The Rasmuson Foundation has announced grants totaling $8.7 million in support of nonprofits in Alaska, including a five-year, $5 million commitment to strengthen philanthropy in the state.

The largest fourth-quarter grant ever awarded by the Anchorage-based foundation will support efforts of the Alaska Community Foundation affiliate program to boost giving by local donors, develop funds for community-focused projects, and help local leaders raise up and develop solutions to problems in their communities. "Already, eleven communities have joined the program and created local funds that support important projects like playground upgrades, rescue equipment, and care for seniors," said Rasmuson Foundation president and CEO Diane Kaplan. "Additional communities now will receive support to create their own local funds."

The remaining $3.7 million includes support for several long-standing initiatives, including the foundation's Sabbatical Program, which will receive $585,000 over three years to provide resources to nonprofits and tribes so that executive leadership can disengage from work and recharge; the Recover Alaska partnership, which was awarded $1.2 million over three years in support of its efforts to change public attitudes in the state about drinking and reduce the harm caused by alcohol abuse; and the Dental Health Aide Therapist program, which was awarded $475,000 for its rural training program. Four other projects — a homeless shelter, a community gathering space, a crisis treatment center, and a science center — received the go-ahead thanks to funding from the foundation