Mayor Suzanne LaFrance is proud to announce that the National Park Service has awarded the Municipality of Anchorage a $500,000 grant aimed at revitalizing its rural communities through historic preservation, heritage tourism, and job creation.

The program funding is specifically tailored toward the rehabilitation of culturally significant sites. The program targets rural areas with a population center of 3,000 or fewer, located at least 25 miles from downtown Anchorage. Key areas include the Native Village of Eklutna, Indian, and Girdwood, each rich in cultural heritage but facing unique preservation challenges.

“This grant represents a tremendous opportunity for our rural areas, allowing us to celebrate and preserve our history while creating jobs and growing our economy,” said Mayor LaFrance. “We are committed to ensuring that all areas of the Municipality, including those that are often overlooked, benefit from sustainable, long-term investment.”

The Municipality will award 5 to 7 subgrants, ranging from $25,000 to $75,000, to property owners, including private, public, nonprofit, and educational entities.

This project is being supported by the Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Program Grant from the Historic Preservation Fund administered by the National Park Service, Department of the Interior.

This marks the first time Anchorage has been eligible for the Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grant Program.

The LaFrance administration established a Grant Development Office last year to target unique funding opportunities for Municipal projects. The office identified the grant opportunity, applied, and advocated successfully for the Park Service to revise its definition of “rural” to include underserved areas of the Municipality. This success underscores the value of the Municipality’s investment in the new office.

To receive the subgrants, properties must be eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) and demonstrate potential for economic revitalization through heritage tourism and job creation to ensure long-term benefits for the community. Each subgrantee will be required to provide a 10% match and enter preservation easements to ensure long-term protection of the areas.

For the next year, the program’s focus will be on program development and outreach to educate property own