Supporting Grassroots Advocacy

Our approach: The Alaska Defense Fund

As the federal administration and Congress continue to roll back regulations protecting Alaska’s public lands and waters from the impacts of climate change and unsustainable development, large extractive industries are seizing the opportunity to target fragile, protected areas of the state, including some of Alaska’s most biologically productive and culturally significant wilderness.

During the past year, the Alaska Defense Fund has supported advocacy and legal defense efforts, especially in the Arctic Refuge, Bristol Bay and the Tongass National Forest, as these are under direct and immediate threat. Rapid response awards, awards for legal defense, and travel awards working toward conservation outcomes. 

A few examples include:

• $110,000 to Stand for Salmon to support strengthening Alaska salmon protection laws
• $63,788 to Trustees for Alaska for legal defense of Alaska public lands and waters
• $15,000 to Southeast Alaska Conservation Council for Tongass National Forest protection
• $15,000 to Earthjustice for legal defense of Alaska public lands and waters
• $10,000 to Trout Unlimited for organizing on the Pebble Mine project in the Bristol Bay area
• $10,000 to Alaska Longline Fisherman’s Association to safeguard the Magnuson-Stevens Conservation and Management Act
• $10,000 to Alaska Wilderness League in support of Arctic National Wildlife Refuge protection
• $10,000 to Cook Inletkeeper for organizing on the Pebble Mine project

This list represents a portion of the support the Alaska Defense Fund at Alaska Conservation Foundation has provided over the past year to defend Alaska’s public lands and waters. In the coming year, we expect the threats to build and the needs to grow.

In addition to our Alaska Defense Fund, we have many other grantmaking programs. Learn about them here: