NSEDC officials said the projects funded range from new safety equipment for whalers at Savoonga to renovation of a teen center at Shaktoolik.
NSEDC has provided grants to regional entities since the mid-1990s and has formally operated its outside entity funding program for nearly a decade, providing grant funds to municipal governments, federally recognized tribal governments, non-profit organizations, and local, state and federal agencies located in NSEDC member communities. The program is currently under the jurisdiction of the Western Alaska Community Development Quota program and a coordinator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
On Feb. 6 the NSEDC board announced approval of $647,342 toward projects requested by 17 entities in its member communities. An additional $100,000 was divided between two regional projects and $213,126 was approved for two fisheries-related projects.
On the regional level, the CDQ organization funded proposals of $75,000 for the Nome Volunteer Fire Department for firefighting equipment that will be stored in flight-ready packs, and $25,000 for an elder assistance project in Unalakleet.
NSEWDC is one of six private non-profit corporations established by the state of Alaska in 1992 to promote fisheries related economic development in western Alaska. The program is a federal fisheries program that involves a total of 65 communities who are members of one of the CDQ groups. The program allocates a portion of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Island harvest amounts of Pollock, halibut, Pacific cod, crab and bycatch species to the CDQ groups.