Acting Mayor Austin Quinn-Davidson got her on June 22 when the Anchorage Assembly approved her request to award nearly $8.8 million in federal grants to a select group of Anchorage-based non-profits for loosely defined services “related to COVID.” Requesting the funding distribution was one of the acting mayor’s final acts before she vacates the mayor’s office for duly elected Dave Bronson. He takes over on July 1.

The multi-million dollar handouts come from federal funds that the State of Alaska issued to the Anchorage Health Department with the aim of improving COVID testing and vaccination and decrease health inequities. It also contains a catch-all purpose of funding “other COVID-19 related recovery and prevention strategies.”

The following groups received funding.

Alaska Literacy Program

$238,937 to work with English language learners to “increase trust of the COVID-19 vaccine,” to assist with vaccine access, and to provide “accurate health information.”

Alaska Black Caucus

$1,154,500 for community outreach, education, data collection, vaccine clinics and “other services” related to COVID.

Anchorage Neighborhood Health Center

$2,447,984 to support staff training, facility renovation, equipment and technology upgrades, client engagement to improve COVID vaccine, testing and mitigation efforts.

Conquer Covid Coalition

$1,260,000 for public engagement campaigns and increase testing and vaccinations.

United Way of Anchorage

$3,682,417 which the group can regrant to other organization that it deems in need of COVID related funding.

Click here to support Alaska Watchman.