The cornerstone of Fishability Alaska will be a custom-built 37-foot landing craft, which is currently being built at Homestead Skiffs, a local boat-building shop. The vessel features innovations explicitly designed for accessibility, including a fold-down bow for beach landings, double-wide doors that meet the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 requirements, and flush deck-to-cabin transitions to accommodate wheelchairs and mobility devices.
Two Southeast Alaska businesses – Sitkana and Ravens Nest Regalia – have been selected as the winners of the 2024 Path to Prosperity Competition. Each winner will be awarded $20,000 to grow their businesses.
Secure your spot at the 2025 Southeast Alaska Farmers Summit, explore new opportunities to join the Spruce Root team, discover what it means to be a Native CDFI, and explore career pathways at the Angoon Community Career Fair.
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has announced that Spruce Root Inc. has become SBA-approved microlender in Alaska. Spruce Root is the first SBA Microlender to be founded and headquartered in the State of Alaska. This designation opens new doors for small business owners across the state, providing them with greater access to capital and resources to grow their ventures.
Resilience Circles hosted there second intensive, three-day participant retreat for Indigenous entrepreneurs. Participants engaged in an array of in-person works sessions covering personal and business financial planning, marketing and branding, physical health and nutrition, Indigenous values exploration talking circle.
We hope you are as excited for fall as we are. Spruce Root is offering a Business Basics for Artists workshop for all Southeast Alaska residents and Sealaska shareholders. The Sustainable Southeast Partnership catalysts connect through virtual culture camp and Lingít traditions. Some of our team members presented at U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola's forum on solutions to Alaska's outmigration crisis.
In September, U.S. Rep. Mary Sattler Peltola hosted a convening on outmigration to explore challenges and solutions related to rural-to-urban migration in Alaska and to the Lower 48. Topics included climate change, food security, housing, economic development, and education. Sustainable Southeast Partnership Deputy Director Shannon Stevens and Program Manager and Regional Catalyst for Workforce Development Michael Mausbach, shared success stories, covering workforce development and advocacy for Native CDFI funding.
Twelve Path to Prosperity Business Competition finalists gathered at the Jorgenson House in Juneau to participate in a three-day intensive, where they learned about creating a business plan, the importance of financial projections and important customer service advice. During these highly interactive sessions, finalists engage with Spruce Root facilitators, local business leaders who serve as mentors and each other as they grow a support network for each business.
Haley grew up in the Lower Hudson Valley region in New York and will be working with Spruce Root as the Community Development Fellow through the Alaska Fellows Program through May of next year. She attended Middlebury College in Vermont, where she earned a B.A. in environmental studies and geography.
As fall descends upon us here in Southeast Alaska, the rain and fog settles in for the season and things start slowing down. We’re also celebrating the addition of Haley Goodman, who joins us through the Alaska Fellows Program. We also say thank you to our Path to Prosperity Business Competition facilitators, sponsors and partners for helping us host another in-person intensive with this year’s finalists cohort.
In early September, the Sustainable Southeast Partnership (SSP) hosted the Home Planet Fund, which donated $1 million to the Seacoast Trust. Home Planet Fund is a philanthropic initiative that supports environmental sustainability, climate resilience, and community-driven solutions, investing in projects that protect natural ecosystems and foster renewable energy development.
As we celebrate the three-year anniversary of its launch, we are excited to announce that we have met a quarter of our goal to raise $100 million for the Seacoast Trust and now it is time to double it. Let's get to $50 million!
Learn how to deliver exceptional customer experiences with Spruce Root and the Disney Institute’s proven approach to service excellence. Celebrate with us as the Seacoast Trust reaches a significant $25 million milestone. Don’t miss out on the first-ever Southeast Alaska Emerging Leaders Summit in Sitka — a chance for young professionals to connect, learn and grow.
Explore opportunities to fuel your startup success with a loan tailored just for you. Learn key strategies for better money management with our Financial Wellness course in Craig. We also celebrate Holly Adams on the grand opening of Muskeg Munchkins in Juneau and highlight the Youth Stewards in Kake as they kick off their season with skill-building workshops. Plus, Marc Wheeler shares insights from the national Finance Forum to enhance Spruce Root's impact.
