The Alaska Humanities Forum seeks active change-makers and community leaders, listeners and storytellers, fund raisers and friend raisers from across the state to join its board of directors. Board members can offer diverse perspectives, but are all committed to encouraging dialogue and sharing the stories that move us and make us Alaskans.
 

The board sets the Alaska Humanities Forum's policy and direction, and board members raise funds and strengthen the organization's statewide network of partners. The board meets quarterly (with additional committee work conducted via conference call or in person), and members serve a three-year term with the possibility of reelection to a second term.
 

Using the form below, you may apply to the board yourself, or nominate someone else to be a board member. 

Once elected, Board Members are expected to:  

Mission

• Determine, understand, and support the organization’s mission.
• Be knowledgeable about the organization’s major programs.
• Convene and participate in long range visioning and strategic planning to ensure the organization’s future ability to carry out its mission.

Financial

• Establish fiscal policy and boundaries, including budgets and financial controls.
• Make a meaningful annual gift commensurate with personal ability.
• Assist in fundraising by, for example, identifying prospective donors, personally asking others to make a contribution, signing thank you notes, or making thank you phone calls to contributors.

Management

• Set policies for the organization’s operation and guide its general course from year to year.
• Select,  evaluate and, if necessary, terminate the appointment of the chief executive.
• Ensure that the provisions of the organization’s charter and the law are being followed.
• Attend meetings in person or via Zoom.
• Serve on at least one committee of the board.
• Recommend qualified individuals with relevant skills and experience as possible nominees for the board.

Important as it is to understand what the duties of directors include, it is equally important to understand what they do not include.

Directors should not:

• Engage in the day-to-day operation of the organization.
• Hire staff other than the chief executive.
• Make detailed programmatic decisions more appropriately left to staff.

Please be sure to inform the candidate that the selection process involves several stages and is affected by a number of factors that do not in any way reflect on the quality of his or her candidacy. These qualifying factors vary from year to year, and candidates who are not selected for this year’s slate may be invited to remain in the pool for future consideration.

HUMANITIES AWARDS The awards for Distinguished Service to the Humanities are presented by the Alaska Humanities Forum (AKHF) to recognize those Alaska individuals and/or organizations whose efforts have contributed to telling the stories of our past, present, and future, and whose work has helped build a more culturally diverse, economically vibrant, and equitable Alaska where people are engaged, informed, and connected. These awards honor the well-established -- as well as the lesser known -- that have stepped up and made an impact in our communities and our state. Eligibility is open to any individual, organization or institution that has made a significant contribution to the humanities in Alaska, with the exception of current AKHF Board members, staff, or prior Award recipients. A list of prior awardees can be found here. For questions, please contact Polly Carr, pcarr@akhf.org. 

 2027 Humanities Award Categories

• Education: This award recognizes an Alaska individual or organization that has helped strengthen communities by contributing to a better understanding of the world, one another, and the human experience. 
• Leadership: This award recognizes an Alaska individual or organization that has helped strengthen communities through their commitment to improve Alaska's social, economic, and civic life.    
• Community: This award recognizes an Alaska individual or organization that has helped strengthen communities by forging connections between people across race, class, and cultural divides. 
• Rising: This award recognizes an emerging Alaska individual or organization whose work connecting Alaskans through stories, ideas and experiences is already making a profound impact on our communities. 

ARTS AWARDS      Each year, these awards are offered by the Alaska State Council on the Arts (ASCA). Eligibility is open to any individual, organization, or institution that has made a significant contribution to the arts in Alaska, with the exception of current ASCA Council members, staff, or prior Award recipients. A list of prior awardees can be found here.  For questions, please contact asca.info@alaska.gov.

2027 Arts Award Categories

• Individual Artist Award: This award is for an individual who demonstrates artistic leadership and has received recognition based on merit and contribution to Alaska and/or their community. The nomination clearly shows that the individual has exhibited significant and successful impact on the arts in Alaska.
• Alaska Native Arts Award: This award is for an individual or organization that has successfully advanced Alaska Native languages or cultures through their work. The nomination demonstrates that the individual or organization’s efforts have significantly improved the preservation, perpetuation, and active practice of Alaska Native arts.
• Arts Education Award: This award is for an individual or organization that demonstrates a long-standing dedication to arts education in Alaska. The nomination clearly shows that the individual or organization has significant and successful impact on arts education in Alaska.
• Outstanding Arts Organization: This award is for organizations that have made a notable contribution to the arts and community development in Alaska. The nomination clearly shows the organization has long-standing, significant and successful impact on the arts in Alaska.

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