Dear Supporter,

Happy Local Government Week in Alaska! Having just wrapped up the 60th Annual Alaska Association of Municipal Clerks Conference, alongside several affiliate professional gatherings, today is the launch of the Alaska Municipal League’s 75th Anniversary Annual Conference. This week offers a rare moment to honor and elevate the people who keep Alaska’s communities functioning every single day.

Across more than 230 communities, municipal and tribal local government professionals form the foundation of civic life. And among them, clerks are the heartbeat of our institutions. They run elections, safeguard public records, support councils and assemblies, maintain transparency, and provide continuity in communities facing significant demographic and workforce challenges. Alaska depends on these public servants far more than most residents ever see.

To help Alaskans better understand and appreciate this vital profession, Build Alaska’s Future Education Fund created ClerkStart, a storytelling initiative designed to elevate local government roles and inspire the next generation of civic leaders.

This week, in celebration of Local Government Week, we are on the ground at both AAMC and AML interviewing and filming clerks and other local government officials for a high-quality, five-minute video spotlight. Their experiences, insights, and deep pride in serving their communities are at the center of this work.

We are honored that the Rasmuson Foundation and RurAL CAP have already stepped forward with generous support. Their leadership has allowed us to begin capturing these stories—but additional support is needed to complete the project and ensure voices from across the state are included.

WHY YOUR SUPPORT MATTERS

To tell a truly statewide story, we must bring the film crew to rural Alaska, where clerks often carry multiple responsibilities and anchor some of the state’s most remote communities. These perspectives are essential to understanding the real challenges—and enormous value—of local government work in Alaska.

We are appealing to you to join the Rasmuson Foundation and RurAL CAP in supporting this effort.

Your contribution will help us:

• Bring the film crew to rural communities to capture these critical stories
• Complete and edit the five-minute statewide video
• Share the final film with schools, youth programs, civic organizations, and local governments
• Highlight workforce pathways in municipal and tribal government—roles Alaska urgently needs to fill

Your support also sustains the broader mission of Build Alaska’s Future: strengthening public trust, increasing transparency around federal investments, and developing a resilient civic workforce to support Alaska’s future.

THIS LOCAL GOVERNMENT WEEK, WILL YOU HELP US CLOSE THE GAP?

Please consider making a tax-deductible donation today to ensure these stories—from Anchorage to the most rural corners of the state—are captured and shared. Your gift, at any level, will make a meaningful impact and help build Alaska’s future.

Donate today at BuildAlaska.org/donate.

Thank you for supporting strong communities, transparent government, and the civic workforce that keeps Alaska moving forward.

Wishing you a warm and hopeful holiday season,

Veronica Slajer

Founding Board Member
Build Alaska’s Future Education Fund
www.buildalaska.org

Build Alaska’s Future Education Fund is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to transparency and public engagement around infrastructure investments across Alaska. By providing innovative tracking tools and highlighting impactful community stories, BuildAlaska.org supports sustainable economic growth and informed civic participation statewide. You can update your email preference here unsubscribe or write us at 645 G St #100-1122, Anchorage, AK 99501 or email us at [email protected].