About the Alaska Forum

A 501(c)(3) Non-Profit

Our Organization:

The Alaska Forum currently operates 4 main program areas:

Alaska Forum on the Environment
Green Star Program
Environmental Technician Apprenticeship Program
Training Program - Rural Alaska Landfill Operator (RALO) and various Online Trainings

The Alaska Forum, Inc was initially formed as an organization to support an annual educational event, The Alaska Forum on the Environment. This widely recognized event began in 1990 as the Alaska Federal Facility Environmental Roundtable as an annual conference focused on contaminants, hazardous waste cleanup, hazardous materials management, pollution prevention, etc. at federal facilities. It was expanded by an agreement, called the Statement of Cooperation, with the leadership of environmental regulators, military departments, and federal agencies. Since then, to operate and finance an event the size of the Alaska Forum on the Environment, the Alaska Forum, Inc. has become a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization to support this annual educational event and our extended mission to promote effective cooperation, communication and education in Alaska.

The Alaska Forum now operates an Environmental Technician Apprenticeship Program, the Green Star Program, and provides Solid Waste Training and online courses.

We work with agencies, businesses and non-profit organizations in a spirit of cooperation to ensure that environmental issues and concerns can be addressed with an understanding of the diversity of perspectives and a fundamental educational background of the available science, technology, knowledge and Alaskan experiences.

The Alaska Forum is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer.

Our Mission

The Alaska Forum Goals:

The Alaska Forum, our programs and our projects will not take political or advocacy positions. The Alaska Forum works to promote a more productive and efficient relationship between government agencies, businesses, organizations, tribes and the public by:

developing a more common understanding and educational foundation;
providing opportunity for the exchange of information and experiences;
providing recognition for outstanding environmental efforts; and
understanding the diversity of perspectives and concerns of others.

Our Commitment:

The Alaska Forum actively solicits partners that can provide constructive input in our team approach. We value the individuals and the organizations that work with us in a statewide spirit of cooperation to achieve all of our programs. We believe that we can find positive ways to achieve environmental benefits though cooperative approaches, partnerships, listening and sharing information. We believe that effective communication and assistance can provide the foundation for Alaska's environmental community. Our mission is to promote a healthy environment through communication and education and we welcome support from those who share in this goal.

Our Operations

Our Process:

The Alaska Forum on the Environment results from the efforts of a diverse group of organizations that serve as our Planning Committee and seeks to provide an open exchange of ideas and information, in a respectful and courteous atmosphere. The structure of the event allows the opportunity to reach a greater understanding of the issues and of each other among the full range of participants, rural and urban; industry and private, agency and public, students and scholars ...and those who are just plain interested in the environment!

Our event is planned with the dedicated support of volunteers who work in a team approach and are respectful of the diversity of opinions and perspectives of all Alaskans. We actively seek agenda input throughout the planning process. While most topics are informational, others present more complex challenges and environmental issues. We actively work to best address all issues, including those that are complex, by structuring sessions to encourage problem solving and present the variety of perspectives and alternative viewpoints. We encourage the opportunity for an informed and respectful dialogue with all of our presenters.

The Alaska Forum on the Environment, and other Alaska Forum programs and projects do not take political or advocacy positions.

If you are interested in helping to shape the agenda of the Alaska Forum on the Environment, please feel free to contact us as your support is welcome!

The result is a hugely diverse agenda, with more than 160 Presenters, 80 Breakout Sessions, and sensational Keynote Events. Topics and the presenters range from Alaska's communities, to federal, state and tribal government agencies, international organizations and governments, to those most specialized in technical science and the environment.

Our Funding:

The Alaska Forum is supported as a 501(c)(3) charitable non-profit organization. For the Alaska Forum on the Environment, approximately 10% of our funding is provided by our leadership partners in voluntary contributions and sponsorships. Our leadership partners are organizations that have committed to invest both staff resources and funding to the Alaska Forum on the Environment. 5% of our funding is supported by Alaska industries and businesses and the remainder of the event funding is directly supported by the event registration fees. We work to ensure that our funding support sources represent the diversity we attempt to achieve within the Alaska Forum's programs.

Our other programs and projects are primarily funded by available federal or state grant programs from USDA Rural Development, US EPA, Alaska Department of Labor, and others.