Sparking connection and strengthening community
through intentional, compassionate conversation.

Are you ready to get people in your community talking?

The Forum’s Kindling Conversation Program was built to help you do just that. It provides themed toolkits, host support, and $250 of funding to Alaskans interested in hosting short, thoughtful community conversations tailored to connect people across difference and foster inclusive conversational spaces throughout the state.

Each toolkit has a focused conversation guide, a springboard to launch discussion, community agreements for the shared space, and participant surveys so that you’ll have everything you need to host. Explore funding conditions and our toolkits below, and don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions.

> Apply today to host your conversation!

PROGRAM CONTACT

Lev Greenstein
Community Engagement Fellow
[email protected]

How It Works
We pay you to host your own community conversation using the tools we provide and walk you through the process.

Funding
All of our toolkits are free to use with attribution, but in order to receive funding, you need to apply. Individuals, tax-exempt organizations, and schools in Alaska are eligible to receive a $250 stipend to help defray the cost of hosting a conversation. Applications must be submitted at least 1 week prior to a scheduled event and recipients must host their community conversation within 3 months of receiving notification of funding.

Funding Conditions

  • The community conversation must be at least an hour long and have at least five participants (not including the host).
  • The host must credit the Alaska Humanities Forum in event promotion and during the event itself.
  • The host must submit a short final report within 3 weeks of the completion of the conversation. This final report must include attendance information, evaluation surveys completed by conversation participants, and a brief (<500 words) reflection by the facilitator. Photographs are encouraged but not required.

Our Toolkit Topics

Below is our current list of Kindling Conversation toolkits. Each displays a guiding question, a conversation guide, and a springboard as resources for you to dive into. Don't see the topic you're passionate about? Send us a suggestion! While we can only fund community conversations that utilize the Forum toolkits listed here, we're adding new topics all the time.