(For Immediate Release)
April 22, 2024
Headline: Global initiative Home Planet Fund launches with $1M investment in Seacoast Trust to support Indigenous-led conservation and climate action in Southeast Alaska
Dzantik'i Heeni (Juneau, Alaska) ~ Spruce Root, a leading non-profit organization dedicated to empowering and supporting rural communities in Southeast Alaska, is thrilled to announce a groundbreaking $1 million investment from the newly launched Home Planet Fund into the Seacoast Trust. This infusion brings the total funds raised for the Seacoast Trust to $23.1 million, which will be deployed in perpetuity to support the work of the Sustainable Southeast Partnership (SSP).
Home Planet Fund is a global initiative addressing the climate crisis by working directly with Indigenous and local communities who have been historically overlooked and underestimated. Through strategic investments and partnerships, Home Planet Fund is supporting trusted organizations across Africa, Asia, North America, Oceania, and South America that are implementing time-tested, nature-based solutions to enhance biodiversity, mitigate climate change, and strengthen community resilience.
This investment in the Seacoast Trust is one of Home Planet Fund’s first major grants, underscoring their confidence in the Spruce Root team's innovative approach to community-led conservation and sustainable development in Southeast Alaska. By aligning with the Seacoast Trust's Indigenous-centered model, Home Planet Fund is poised to catalyze transformative change that benefits both people and the planet.
“We are incredibly grateful to welcome Home Planet Fund as a partner in our mission to support the communities of Southeast Alaska in achieving their self-determined goals for collective well-being, sustainable generational abundance, and environmental stewardship," said Spruce Root Executive Director Alana Peterson. “This investment is a testament to the power of the Sustainable Southeast Partnership and will allow us to expand our reach and impact across the region.”
Home Planet Fund joins founding donors Sealaska and The Nature Conservancy, Rasmuson Foundation, Edgerton Foundation and others in recognizing the Seacoast Trust as a uniquely impactful model for driving systems change. With this infusion of catalytic capital, the Seacoast Trust is positioned to further its support for Indigenous-led conservation, renewable energy initiatives, food sovereignty programs, and climate mitigation strategies — all grounded in the values and self-determination of the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian peoples.
“For too long, the ingenuity and leadership of Indigenous communities have been sidelined in the fight against the climate crisis,” said Home Planet Fund Executive Director Dilafruz Khonikboyeva. “By investing in the Seacoast Trust, we are affirming our commitment to centering local, place-based solutions that honor Indigenous knowledge and empower frontline stewards of the land. We are honored to support this work and look forward to a long-standing partnership.”
Spruce Root Executive Director Alana Peterson, Development Manager Kaylah Duncan and Sustainable Southeast Partnership Program Director Marina Anderson are available for interviews. For media availability and interview requests, please contact Spruce Root Communications Specialist Tripp J Crouse for more information by calling 907 306 6475 or emailing tripp@spruceroot.org.
About Spruce Root: Spruce Root is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit Native Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) driving a regenerative economy across Southeast Alaska. We provide small business support, training, and affordable financing to empower communities in forging futures grounded in this uniquely Indigenous place. For more information about Spruce Root, go to spruceroot.org.
About Seacoast Trust: The Seacoast Trust is a perpetual funding source for the Sustainable Southeast Partnership, promoting the collective well-being and generational abundance for Alaska Native communities that have stewarded the coastal temperate rainforest of Southeast Alaska for millennia.
About Home Planet Fund: Home Planet Fund is a global initiative addressing the climate crisis by directly empowering Indigenous and local communities with the resources and support they need to expand their time-tested, nature-based solutions that enhance biodiversity, mitigate climate change, and strengthen community resilience.
About Sustainable Southeast Partnership: The Sustainable Southeast Partnership (SSP) is a dynamic collective uniting diverse skills and perspectives to strengthen cultural, ecological, and economic resilience across Southeast Alaska.