seward Community Foundation
UAF Tsunami Bowl: $3970
Tsunami Bowl
The Tsunami Bowl is a yearly statewide ocean science event for high school students. This event challenges students to apply science, problem-solving, and teamwork to real-world ocean issues. These funds will satisfy costs for venues for the competition and the end-of-event banquet.
This project was funded with:
Seward Community Foundation Fund
Paul and Sharon Rupple Fund of The Seward Community Foundation
Seward Elementary: $2472
5th-Grade Field Trip Expenses
These funds will supplement what Seward Elementary 5th-Grade students have fundraised for and will support all 5th-grade students in attending the 3-day KMTA outdoor environmental science event in May. This event is co-hosted by the Chugach Forest Service.
This project was funded with:
Seward Community Foundation Fund
Seward Wellness Fund
Seward Prevention Coalition: $10,000
Youth 360
Youth 360 provides community assessment and programs for the youth in Seward and Moose Pass. These funds will pay for the membership fee for the Icelandic Model, which provides the assessment and evaluation tools utilized by the program.
This project was funded with:
Seward Community Foundation Fund
Dieter Family Endowment Fund for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Teen Suicide
Tsunami Swim Club Swimmers, Sara Schuh and Callie Bacon with KMTA, Seward Volunteer Fire Dept. receive grant awards. Photos by Tamara Filipovic
Seward Prevention Coalition: $10,000
Seward Education Advocacy
The Seward Education Advocacy group is dedicated to improving the education of local students. This grassroots program seeks to provide innovative ideas that provide relevance to the students’ education. These funds will provide for a coordinator who will link high school students with apprentice opportunities around town.
This project was funded with:
Seward Community Foundation Fund
Larson Family Fund of the Seward Community Foundation
Seward Prevention Coalition: $10,000
Children’s Museum
This is the second year that the Children’s Museum offers an interactive learning experience for 3- to 9-year-olds. These funds will be used to replace consumables and to build a rotation of exhibits.
This project was funded with the
Seward Community Foundation Fund
Seward Arts Council: $6225
Artists in School
The Artists in School project has now expanded to include all schools in the Seward and Moose Pass area. It provides the opportunity for students to work with local artists in a wide range of disciplines.
This project was funded with:
Seward Community Foundation Fund
Kaanta Community Fund for the Beautification of Seward
Margaret A. Anderson Fund of the Seward Community Foundation
Ralph and Anne Hatch Family Arts, Music and Education Fund
Kenai Mountains Turnagain Arm National Heritage Area: $6000
Summer Camp for Youth
KMTA offers summer camps for local students to have adventures and build lasting connections to the area. One, which is land-based and offered to grades 1-5, is called Path Finders. The other is Coastal Connections, in which middle school students explore local coastal ecosystems.
This project was funded with:
Seward Community Foundation Fund
Seavey Family Fund for Outdoor Education and Recreation
Marathon Wrestling Club: $8500
Travel for Wrestlers
Marathon Wrestling Club includes over 60 youth from elementary to high school ages. The club has had a high degree of success with students winning state titles and going on to national competitions. This grant provides funds for students to stay in hotels during the 9 meets.
This project was funded with:
Seward Community Foundation Fund
Seward Health Clinic, Friends of Caines Head and Arts in the School receive grant awards. Photos by Tamara Filipovic
Seward Prevention Coalition: $10,000
Transitional Housing
Seward Prevention Coalition (SPC), through Seward’s Safe Harbor Domestic Violence Sexual Assault program, currently operates a “Safe Stay” program, which provides up to three nights in local hotels for those experiencing DVSA crisis. The goal is to empower victims of violence and/or sexual assault to achieve safe, stable, local housing and help facilitate the transition for their families, so that they and their children can remain in Seward, living with dignity in their home community.
This project was funded with:
Seward Community Foundation Fund
Dieter Family Endowment Fund for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Teen Suicide
Kenai Mountains Turnagain Arm National Heritage Area: $12,000
School Year Programming including Fresh Air Fridays, Outdoor School, and Snow School
KMTA’s year-round youth education programs use the outdoors as the primary classroom, offering hands-on experiences encouraging exploration of local landscapes. The program helps kids build an appreciation of the region’s cultural and natural significance while instilling a sense of responsibility for the places where they live and recreate.
This project was funded with:
Seward Community Foundation Fund
Seavey Family Fund for Outdoor Education and Recreation
Seward Arts Council: $8500
Annual Block Grant
This grant will provide season-wide support for a coordinated slate of 2026 arts programming that includes performing arts, literary events, and community theater. The project responds to a clear community need for consistent, accessible arts experiences.
This project was funded with:
Seward Community Foundation Fund
Seward Arts Council: $12,000
Summer Arts Camp
Seward Arts Camp Series will be collaborating with community organizations to offer two arts camp opportunities this summer. An Arts Camp (performing and visual arts) in late June and a Music Camp (bluegrass/music foundations) offered in late July. The latter is an effort to revitalize the Bluegrass camp, previously offered in Seward.
This project was funded with:
Seward Community Foundation Fund
Kaanta Community Fund for the Beautification of Seward
Ralph and Anne Hatch Family Arts, Music and Education Fund
Tsunami Swim Club: $8580
Training Equipment
This grant will provide funds to pay for the rental costs for the pool and to purchase strength and conditioning equipment. This will allow the Tsunami Swim Club to meet the needs of a growing number of athletes and provide a safe, effective training environment.
This project was funded with:
Seward Community Foundation Fund
Seward Fire Dept: $4882
KnoxBox
This project will equip the Seward Volunteer Fire Department with KnoxBox Med-Vaults to securely store narcotic medications required for Advanced Life Support (ALS) interventions. These secure vaults will ensure that critical medications are immediately accessible to authorized responders while maintaining strict control, accountability, and compliance with medication security standards.
This project was funded with:
Seward Community Foundation Fund
City of Seward Unrestricted Fund
Seward Elementary: $2000
Ski Lions
The proposal is to purchase ski equipment for the Elementary Ski-Lions program. The Ski-Lions is an after-school Nordic ski program for 4th– and 5th-grade students. Each season, 30-40 students participate, but in the past have had to share gear. This grant will ease that situation.
This project was funded with:
Seward Community Foundation Fund
Seavey Family Fund for Outdoor Education and Recreation
Seward City Transport: $12,000
Winter Bus
This program will provide fare-free, reliable, and accessible public transportation throughout Seward, addressing critical mobility gaps faced by residents and families.
This project was funded with the
Seward Community Foundation Fund
Friends of Caines Head: $7,200
Trail maintenance
This proposal provides funds to secure one seasonal trail crew member to carry out planned trail, vegetation, and infrastructure projects in conjunction with Alaska State Parks. Volunteers from the community will be involved in the project to improve access to the Tonsina and Caines Head area.
This project was funded with:
Seward Community Foundation Fund
Seward Arts Council: $12,000
Administrative Capacity
The proposal funds administrative and operational capacity to support essential internal systems such as scheduling, communications, board coordination, financial tracking, and documentation. This support reduces administrative burden on volunteer board members and program leaders, allowing SAC to operate more consistently, respond to opportunities, and plan responsibly.
This project was funded with:
Seward Community Foundation Fund
Seward Health Clinic: $12,000
EKG Machine
These funds will be used to replace the current unreliable EKG equipment with a modern, clinically reliable unit that meets the standard of care. Doing so will allow providers to promptly evaluate patients presenting with symptoms such as chest pains and shortness of breath.
This project was funded with:
Seward Community Foundation Fund
Barbara and Frank Dieckgraeff Memorial Fund for Seward Seniors
Leave a Reply