The aleutian pribilof islands association, INC

The Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association, Inc. received a $150,000 Project Grant award dated October 1, 2025, under the Native American and Native Hawaiian Library Services program (CFDA 45.311), administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). The two-year project, scheduled for completion by September 30, 2027, will develop culturally focused educational resources and programming to increase Unangax (Aleut) community access to traditional knowledge, cultural practices, artforms, and language. Given the geographic remoteness of the Aleutian and Pribilof Islands region and associated travel cost barriers, the organization will partner with cultural practitioners to deliver cultural classes while developing four Kalikaadan (booklets) containing information on specific artforms, historic photographs or drawings, and bibliographical references.

The project deliverables will be made available to all community members through the Unangax Heritage Library and Archive, addressing documented community needs for greater access to literary resources and historic collections. The awardee will collect feedback on the developed materials to refine the booklets, ensuring cultural relevance and utility for the Unangax communities served. This initiative aligns with IMLS's broader program objectives to enhance preservation and revitalization of Native American cultures and languages through educational programming and resource development.

Will collaborate with cultural practitioners to hold cultural classes and develop associated materials to increase access to traditional knowledge, cultural practices, artforms, and language of the unangax (aleut) people. Tribal community members have expressed a need for greater access to cultural education, but their communities are remote and travel costs are high, which creates barriers to accessing literary resources, historic photographs, and collections. The project will create four kalikaadan (booklets) that contain information on specific artforms, historic photographs or drawings, and bibliographical references. Project leads will make the booklets available to all community members through the unangax heritage library and archive. They will collect feedback and use IT to refine the booklets.