Rural Alaska Community Action Program, INC.

Contact Information

731 E 8th Avenue
Anchorage, AK 99501

(907) 865-7358

Focus Areas

Community & Nonprofit Development
Disability
Education & Youth
Environment
Health & Nutrition

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Year Founded 1965
Legal Form 501c3

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MISSION:

To empower low-income Alaskans through advocacy, education, affordable housing and
direct services that respect our unique values and cultures

VISION:

Healthy People, Sustainable Communities, Vibrant Cultures.

About Us
The Rural Alaska Community Action Program, Inc. (RurAL CAP) is a private, statewide, nonprofit organization
established in 1965. Governed by a 24-member Board of Directors, RurAL CAP is one of the largest and
most diversified nonprofit organizations in the state. For 50 years, RurAL CAP has promoted self-sufficiency in
Alaska, fulfilling the mission to improve the quality of life for low-income Alaskans through education, training
and providing direct services. The organization offers programs that find positive, culturally responsive
solutions to local issues by focusing on measurable results and actively engaging community members.
With the vision “Healthy People, Sustainable Communities, Vibrant Cultures,” RurAL CAP builds capacity in
partnership with local communities through the delivery of quality services and program management. Head
Start, Weatherization, AmeriCorps and Supportive Housing continue to be the largest programs.

The agency operated on $43 million in fiscal year 2015, which included $35 million for nonprofit services and
$8 million for its for-profit subsidiary, Rural Energy Enterprises. Although RurAL CAP’s central office is located
in Anchorage, the majority of its employees, as well as the majority of its Board members, live and work in
rural Alaska. During 2015, RurAL CAP employed 727 people in 60 communities statewide.

For the next fifty years, the lives of many Alaskans will continue to be touched in some way by the people and
programs of RurAL CAP. Strong leadership, partnerships and dedicated staff will help ensure our programs
are sustainable. As for the next 50 years, we will remain focused on fulfilling our vision of healthy people,
sustainable communities and vibrant cultures.
Our Impact
As the only Community Action agency in Alaska, RurAL CAP was founded in 1965 and marked its 50th anniversary in 2015. For the past 50 years, the lives of tens of thousands of Alaskans have been touched and improved by the people and programs of RurAL CAP. Programs like Head Start, weatherization, affordable housing, and job training have helped communities throughout Alaska. RurAL CAP’s success during the past fifty years is due to our many leaders, strong partnerships and dedicated staff. We are grateful to local, tribal, municipal, regional and other organizations who work to build sustainable communities. Partnerships complement and strengthen, rather than duplicate available expertise and resources. Many of RurAL CAP’s partnerships are working for our communities and help ensure continued services.

As we look back at our rich history, we see a wide range of organizational accomplishments and results including:
• Providing opportunities for Alaska Native leaders to participate in the settlement of land claims;
• Strengthening tribal governments and protecting subsistence hunting and fishing rights;
• Serving more than 30,000 children in Head Start and Early Head Start;
• Providing over 2 million nutritious meals to Head Start children;
• Weatherizing more than 10,000 homes statewide;
• Improving the electrical energy-efficiency of more than 2,000 homes through Energy Wise;
• Developing 234 units of affordable and permanent supportive housing in Anchorage for individuals with
limited credit and rental history and the homeless;
• Serving 557 individuals at Homeward Bound, a transitional housing facility for the homeless;
• Building 50 Self-Help Homes for families in the Kenai area; providing first-time home buyers an opportunity
for affordable home ownership;
• Providing more than 1.5 million hours of service through VISTA and AmeriCorps programs to 100 communities
statewide focusing on capacity building, energy efficiency and wellness;
• Co-hosting the Rural Providers’ Conference for 32 years by embracing traditional Alaska Native knowledge
and leading the sobriety movement;
• Providing services to more than 18,000 low-income Alaskans annually and serving as the state’s largest
partner for Head Start, AmeriCorps and Weatherization programs;
• Providing 250 small grants to rural communities through the RurAL CAP Foundation; and
• Supporting more than 350 local Toyostove dealers and small businesses through our for-profit wholesale
distributor, Rural Energy Enterprises.