As Anchorage grapples with a visible and worsening homelessness crisis during a prolonged cold spell, a review of Mayor Suzanne LaFrance’s 2025 community grant awards shows that city funds were also directed this year toward a number of identity-based cultural, equity, and advocacy organizations. She gave out over $55,000 in taxpayer dollars to the DEI nonprofits.
Photos taken in downtown Anchorage during sub-zero temperatures show people sleeping on bare ground, wrapped in blankets and tarps, sheltered only by doorways and building overhangs.
The images were captured during a period when prolonged exposure can be life-threatening, and show the immediacy of the city’s street-level emergency.
An analysis of the mayor’s grant list, using the organizations’ own descriptions of their missions and programs, identifies 12 grants that clearly fall into the category of diversity, equity, and identity-based funding, meaning the funding is explicitly targeted to specific racial, ethnic, sexual-identity, or “marginalized” groups rather than to the general public or for life-saving measures.
Photo gallery: Anchorage treats its most desperate humans worse than dogs this winter
Here’s our analysis:
DEI-Oriented Grants Awarded by Mayor Suzanne LaFrance in 2025
• Alaska Coalition of BIPOC Educators – $4,450
Backpacks, after-school reading programs, and outreach for BIPOC students
• Alaska Federation of Filipino Americans, Inc. – $2,500
Healthcare access, leadership development, and cultural preservation for the Filipino community
• Asian Alaskan Cultural Center – $2,500
Cultural programming and community building for Asian Alaskans
• Alaska Native Heritage Center – $10,000
Intergenerational Alaska Native cultural programming for youth and elders
• Bridge Builders of Anchorage – $4,500
Multicultural food, dance, and cultural events
• Enlaces AK – $3,000
Rental, utility, and grocery assistance for Alaska’s Latino community
• HEART, INC. – $2,500
Hmong cultural festival and community exchange events
• Pacific Community of Alaska – $12,000
Culturally tailored services for Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander families, including DV/SA prevention
• Polynesian Association of Alaska – $4,500
Community forum focused on trust-building within the Polynesian community
• Project Alaska Inc. – $3,000
Trade and career development program for Ukrainian refugees
• UTOPIA Alaska (United Territories of Pacific Islanders Alliance) – $2,500
Community organizing and advocacy for queer and trans Pacific Islanders
• YWCA Alaska – $5,000
Programs centered on serving “marginalized neighbors”
Total DEI-oriented grant funding: approximately $55,950
The remaining grants were directed toward a mix of food banks, emergency preparedness, fire and rescue services, health care access, youth programs, festivals, and general community services. By dollar amount, most of the overall funding went to broad public services rather than identity-based programs.
However, the DEI-oriented grants were targeted by design, prioritizing cultural programming, advocacy, and identity-specific services during a year when unsheltered homelessness has become increasingly visible across Anchorage, particularly during extreme cold.
The downtown photos taken during this cold snap show no city outreach vans or emergency patrols present at the time they were captured, despite temperatures well below freezing. In several cases, individuals were sleeping within steps of public monuments and civic spaces.
While the city has discussed long-term housing strategies and future initiatives, those plans do not address the immediate risks faced by people sleeping outdoors during extended periods of extreme cold. The contrast between grant priorities and on-the-ground conditions has raised questions among residents about how public funds are being allocated during an ongoing humanitarian and public safety emergency.
