The Goldbelt Heritage Foundation is a not-for-profit organization that was initially established in 2001 by the Goldbelt, Inc. Board of Directors.


Goldbelt, Inc. is Juneau, Alaska’s urban Alaska Native Corporation that was formed under the 1974 Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act.

Initially created to administer higher education scholarship opportunities to Goldbelt shareholders and descendants, GHF has evolved its mission to include promoting and preserving the Tlingit culture, language, stories, and art, create opportunities that provide pathways for Tlingit language learning across all age groups, and develop curriculum and trainings that foster Native student success from preschool through college.

GHF is committed to offering cultural enrichment opportunities that will safeguard Southeast Alaska Native culture, heritage, and traditions. Through this effort, GHF has:
 

• Created the Youth Ambassadors program that has fostered more than 100 next generation native leaders.
• Provided cultural community workshops and classes for language, regalia making, traditional gardening, plant identification, and traditional food harvesting and processing techniques.
• Commissioned totem poles, house screens and posts, and box drums that have brought together more than 4,500 people..
• Developed and taught formline design to over 500 students seeking to learn this traditional art form.

Vision

• Goldbelt Heritage Foundation protects the cultural identity and dignity of Southeast Alaska Native people by creating immersive environments, tools, and partnerships with the entire community.

Mission

• To support social and economic development opportunities.
• To advocate for the advancement, enhancement, presentation and promotion of Alaska Native culture, language, and traditional arts.
• To advocate and support culturally responsive education and job training for our Alaska Native members.
• To document and preserve knowledge of our historic sites.
• To support activities that benefit shareholders and shareholder descendants as was the original intent of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act.