Denali Commission 2023 Funding Opportunity Announcement Final Project Recommendations

On February 2, 2023, the Denali Commission (Commission) published a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Work Plan and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) Program Grants. The objective of this opportunity is to aid rural Alaska communities in developing or improving infrastructure. The Commission sought grant applications for an assortment of projects.

By the application deadline, April 17, 2023, the Commission received 195 applications that passed an initial threshold review requesting a total of $161,436,917. The conclusion of this process is expected to produce over $30 million in awards to 75 projects via a combination of FY 2023 annual appropriations and IIJA funds in accordance with the Commission’s approved workplans.

Federal Co-Chair Garrett Boyle stated “the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the efforts of the Alaska Delegation continue to yield benefits for rural Alaska. I’m happy to announce 75 awards totaling nearly $34 million in funding to partners across the state. These grants will assist communities build energy projects, meet transportation needs, fund economic and workforce development efforts, and more. Thank you to Senator Murkowski, Senator Sullivan, and Representative Peltola for their work in supporting the Commission in Congress, and to the Commissioners – Julie Kitka, Tyson Gallagher, Pat Pitney, Joelle Hall, Alicia Amberg, and Nils Andreassen.”
“The strong response to the FOA illustrates the urgent needs of rural Alaska for transportation infrastructure and maintenance and the role that the Denali Commission has in the coordination of Federal, State and Local governments in bringing their collective resources together to fund these needs,” said Charles Pool, Denali Access System Program Advisory Committee (TAC) member, Ketchikan, Alaska.

“The grant applications the reviewed were impressive and demonstrated that Alaska has continued infrastructure needs that need to be addressed.” said Loren Leman, P.E., TAC member. “Our TAC was able to meet in-person for final reviews for the first time in many years, adding value to the challenging process of selecting projects to fund among the many quality applications. ”

Recommendations included IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS; MORE DETAIL IS IN THE TABLE BELOW:

Broadband: Statewide

Community Buildings: Buckland, Levelock, and Old Harbor

Economic Development: Projects impacting rural regions, Chugach region, Haines, Nondalton, and Sitka

Energy: Akhiok, Chitina, Grayling, Naknek, and Nulato

Health and Community Wellness: Arctic Village, Ekwok, Galena, Ketchikan, Mary’s Igloo/Teller, Nenana region, and Tatitlek

Housing: Projects impacting rural regions, Middle Kuskokwim region, Solomon/Nome, and Sitka

Transportation: Shishmaref, Unalakleet, Ketchikan, New Stuyahok, Angoon, Shaktoolik, Tanana region, Koliganek, Aleknagik, Chenega, Juneau, Nulato, Allakaket, Healy Lake, Copper Valley, Port Clarence, Diomede, Yakutat, Cordova, Seldovia, Emmonak, False Pass, Akiak, Nanwalek, Craig, Tatitlek, and Metlakatla

Village Infrastructure Protection (VIP): Ekuk, White Mountain, Bethel region, and Kivalina

Water and Sanitation: Kwigillingok, Norton Sound region, and Statewide

Workforce Development: Matanuska-Susitna Borough region, Noatak, Nome region, and Statewide

TABLE 1: FINAL FY2023 FOA RECOMMENDATIONS

Broadband

1.

Alaska Federation of Natives

Tribal Library Computer Center Network

Community Buildings

1.	Northwest Arctic Borough School District	Buckland School HVAC and Energy Upgrades
2.	Levelock Village	Tribal Offices and Council Building Renovations
3.	Alutiiq Tribe of Old Harbor	Nuniaq Community & Tsunami Center

Economic Development

Energy

1.	Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium	Nulato Nulato Biomass Project Gap Funding
2.	City of Akhiok – Energy	Solar Generation Infrastructure Design/Engineering and IPP Project
3.	Chitina Electric Inc	Fivemile Creek Hydroelectric Project
4.	Alaska Village Electric Coop Inc	Grayling Three-Phase Conversion
5.	Naknek Electric Association Inc	Naknek Electric Renewable Energy