The full list of grantees is provided here:
| AK Iron Workers | Maintenance and upgrades for spaces in Municipality parks for the Kenneth Haynes Memorial on Chester Creek Trail. | $4,000 |
| Alaska Coalition of BIPOC Educators | Provide students with backpacks filled with essential school supplies, coordinate the Winter Homeless Drive, after-school reading programs, and outreach efforts to maximize impact for BIPOC student. | $4,450 |
| Alaska Community Foundation – Chugach Park Fund | Scope, design, and construct trail improvements for popular trails within the Chugach State Park to improve safety, access, and enjoyment for visitors of all ages and abilities. | $4,500 |
| Alaska Eating Disorders Alliance | Implement a preventative, evidence-based health curriculum to help students build body confidence, creating protective support for youth mental health. | $3,150 |
| Alaska Federation of Filipino Americans, Inc. | Provide access to healthcare, technology training, leadership development, economic empowerment, and cultural preservation to the Filipino community. | $2,500 |
| Alaska Humanities Forum | Strengthen mental health and community connection among Anchorage high school students through 2-week, in-classroom storytelling workshops. | $5,000 |
| Alaska Native Heritage Center | Ensure Alaska Art Alliance’s space remains open to youth and elder participants in the Utuqqanaatmiñ (From Our Elders) Program to support intergenerational connections and cultural learning. | $10,000 |
| Alaskan AIDS Assistance Association | Provide overdose prevention through the distribution of naloxone, as well as sterile syringes and harm reduction supplies. | $10,000 |
| American National Red Cross – Alaska | Support the Home Fire Campaign: installing smoke alarms, helping families make escape plans, and teaching fire safety education to adults and children in homes and schools through our youth preparedness courses. | $4,500 |
| Anchorage Chamber of Commerce | Supporting the Community Care Kit program, which gives businesses and Anchorage community members tools to effectively respond to challenging on-the-ground situations. | $1,500 |
| Anchorage Cops for Community | AC4C and officers at Anchorage Police Dept coordinate with Anchorage School District employees, local shelters, Rural CAP, and more to bring over 500 kids in Anchorage a Christmas filled with not only gifts but also kindness and joy. | $6,750 |
| Anchorage Neighborhood Health Center | ANHC’s Behavioral Health Team offers short-term consultations to assist patients in preventing and managing illness, making informed health decisions, and fostering healthy lifestyles. | $12,969 |
| Armed Services YMCA | ASYMCA of Alaska provides community resources and critical services including health and resiliency programs for service members and military families, access to food and household goods, and early learning opportunities for children. | $2,500 |
| Asian Alaskan Cultural Center | Supporting cultural programming and community building for Asian Alaskans. | $2,500 |
| Beacon Hill | Support the Family Resource Center, which serves children and families involved in foster care and those at risk by providing tangible and essential items such as clothing, housewares, winter gear, and hygiene products. | $10,000 |
| Bean’s Cafe | Expand current disaster response capacity by installing an industrial generator donated to the organization by a local business. | $10,000 |
| Bridge Builders of Anchorage | Funds three programs that feature food, dancing, cultural entertainment, and art from dozens of different cultures, offering residents a chance to experience the world within their community, including the Meet the World Event, International Gala, and the International Potluck. | $4,500 |
| Catholic Social Services Alaska | Expand and strengthen Clare House’s comprehensive Shelter + Services program, a cornerstone initiative designed to break the cycle of homelessness for vulnerable women and children in Anchorage. | $13,500 |
| Christian Health Associates dba Anchorage Project Access | APA’s is the only health care safety net program of its kind in Alaska, serving uninsured individuals and families with limited financial resources by providing access to specialty medical, dental, and mental health counseling services through our network of volunteer providers. | $9,000 |
| Chugiak-Eagle River Chamber of Commerce | Supporting community and culture through the 2025 40th Anniversary Bear Paw Festival and 2nd Annual Spring into Summer Fair. | $5,000 |
| Enlaces AK | Support Enlaces AK to address needs such as rental assistance, utility payment, transportation costs, and grocery bills in Alaska’s Latino community. | $3,000 |
| Explorer Post 264 Anchorage Fire | Supporting the Anchorage Fire Explorers program, which in 2025 will offer 39 student explorers skills and training to support public safety. | $5,000 |
| Food Bank of Alaska | Launch the Emergency Food Preparedness & Resilience Program to strengthen Anchorage’s ability to respond to emergencies by ensuring a dedicated stockpile of long-shelf-life, shelf-stable emergency food. | $15,000 |
