Name: Toby Sullivan: I've recently talked about this project to the Rasmuson Foundation, the largest single source of nonprofit funding in Alaska, and the word from them is that they would consider a funding application from the two museums to do necessary upgrades to the Griffin Building if the museums had an appropriate lease agreement with the city.
Uploaded: 2026-09-09T02:35:45+00:00
Duration: 55 s
Description: I've recently talked about this project to the Rasmuson Foundation, the largest single source of nonprofit funding in Alaska, and the word from them is that they would consider a funding application from the two museums to do necessary upgrades to the Griffin Building if the museums had an appropriate lease agreement with the city.

0:55

Toby Sullivan

11:50 - 12:46

"I've recently talked about this project to the Rasmuson Foundation, the largest single source of nonprofit funding in Alaska, and the word from them is that they would consider a funding application from the two museums to do necessary upgrades to the Griffin Building if the museums had an appropriate lease agreement with the city."

“I've recently talked about this project to the Rasmuson Foundation, the largest single source of nonprofit funding in Alaska, and the word from them is that they would consider a funding application from the two museums to do necessary upgrades to the Griffin Building if the museums had an appropriate lease agreement with the city.”

Speaker: Toby Sullivan
Timestamp: 11:50 – 12:46
Source: Kodiak: September 8, 2026, Work Session
Community: Alaska News
Location: Kodiak
Captured at: September 8, 2026

From the transcript

I've recently talked about this project to the Rasmuson Foundation, the largest single source of nonprofit funding in Alaska, and the word from them is that they would consider a funding application from the two museums to do necessary upgrades to the Griffin Building if the museums had an appropriate lease agreement with the city. In other words, the city would retain ownership of this historic structure, see it refurbished with grant funding obtained by the museums, and end up with a major addition to the interpretive infrastructure of the town. The devil is always in the details, of course, but conceptually, this would be a win-win for both the city and museums. I should mention that other large nonprofit funders like the MJ Murdock Charitable Trust also fund capital projects involving buildings owned by municipalities and leased by nonprofits. It is a known framework for getting museum projects done.

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Kodiak council moves toward leasing historic Griffin building to two museums

The Kodiak City Council reached consensus Tuesday, Sept. 8, not to proceed with a purchase application for the Griffin Memorial Hospital building, moving instead to advance a joint lease application from the Kodiak Historical Society and Kodiak Maritime Museum. Lease terms remain unsettled.

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Cover image for article: Kodiak council moves toward leasing historic Griffin building to two museums

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