Empowering communities, celebrating careers and fostering connections
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This month, we're thrilled to announce that Spruce Root is actively seeking a passionate individual to join us as a Community Economic Development Fellow, furthering our mission to drive positive change and sustainable development.
In addition, February is not just about chilly weather and cozy sweaters – it's also Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month! This presents an excellent opportunity for us to acknowledge and appreciate the importance of career-focused education in shaping the future workforce.
Building strong connections is essential for personal and professional growth, and we're proud to be a part of initiatives that foster collaboration, empowerment and solidarity among women in our community.
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Southeast Conference and Spruce Root seek proposals for microgrants
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Southeast Conference and Spruce Root are soliciting proposals from eligible Southeast Alaska organizations for microgrants that further Southeast Alaska Sustainability Strategy’s (SASS) goals of supporting a diverse economy, conserving natural resources and improving community resilience.
Two types of projects can be proposed: preliminary project development or organizational capacity building.
- Preliminary project development proposals will advance a promising SASS-related idea into a more mature state ready for a larger grant application or revenue-generating activity. Proposals should identify specific project concepts and describe how a microgrant will be used to advance the project.
- Capacity-building proposals can address a variety of topics that will increase operational capacity such as leadership development, organizational development, strategic planning, collaboration and community engagement and effectiveness evaluation.
Both types of proposals should be aligned with the goals of SASS and be conducted in a collaborative fashion with other entities in the region or community.
Selected proposals will be funded for a timeline of up to six months. Microgrants will range in amount from $5,000 to $15,000, with projects outside that range not considered for funding.
Organizations must meet the following requirements to qualify for the microgrant:
- Be a registered nonprofit, local government, Tribe, or Alaska Native Corporation.
- Have an existing project or scope of work in the Southeast Alaska region and be working on strengthening community, ecological, and environmental resiliency in a collaborative fashion.
The deadline to apply is March 15.
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Photo by Bethany Sonsini Goodrich
Spruce Root’s Shaelene Grace Moler, left, joins Southeast Alaska Sustainability Strategy Storytelling Specialist Lee House and Kake Community Catalyst Hank Copsey on Prince of Wales Island in October to tour restoration work performed by the Klawock Indigenous Stewards Forest Partnership and Alaska Youth Stewards crew.
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Spruce Root is hiring a Community Economic Development Fellow
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The Alaska Fellows Program nurtures the next generation of Alaska-based leaders.This fall-to-spring residential fellowship program nurtures the next generation of Alaska-based leaders by pairing talented young people with strong communities and professional mentors, including Spruce Root.
As part of this program, Spruce Root is hiring a Community Economic Development Fellow. This position supports projects that improve Spruce Root’s ability to attract and support clients across all programming.
Specifically, the fellow may be involved in supporting the small business support and lending programs by conducting needs assessments, market research or support in the piloting of new supporting programs.
The Fellow may also be responsible for managing the development and design of marketing materials and storytelling pieces including the development of media posts and short stories, videos, and short multimedia business training tutorials and Spruce Root marketing collateral.
Fellows receive housing, a $1150 monthly living stipend and a $500 relocation stipend.
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Photo by Lee House
Spruce Root and Sustainable Southeast Partnership visited with the Angoon Alaska Youth Stewards (AYS) crew to share a Financial Wellness Workshop with young people and participate in Tlingit & Haida's AYS end-of-season wrap-up.
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February is Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month!
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Every February, the career and technical education community observes Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month to increase awareness of the role that CTE programs and practitioners play in fostering individual and community career success.
CTE Month provides an opportunity to celebrate the accomplishments and work of our CTE partners and stakeholders at the local, regional and state levels.
Regional Workforce Development Catalyst Michael Mausbach plays a big role in CTE through their role with the Sustainable Southeast Partnership. Michael offers 1-1 career coaching, work readiness training, soft skills workshops and program consultation.
Michael grew up on Coast Salish land in Washington State. They earned their undergraduate degree in global studies and international relations with a focus on diplomacy from The Evergreen State College.
Michael has been a guest in Sheet’ka Kwaan (Sitka) for the last decade and has experience in both the non-profit and for-profit sectors managing programs centered on workforce and economic development.
Interested in exploring your own career? Don’t hesitate to reach out to schedule free 1-1 career coaching today!
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Photo by Shaelene Grace Moler
Female-identifying leaders from across Southeast Alaska gathered in Sitka, Alaska, for the second annual Womxn in Leadership Retreat to explore the many realms of leadership and how it appears in our daily lives.
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Retreat builds space for women’s network to support each other
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Connecting, empowering, and restorative — Spruce Root hosted and gathered with female-identifying leaders from the Sustainable Southeast Partnership for the second annual Womxn in Leadership Retreat. Participants explored the many realms of leadership and how it shows up in our daily lives.
With representation from Sealaska and First Alaskans Institute in addition to the Spruce Root team, female-identifying leaders spent a memorable week learning and sharing about all the cycles that occur in our day-to-day life, how to effectively track and understand them, and live and work within them.
Hormone health, stress management, nourishment and nutrition and a variety of meditation and grounding exercises were discussed and practiced throughout the three days.
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Thank you to all our partners, supporters, donors and communities for continuing to share in our vision for the region!
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Spruce Root is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). Our services for small businesses include coaching, training and lending for startup enterprises, working capital, business expansion, leasehold improvements and other business capital needs. We are a driver of a regenerative economy across Southeast Alaska so communities can forge futures grounded in this uniquely Indigenous place.
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