Health & Community Wellness

1.	Dena Nena Henash	Mary C. Demientieff Subregional Health Center Construction
2.	Native Village of Mary’s Igloo	Mary’s Igloo (Teller) Community Development Center
3.	Galena Village	Swimming Pool and Activity Center
4.	Ekwok Natives Ltd	Ekwok Community Wellness Facility
5.	Chugachmiut	Tatitlek Clinic Renovation
6.	Ketchikan Indian Community	KIC Navigation Center
7.	Council of Athabascan Tribal Governments, Inc.	Arctic Village Clinic Replacement Gap Funding

Housing

1.	Alliance For Sustainable Energy LLC	NREL Bio-insulation for Alaska
2.	Rural Alaska Community Action Program, Inc.	Rural Housing Sweat Equity Program
3.	Sitka Community Development Corp	S’us’Heeni Shaak Community Development
4.	Village of Solomon	VOS/KINC Affordable Housing Development Project
5.	TKC Fish Wheel	Affordable Housing Solutions Using Local Resources

Transportation

1.	Native Village of Shishmaref	Sanitation Road Erosion Protection
2.	Native Village of Unalakleet	Foothills Drive Design & Engineering
3.	Cape Fox Corporation	George Inlet Cannery Development Project
4.	Bristol Bay Native Association, Inc.	Qacarmiut Subdivision Road Design
5.	Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium	Angoon Street Repaving and Utility Rehabilitation
6.	Kawerak Inc.	Shaktoolik Community Streets
7.	Tanana Chiefs Conference	Tanana Connectivity Feasibility Study
8.	Cape Fox Corporation	North Coon Cove & Mahoney Lake Road
9.	Bristol Bay Native Association, Inc.	Koliganek to Aleknagik Road Study
10.	Ketchikan Gateway Borough	Parks Master Plan: Trails
11.	Tanana Chiefs Conference	Regional Dust Control
12.	Native Village of Chenega	Chenega Roads Rehab & Resurfacing Design & Permitting
13.	Tlingit Haida Regional Housing Authority	Kowee Creek Transportation
14.	Nulato Tribal Council	Nulato Waterfront Transportation Improvements & Equipment
15.	Allakaket Village	New Subdivision Road
16.	Healy Lake Village Council	Road Improvement Project
17.	Copper Valley Economic Development Council Inc.	Regional Planning Organization Transportation Planning Assistance
18.	Bering Straits Native Corporation	Port Clarence Mooring Project
19.	Kawerak Inc.	Diomede Harbor Design
20.	Yakutat City & Borough	Small Boat Harbor Project
21.	Cordova, City of	South Harbor Reconstruction
22.	Seldovia Village Tribe	Seldovia Bay Ferry Dock Implementation Plan
23.	City Of Emmonak	Emmonak Dock Storage Project
24.	Ketchikan Gateway Borough	Loring Dock Stabilization Design
25.	False Pass, City of	False Pass Harbor House Construction
26.	Akiak Native Community	Akiak Boat Landing Alternatives
27.	Homer Spit Properties LLC	Nanwalek Barge Landing
28.	Shann-Seet Inc.	Community Dock Project
29.	North Pacific Rim Housing Authority	NPRHA Tatitlek Dock Renovation Engineering & Design
30.	Metlakatla Indian Community	Emergency Small Boat Launch Annette Bay

Village Infrastructure Protection

1.	City of White Mountain	Excavator Purchase
2.	Bethel Community Services Foundation, Inc.	Unit 4 Multi-tribal Hazard Mitigation Planning Activities
3.	Bristol Bay Native Association, Inc.	Ekuk Emergency Coastal Erosion Mitigation
4.	Native Village of Kivalina	Master Relocation Implementation Project

Water and Sanitation

1.	Native Village of Kwigillingok	Water Storage and Intake
2.	Zender Environmental Health & Research Group	Unmet Waste Management Needs of Rural Alaska
3.	Norton Sound Health Corp	Water & Sanitation Deficiency Project List

Workforce Development