Save the Date: SSP Spring Retreat 2025! Join us in beautiful Sitka, Alaska from April 22-24 for three days of connection, collaboration, and community at Harrigan Centennial Hall. Get ready for local flavors from 'Our Town' Catering (Chef Edith's food is legendary), meaningful conversations, and the magic that happens when our network comes together. Registration is open until March 14th! While attendance is free, we welcome sliding scale donations for those able to contribute with a recommended amount of $150. Ready to join us? Register here: https://lnkd.in/gH2GVHwt! Questions? Email shaelene@spruceroot.org #SustainableSoutheast #AlaskaCommunity #Sitka #CommunityDevelopment #SSP2025

In early November, Tribes and communities came together in Kodiak for an Adapt Alaska's Coasts workshop hosted by Kodiak Area Native Association and Chugach Regional Resource Commission. Designed as a project accelerator, the event focused on addressing coastal hazards. With support from Spruce Root’s Izzy Haywood and Alaska Conservation Foundation’s Northern Latitudes Partners program, participants built connections, advanced projects, and explored nature-based solutions rooted in trust and collaboration. This workshop will expand to Southeast Alaska, Bristol Bay, and the Aleutians this year, bringing communities together to take action on coastal challenges. Stay tuned for upcoming dates. #ClimateSolutions #NatureBasedSolutions #CommunityAction

This is a really exciting opportunity to join REAP as part of the Sustainable Southeast Partnership, a thriving collective of partners across Southeast Alaska who work together to promote resilience and opportunity throughout the region. Some of my most rewarding work over the past two years has been with SSP and our powerhouse catalyst Clay Good, who spent decades serving Southeast as an educator. Apply for the chance to work with two awesome teams to help accelerate the energy transition in Southeast!

“It’s been refreshing to have a federal agency willing to explore a new way of deploying financial resources that utilize local financing hubs (like Spruce Root) to support a more effective deployment of that capital. We are excited to continue this momentum and center community based needs with other federal agencies as well as the private and philanthropic sectors" ~ Spruce Root Executive Director Alana Peterson. The Tongass National Forest Plan Revision is taking shape with substantial local input, thanks to a strategic partnership between Spruce Root and the U.S. Forest Service and support from a variety of other local organizations. Through 25+ community workshops and extensive public engagement, Southeast Alaskans are helping shape the next 15-20 years of Tongass management. The photo is of a breakout group brainstorming during a 2023 visioning session hosted by the U.S. Forest Service’s Alaska Region. The convening brought together 30 representatives from federal agencies, leaders from Central Council Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska (CCTHIA), and regional organizations to focus on the Southeast Alaska Sustainability Strategy and the future of land management and rural economic development in the region. From left to right: Raymond Paddock III (CCTHIA), Alana Peterson (Spruce Root), Sara Doyle (National Park Service, Glacier Bay National Park), and Ann Fischer (U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service). "Forest health is foundational to our way of life" - this powerful message emerged from the "Voices of the Future", the recent findings document on the 2024 public engagement reflecting the deep connection between our communities and these lands. 📋🌲 Read all updates in this month's column by Southeast Alaska Sustainability Strategy Storyteller Lee House and findings from 2024 in 'Voices of Our Future.' 🔗Read 'Voices of Our Future' https://lnkd.in/grV6f-eN 🔗 Read the story https://lnkd.in/gnwF56rU Photos and story by Lee House, Sitka Conservation Society #TongassNationalForest #SustainableDevelopment #CommunityEngagement #communitydevelopment #localpriorities #sustainablesoutheast

Spruce Root is excited to announce a new position in 2025: the Arctic Willow Advisory Group Program Manager. Established in 2024, the Arctic Willow Advisory Group is a group of Alaska Native leaders with the goal of regranting Chorus Foundation funding called the Sinew Fund in the state of Alaska. Spruce Root is hiring a Program Manager to maintain the administrative and overall coordination of the Sinew Fund and the Advisory Group going forward and ensure that the project continues over the next 10 years. Responsibilities include the identification and development of new investments, projects and initiatives that align with the fund investment decisions of Arctic Willow Advisory Group. In addition to working with partners statewide, the position also is responsible for representing Spruce Root within Southeast Alaska communities to achieve the objectives of the organization. Deadline to Apply: January 31, 2025 Join our team! Find out more and apply at spruceroot.org/careers. Photo by Lione Clare. About Spruce Root Spruce Root, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) creating a sustainable future for Southeast Alaska’s people, communities and environment. We are shifting the paradigms of power to support localized economies grounded in Indigenous values and ways of living. Spruce Root is a team of ambitious people dedicated to a new way of working in our region; working collaboratively with others, prioritizing family and well-being, and honoring our ancestors while building for the future. As a federally-certified Native CDFI, Spruce Root works to create positive change and equitable access to economic development through financial products and services to individuals in Southeast Alaska. Other programs include Path to Prosperity, workforce development, community planning and facilitation, and the administration of the Sustainable Southeast Partnership (SSP) and the Seacoast Trust.

“In our current financial system, often the people and projects at the ground level have limited access to the financial resources needed to make critical progress and decisions that are best for the people and environment in that place,” said Spruce Root Executive Director Alana Peterson. “It’s been refreshing to have a federal agency willing to explore a new way of deploying financial resources that utilize local financing hubs (like Spruce Root) to support a more effective deployment of that capital. We are excited to continue this momentum and center community based needs with other federal agencies as well as the private and philanthropic sectors.”

