The Alaska Airlines Foundation is donating $162,500 to 15 nonprofit organizations in Alaska, Hawaii and Washington.
Its 2016 donations total $307,500 to 27 organizations, the largest amount given in the history of the organization.
In the second round of grants this year, funds will support nonprofits including the Alaska Development Corporation, which supports STEM educational and teacher training efforts throughout Alaska, including FIRST Robotics and STEM summer camps and workshops.
“This year marks the largest number of donations provided in the nearly 20-year history of the Alaska Airlines Foundation,” said board chairman Joe Sprague. “Our goal is to make a meaningful impact in these communities and to invest in their futures.”
The Alaska Airlines Foundation was established in 1998 as an independent 501c (3) nonprofit organization as a way to supplement Alaska Airlines’ overall corporate giving program, which last year donated $12 million in cash and in-kind support to charities throughout the airline’s system. Each year, the Alaska Airlines Foundation distributes cash grants to nonprofit organizations in Alaska, Hawaii and Washington that support education and workforce development efforts. Applications are reviewed twice a year, and applications for 2017 are due April 15 and Sept. 15.
