Marketplace application period opens
The 2012 Alaska Marketplace Competition application process opened May 18. This year’s theme, Investing in You, draws upon the power of the individual. By investing in you, Alaska Marketplace helps create jobs in rural Alaska one at a time. Individual Alaskans and nonprofit organizations are invited to apply to compete for seed money.
Younger Alaskans, 18 years and under, are invited to compete and share ideas by submitting a written or video essay.
All applicants must address the theme, Investing in You, and one of the subthemes. This year’s subthemes are:
Sharing Knowledge: Innovative ideas to encourage life-long learning and collaboration. Much of the knowledge necessary to improve life in rural Alaska already exists. Applicants under this subtheme should promote the exchange and documentation of ideas. Potential businesses/projects might include: documenting culture, new ways to teach trades and skills and creative language programs.
Building Partnerships: New and inventive plans to develop partnerships with existing organizations to expand current, or create new, programs, services and products. Applicants might propose partnerships with tribes, Alaska Native corporations, schools, military operations, housing authorities or any other organization with the capacity to expand upon the applicant’s idea.
Finding Opportunity: Practical use of untapped opportunities at or near home to create village enterprises. Residents of rural Alaska know better than anyone what makes their communities unique. Applicants are encouraged to take a step back from day-to-day life and identify opportunities at hand. Each community is different, one may need a village-based store, another a taxi service, or even a simple way to reduce the cost of living.
Perpetuating Tradition: Fresh ideas to incorporate traditional activities into for-profit and nonprofit business ventures. Rural Alaskans perpetuate tradition every day; Alaska Marketplace is seeking applicants with ideas for new ways to market traditional foods, arts, handicrafts or to share with others the joy of rural Alaska living through tradition-based tourism.
Applications will be judged on cultural heritage, benefit to rural Alaska communities (economic stimulation/job creation and community benefit), innovation and sustainability/profitability.
Business/nonprofit idea applications are due Aug. 3, after which finalists are announced. Essays from finalists are due Sept. 28.
Between August and October finalists will prepare an implementation plan with support from mentors and the Alaska Marketplace team. The final competitive event coincides with the Alaska Federation of Natives convention on Oct. 18-20 in Anchorage.
An online application is at www.alaskamarketplace.org, and paper applications are available by contacting info@alaskamarketplace.org, phoning 907-274-3611 or faxing 907-276-7989.