ALASKA INSTITUTE FOR JUSTICE RECEIVES $2 MILLION GIFT FROM THE YIELD GIVING OPEN CALL
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (March 19, 2024) – Alaska Institute for Justice (AIJ) was one of the highest scoring organizations which applied for the Yield Giving Open Call and receives $2 million to support AIJ’s critical human rights work in Alaska.
Today, MacKenzie Scott’s Yield Giving announced Alaska Institute for Justice as one of the Yield Giving Open Call’s awardees working with people and in places experiencing the greatest need in the United States. The Alaska Institute for Justice received $2 million.
AIJ’s bold community-led work advances human rights and equity through legal services for immigrant and limited English proficient survivors of human trafficking, domestic violence and sexual assault, language access, and justice work with Alaska Native communities threatened by impacts of a rapidly changing climate. AIJ celebrates its 19th year doing this critical work for Alaskans and is the only non-profit in Alaska which provides immigration legal services and also trains bilingual Alaskans to work as interpreters and translators.
In March 2023, Yield Giving launched an Open Call for community-led, community-focused organizations whose explicit purpose is to enable individuals and families to achieve substantive improvement in their well-being through foundational resources.
“AIJ is deeply grateful for this gift which will significantly increase AIJ’s capacity to serve Alaskans who are experiencing some of the greatest needs within the United States from the devastating impacts of climate change and the highest rates of domestic violence and sexual assault in the nation. Protecting human rights and working towards equity for Indigenous and underserved remote communities are AIJ’s core values to ensure all Alaskans can be safe and resilient.”
The Open Call received 6,353 applications and initially planned for 250 awards of $1 million each. In the Fall of 2023, organizations top-rated by their peers advanced to a second round of review by an external Evaluation Panel recruited for experience relevant to this cause, and underwent a final round of due diligence. In light of the incredible work of these organizations, as judged by their peers and external panelists, the donor team decided to expand the awardee pool and the award amount. “We are excited that our partnership with Yield Giving has resonated with so many organizations,” said Cecilia Conrad, CEO of Lever for Change. “In a world teeming with potential and talent, the Open Call has given us an opportunity to identify, uplift, and empower transformative organizations that often remain unseen.”
Contact:
Robin Bronen, JD, PhD Executive Director robin.bronen@akijp.org 907-441-5917