Aangóon, Angoon Surrounded by old-growth forest, Angoon is home to around 450 year-round residents. It is located on Admiralty Island, home to the highest density of brown bears in North America. Lingít culture thrives through day-to-day harvest and traditional activities, potlatches and community celebrations. Angoon is surrounded by nearly 1,000,000 acres of protected Wilderness. Angoon’s first people chose a townsite with access to strong tides, fresh kelp, bountiful creeks, and thick forests. Angoon is derived from the Lingít name Aangóon, which means “Isthmus Town” to describe Angoon's strategic location on the narrow peninsula that separates Chatham Strait from Kootznahoo Inlet. Aangóon is an engaged community with local SSP partner Kootznoowoo Incorporated who works with regional partners in the creation of sustainable visitor industry opportunities including a community-based walking tours and artist workshops. Angoon also began establishing relationships with tourism companies like Alaska Dream Cruises, contracting with local traditional artists, and creating space where artists and students can work on their art together. This last year, Network Coordinator for Renewable Energy Alaska Project Jenny Starrs takes us to Angoon to learn more about energy security and opportunity in rural Alaska with a focus on Angoon's first ever Career Fair hosted through partnership and collaboration. Read SSP stories in Angoon at  https://lnkd.in/gW6fiBBd Photos by Lee House #Angoon #Xootsnoowú #FortressOfTheBears #TlingitCulture #AdmiraltyIsland #DiscoverAngoon #CulturalHeritage #TlingitArt #VisitAlaska #CommunityConnections 

Protecting the natural resources of Southeast Alaska means fostering collaboration and trust across communities. This inspiring video from Sitka Conservation Society and Sustainable Southeast Partnership highlights how cultural, ecological, and economic prosperity are interconnected in this unique region. As The Blacktail Deer Foundation works on conservation efforts for Sitka black-tailed deer and their habitat, this serves as a reminder of the power of meaningful partnerships and local engagement. Together, we can amplify the momentum for a resilient future for Southeast Alaska. Watch the video to learn more about the impactful work being done:

“I know that their heart’s in the right place when they want to see things happen together. When they need to work with tribes, supporting local voices, and supporting local decisions” – Khaax̱wáan Dawn Jackson, OVK Executive Director A new story is unfolding for the Tongass National Forest where federal public land management and rural economic development is being co-created by the people of Southeast Alaska for the people of Southeast Alaska. And, in this months column, a multitude of partners reflect on year of land management and rural economic development efforts through the Southeast Alaska Sustainability Strategy with this US Forest Partnership. Among them is Organized Village of Kake Executive Director Khaax̱wáan Dawn Jackson. The Organized Village of Kake (OVK) is a a federally recognized Tribal Government serving Ḵéex̱’ (Kake) and is one of many Tribes partnering with the Forest Service. OVK’s mission includes a core purpose of strengthening Tribal community and culture with the core values of respect, collaboration, endurance, safety, and security. In partnership, they’re ensuring local stewardship and a thriving future for Ḵéex̱’ Ḵwáan. To compliment this month’s column, watch the full “SASS 2024 Highlight Video” by Lee House Featuring key voices including Khaax̱wáan Dawn Jackson, SSP Director Marina Anderson, Ralph Wolfe Tlingit and Haida's Director of Indigenous Stewardship, and more on the US Forest Service’s website at 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gYYpK7xT 📖 Read the full story in the Juneau Empire or on our website. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/g7A5ZUky 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gnwF56rU Story and Photos by Lee House #TongassNationalForest #SoutheastAlaska #Collaboration #IndigenousStewardship#RuralDevelopment#economicdevelopment #Tongass #SASS #USForestservice

Stories give us hope and when done at the right scale and in the right way, they have the power to activate us. Stories have the power to shape our world— evoking pride, fostering empathy, challenging systems, and bringing communities together. In 2024, we launched the first ever Woven, our collective impact magazine. With Woven, we’ve crafted a tapestry of stories, artwork, and photographs that celebrate the incredible work of Sustainable Southeast Partnership (SSP) partners. From teaching youth to smoke salmon to restoring lands and waters, Woven shows how our threads are deeply interconnected. This last year, we’ve also: 📬 Produced a monthly newsletter to inspire and connect partners sharing opportunities, announcements, and stories from across the partnership. 🖋 Published 14+ stories across local, regional, and national platforms featuring 14+ communities, 14+ voices and authors, and 22+ partner organizations. 🤝 Hosted 2 storytelling interns, Addy Mallott and Clara Mooney, through the @Sealaska internship program. Our partners hosting many more including Sealaska, Sealaska Heritage Institute, Tlingit & Haida, Spruce Root, US Forest Service, Sitka Conservation Society, and many more! 📖 Explore Woven and more here: https://lnkd.in/g6959kRY 🎯 All Sealaska internships here: https://lnkd.in/gMZUx43r #CollectiveImpact #StorytellingMatters #SustainableSoutheast #WovenTogether #CommunityResilience #EmpathyInAction #HealingThroughRestoration #SustainableForestry #YouthEmpowerment