| Friends in Serving Humanity | Food for families in need throughout the Anchorage bowl. | $9,000 |
| GAI/Fur Rondy | Supporting the nation’s premier winter festival and organizational needs in 2025. | $5,000 |
| Girdwood Fire and Rescue | Gear for Girdwood firefighters and CERT Team members who work in rain and wet snow conditions to rescue and provide EMS care for community members on backcountry trails in Girdwood and Turnagain Arm. | $12,000 |
| Girls on the Run Southcentral Alaska | Empowering girls in grades 3-8- to recognize their inner strength, increase their level of physical activity, imagine their possibilities, and confidently stand up for themselves and others through the innovative integration of fun physical activities, life-skills lessons, and impactful community projects. | $3,500 |
| HEART, INC | Create dynamic spaces for cultural exchange and community-building including the Hmong Festival Celebration and a Summer Event at Town Square Park. | $2,500 |
| Hope Community Resources, Inc. | Updating their Community Safety and Emergency Preparedness program to ensure public use facilities have updated first aid and disaster response kits. | $3,362 |
| Keys to Life | Supporting young men through the challenges they face by providing proactive mentorship and essential resources to support their growth and well-being. | $6,000 |
| Mountain View Health Services | Mountain View Health Services’ (MVHS) homeless camp outreach program offers key medical care to those in need, in collaboration with the HOPE team and other agencies. | $50,000 |
| NeighborWorks Alaska | Provide public education and resources about food security, local food production, and building neighborhood connections in the Anchorage community. | $12,500 |
| New Life Development Inc. | Collaborative effort between New Life Development (NLD) and the Anchorage Police Department (APD) and other community leaders to tackle the growing issue of youth violence in our community. | $10,000 |
| Pacific Community of Alaska | Builds bridges between culture and health through dedicated Community Health Workers, domestic violence/sexual assault (DV/SA) prevention, and offering culturally tailored assistance to families of Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander (NHPI) descent for rental assistance, placement, case management, and basic needs in support of their decision to remove themselves from an unsafe environment. | $12,000 |
| Polynesian Association of Alaska | Hosting a public forum with law enforcement invited to build trust and understanding between people. | $4,500 |
| Project Alaska Inc. | Supporting Trade and Career Development Program for Refugees, with a strong focus on workforce integration for Ukrainian refugees. | $3,000 |
| Shiloh Community Housing | Help individuals and families build a solid foundation for sustainable housing and long-term success through services being planned and developed for SCHI’s Community Resource Center in Mountain View. | $2,500 |
| South Anchorage (Period Project) | Provide free period products to all ASD students, starting with elementary schools. | $2,000 |
| Special Olympics Alaska- Anchorage Community Prog | Cover the registration fees for state games and tournaments, as well as new uniforms for athletes and Unified partners who compete. | $7,750 |
| Salvation Army – Alaska | Support emergency preparedness planning and distribution of emergency supplies for vulnerable seniors in Anchorage. | $10,000 |
| UTOPIA (United Territories of Pacific Islanders Alliance) Alaska | Support for queer and trans Pacific Islanders through programs centered on community organizing, advocacy, civic engagement and cultural stewardship. | $2,500 |
| YWCA Alaska | YWCA Alaska hopes to build a community that supports all our neighbors, most importantly our marginalized neighbors. | $5,000 |
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One thought on “Listicle: While people sleep on cardboard, Anchorage Mayor’s DEI grants for 2025 supported identity organizations”
It’s not okay but it’s okay. These democrat leaders presiding over governments, non profits, and business, they’ll get their day when they will be held accountable for their choices. Same thing with the hobos, I wouldn’t doubt there are some hobos in Hell while some died like Lazarus whom experienced their bad things in this life but are now in safe in the arms of Jesus. Like they froze to death as Hans Christiansan story the little match girl heroine only to be ushered into Heaven’s warm embrace after freezing to death on England’s streets
The saddest thing is not what these leaders choose to do or not to do, the saddest thing is they and their families are ALL unChristian and are currently marked for hell just as any unrepentent sinner.
Our jobs aren’t to condemn but to focus on your own life and what are you doing personally that reflects Jesus at home. In your neighborhood, and at work; while telling people about Jesus or reminding people about Jesus that salvation is for everyone even for Lafrance if she can humble herself that low to receive it.
If you get too angry about what people should be doing or not doing you’ll go crazy