Alaska Center

The Alaska Center reports its top three donors are the Sixteen Thirty Fund, League of Conservation Voters, and Tides Advocacy Fund, all 501(c)(4) left-of-center advocacy groups. ⁶ The Alaska Center also has a 501(c)(3) sister organization, the Alaska Center Education Fund.

Background

The Alaska Center receives a large amount of its funding from the Sixteen Thirty Fund and the League of Conservation Voters. ^{7  8} The Alaska Center also has a charitable sister organization, the Alaska Center Education Fund, which contributes a large portion of the group’s total budget. ⁹

Advocacy Efforts

The Alaska Center campaigns for multiple election-related left-of-center policies including automatic voter registration, ranked choice voting, and making it easier to vote by mail. ¹

The group is also opposed to the SAVE Act, which would require proof of citizenship to register to vote, claiming that many Alaskans do not have identification that meets the legislation’s requirements. ¹⁰

In addition to advocating on election-related issues, the group has advocated for an increase in the minimum wage and for requiring employers to give employees sick days, arguing that “A just economy includes all of us and protects workers–this ballot measure is one step we can take towards that better future!” ¹¹

The group advocates raising taxes on companies which produce conventional sources of energy and aims to expand the production of weather-dependent energy. ¹²

The group also advocates the creation of a renewable portfolio standard which requires Alaska to generate a certain percentage of its electricity from environmentalist approved weather-dependent sources of power. ² The group also advocates the creation of a state-funded “Green Bank” which would subsidize the expansion and development of weather-dependent energy. ²

The Alaska Center has an elections program where it focuses on electing its endorsed candidates and issue stances. The group has a political action committee (PAC), Our Home Our Future, which spends on behalf of its endorsed candidates. The group works with its sister 501(c)(3) group, the Alaska Center Education Fund, on civic engagement and voter outreach projects. ^{13  14}

The Alaska Center has a climate and clean energy program which focuses on getting supporters of environmentalist-approved weather dependent energy elected to utility boards across the state. In addition, the group aims “to champion effective policies that prioritize renewable energy, climate solutions, and a diverse, sustainable economy” and lobbies all relevant bodies in the Alaskan state government. ¹⁵

As of March, the Alaska Center’s salmon and clean water program’s focus was the restoration of the Eklutna River. The group is a member of the Eklutna River Restoration Coalition and advocates for the removal of hydroelectric dams to restore the river flow for salmon. ¹⁶

Funding

According to the Alaska Center’s 2024 tax return, the group had $1,519,587 in revenue, $1,250,732 in expenses, and $876,773 in net assets. ¹³

In 2024, the group received $75,000 from the Arabella Advisors administered Sixteen Thirty Fund. ⁷ The group received $331,700 from the League of Conservation Voters. ⁸ The group received $650,790 from its sister group, the Alaska Center Education Fund. ⁹

In past years, the Alaska Center has stated that their top three donors are the Sixteen Thirty Fund, League of Conservation Voters, and Tides Advocacy Fund. Other major donors include the Alaska Conservation Foundation, the Brainerd Foundation, and the Harder Foundation. ¹⁷ The Alaska Conservation Foundation has given a total of $3,116,580 from 2003-2016, with the notable gap year of 2012. ¹⁷ The Brainerd Foundation has given $713,300 in 1999, 2001-2004, 2006-2013, and 2015. ¹⁷ Finally, the Harder Foundation has given $703,000 from 2000-2017 with gap years in 2006 and 2012. ¹⁷

Leadership

As of 2026, Chantel de Alcuaz was the co-executive director of the Alaska Center and the Alaska Center Education Fund. She previously worked in fundraising for Alyse Gavin’s (I-AK) campaign for the U.S. House of Representatives in 2018. ¹⁸

As of 2026, Victoria Long-Leather was the co-executive director of the Alaska Center and the Alaska Center Education Fund. She was previously a teacher before joining the group. ¹⁸

Board of Directors

As of 2026, Gavin Dixon is the board chair of the Alaska Center and was working as a project manager for the Division of Environmental Health and Engineering at the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium. ¹⁹

As of 2026, Carly Dennis was the vice chair of the Alaska Center. At that time, she was working as a staffer in the Alaska legislature. ¹⁹

As of 2026, Harry Need was the treasurer of the Alaska Center. At that time, he was also serving as vice president of the South Addition Community Council and has held past leadership roles on the Fairview Community Council and with the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Alaska Chapter. ¹⁹

As of 2026, Sally Rue was a board member of The Alaska Center since 2018 and was formerly its vice chair. Before this, she served as special assistant for natural resources in the Alaska Governor’s Office from 1977-1982, and as chief of staff for former Alaska Lieutenant Governor Fran Ulmer (D) from 1995-2002. ²⁰ She served as director for the Alaska Initiative for Community Engagement from 2003-2014. ²⁰

As of 2026, Genivieve Mina was a board member of the Alaska Center and had been on the board since 2019. As of 2026, she concurrently worked as a communications specialist for the Alaska Primary Care Association, a health policy nonprofit.  ²⁰

As of 2026, Breanna Kakaruk was a board member of the Alaska Center. At that time, she was working in the Alaska legislature as the chief of staff and committee aide focusing on criminal justice and public safety policy. She previously worked in a diversity and equity center. ¹⁹

As of 2026, Dave Musgrave was a board member of the Alaska Center and had been since 2024. He is a retired professor. ¹⁹

As of 2026, Griffin Plush was a board member of the Alaska Center and had been since 2015. He was one of 15 plaintiffs who sued the state of Alaska demanding action to address climate change in a case known as Sinnok v. Alaska which was dismissed. ¹⁹