Downtown Anchorage Gets a Glow-Up: Park It Forward Grant Winners Announced
November 13, 2025
Downtown Anchorage Gets a Glow-Up: Park It Forward Grant Winners Announced
Anchorage, Alaska – November 12, 2025 - The Anchorage Community Development Authority (ACDA) and EasyPark are thrilled to announce the award recipients of the Park It Forward: Downtown Grant Program, supporting creative, community-driven projects that bring color, culture, art, and activity to the heart of Anchorage.
This year, 11 projects were selected from 23 applications, representing a wave of local imagination and momentum aimed at making Downtown a more vibrant, walkable, and welcoming place for residents and visitors alike.
A total of $150,000 was awarded, funded entirely by EasyPark street meter revenue. When people park downtown, they’re directly investing back into the spaces and experiences that make Anchorage special.
2025 Park It Forward Grant Award Recipients:
• Fur Rondy Events – Dakotah Fujan, Fur Rendezvous
• Wayfinding Kiosk – Shawna Thoma, Northern Compass Group
• Illuminate Anchorage – Jennifer Christensen, Spark Story Marketing
• Book Pop Ups – Jimmy Riordan, Alaska Bookmobile
• Projecting Community Energy – Meghan Holton, MTHoltan Research and Analysis
• Pedestrian Directional Signs or Kiosks – Beth Nordlund, Anchorage Parks Foundation
• Anchorage Mushing District Arch – Jim Huettl, Anchorage Mushing District, Inc.
• Salmon & Bear Lamp Pole Decorations – Deborah Bonito, The Kobuk
• Transformer Transformation, Mural, and Design Week Exhibition – Julie Decker, Anchorage Museum
• United Methodist Church Mural – Rhonda Scott, Rhonda Scott Art
“These projects are bold, creative, and rooted in Anchorage’s identity,” said Mike Robbins, Executive Director of ACDA. “They bring new life to our downtown streets and reflect the pride so many people have in this community. We’re excited to support projects that invite people to gather, explore, and see Downtown in new ways.”
“Parking revenue is fueling Anchorage’s creative energy,” said Jeff Read, Parking Director for EasyPark. “The Park It Forward program shows how small, everyday actions — like parking downtown — can have a lasting, visible impact on our city’s future.”
Grant-funded projects will begin rolling out throughout 2025 and into 2026, with many installations and activations planned for Anchorage’s winter, spring, and summer seasons.
For More Information
Melinda Gant, External & Community Affairs Director
Anchorage Community Development Authority
Email: mgant@acda.net | Phone: (907) 301-5591
Anchorage, Alaska – November 12, 2025 - The Anchorage Community Development Authority (ACDA) and EasyPark are thrilled to announce the award recipients of the Park It Forward: Downtown Grant Program, supporting creative, community-driven projects that bring color, culture, art, and activity to the heart of Anchorage.
This year, 11 projects were selected from 23 applications, representing a wave of local imagination and momentum aimed at making Downtown a more vibrant, walkable, and welcoming place for residents and visitors alike.
A total of $150,000 was awarded, funded entirely by EasyPark street meter revenue. When people park downtown, they’re directly investing back into the spaces and experiences that make Anchorage special.
2025 Park It Forward Grant Award Recipients:
• Fur Rondy Events – Dakotah Fujan, Fur Rendezvous
• Wayfinding Kiosk – Shawna Thoma, Northern Compass Group
• Illuminate Anchorage – Jennifer Christensen, Spark Story Marketing
• Book Pop Ups – Jimmy Riordan, Alaska Bookmobile
• Projecting Community Energy – Meghan Holton, MTHoltan Research and Analysis
• Pedestrian Directional Signs or Kiosks – Beth Nordlund, Anchorage Parks Foundation
• Anchorage Mushing District Arch – Jim Huettl, Anchorage Mushing District, Inc.
• Salmon & Bear Lamp Pole Decorations – Deborah Bonito, The Kobuk
• Transformer Transformation, Mural, and Design Week Exhibition – Julie Decker, Anchorage Museum
• United Methodist Church Mural – Rhonda Scott, Rhonda Scott Art
“These projects are bold, creative, and rooted in Anchorage’s identity,” said Mike Robbins, Executive Director of ACDA. “They bring new life to our downtown streets and reflect the pride so many people have in this community. We’re excited to support projects that invite people to gather, explore, and see Downtown in new ways.”
“Parking revenue is fueling Anchorage’s creative energy,” said Jeff Read, Parking Director for EasyPark. “The Park It Forward program shows how small, everyday actions — like parking downtown — can have a lasting, visible impact on our city’s future.”
Grant-funded projects will begin rolling out throughout 2025 and into 2026, with many installations and activations planned for Anchorage’s winter, spring, and summer seasons.
For More Information
Melinda Gant, External & Community Affairs Director
Anchorage Community Development Authority
Email: mgant@acda.net | Phone: (907) 301-5591
Contact:
Melinda Gant, External & Community Affairs Director
mgant@acda.net, (907) 297-4415
