ANCHORAGE, Alaska (December 2, 2020) The Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority (Trust) funds the microenterprise grant program that supports self-employment opportunities for Trust beneficiaries. The Trust works in partnership with the University of Alaska Anchorage Center for Human Development, which administers the program and provides business plan development support at no cost.
Trust microenterprise grant funds may be used for costs associated with starting a new business, expanding a current business, or acquiring an existing business. To be eligible for this program, a business must meet the definition of a microenterprise, which is a business with total capital needs of not more than $35,000 and fewer than five employees. The microenterprise grant program typically funds 20-25 Trust beneficiaries each year. The types of businesses funded vary widely and have included service businesses such as hair salons, residential/commercial cleaning, and animal care services, as well as sales of art, crafts, and photography.
An applicant must be a Trust beneficiary, meaning that they experience a mental illness, substance use disorder, developmental disability, Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia, or traumatic brain injury.
Grant applications are accepted twice a year. The next deadline is January 27, 2021.
“The Trust microenterprise grant program supports our belief that integrated, meaningful employment opportunities go a long way in improving outcomes for our beneficiaries,” said Mike Abbott, CEO of the Trust. “We have seen tremendous success among our prior program participants, and we know this success benefits not only individual grant recipients, but their local economies.”
Interested applicants should visit alaskamentalhealthtrust.org/microenterprise
for more information about the program and eligibility.
Contact: Allison Biastock, Chief Communications Officer Allison.Biastock@alaska.gov 907.334.2531