Alaska

Caption

Julia Hnilicka, Alaska State Director for USDA Rural Development, gets to fly co-pilot on an overfull plane.

RPN is a rather new federal program, and Alaska’s team has been on board since April. They answer phone calls from residents and community leaders who want to know about federal programs that might help their community fulfill its plans to strengthen their economy and serve the welfare of their community members.

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FEATURED

Alaska is just different

Overview

Rural Alaska is a wild and abundant place, full of vibrant cultures and formidable wildlife. Indigenous peoples have been the stewards of this land, sea, and air since time immemorial.

The vast landscape of mountain ranges, waterways, and distance means people can’t just drive to the nearest large town to obtain essential services. Most villages are not connected to the road system. In fact, 86 percent of Alaska's communities cannot be reached by road; this means the movement of goods and people is not only difficult, but costly. For many communities, supplies must be transported by boat or airplane. To obtain advanced education, training, medical care, or other services, residents must travel by air to the nearest regional hub community like Fairbanks, Juneau, Bethel, or Anchorage.

Rural Alaska is where our underserved and persistent poverty communities are located, along with repeat disaster losses and significant climate change risks. Rural Alaska is also home to a large senior population and most of our aging infrastructure.

The Rural Partners Network is listening to local voices and supporting these rural communities as they work to build resilience, infrastructure, services, and economic opportunity.