Founded in 2009, the Best in the West small business competition helps new or potential small business owners in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta region gain knowledge about starting and operating small businesses and potentially gain grant funding to develop their small business idea.
There are two steps to Best in the West. The first is a brief application that must be
submitted before the published deadline each year.
The purpose of this application is to share the basics of your business or business idea.
A committee then reviews these applications and accepts eligible proposals into the
competition. If your idea is accepted into the competition, you will participate in
workshops to help you refine this idea and build your business plan and develop your
full proposal. For the final deadline in May, you will submit a full application with a completed business plan for the chance to win financial support to help make your business ideas become a reality!
The Best in the West business plan competition is managed by the UAF Yupiit Piciryarait Cultural Center (programming) and Bethel Community Services Foundation (finances) and receives partnership support from the University of Alaska Center for Economic Development. Alaska Growth Capital and other partners assist UAA CED with business workshops and application reviews.
Historically, grants awarded through the Best in the West business plan competition range from $1500-$5000 per chosen winner. The award amount depends on grant requests and available funding, which varies each year. This money can only be used toward business expenses and this year documentation will be required to prove how funds were used.
Questions? Please contact the Yupiit Piciryarait Cultural Center coordinator in Bethel at 907-543-4358. Annual deadlines, eligibility criteria and additional contact information for questions can be found on the Best in the West application.
Thank you for your interest in Best in the West. We look forward to learning more about you and your business idea.
Click HERE to access the 2022 Best in the West Application online.
Click HERE to access a downloadable and printable version of the 2022 Best in the West application.
Press Release May 24, 2018
Bethel small businesses receive $26,000 in rural Alaskan version of ‘Shark Tank.’
8 finalists receive grants to spur economic development in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta region.
2018 winners Louise Russell, Tracy Wilbanks, Lucas Salzbrun, Krystle Penaflor, Conor Burke and program director Reyne Athens. Not pictured are winners Christine Stone and Azara Mohammadi
The UAF Kuskokwim Campus Yupiit Piciryarait Cultural Center and Best in the West partners are pleased to announce the winners of the tenth annual small business competition for 2018. The Best in the West small business competition aims to help new small-business owners in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta region gain knowledge about starting and operating small businesses and compete for funds to develop their small business idea. Applicants must attend small business development workshops through the Cultural Center and develop business plans, market analysis and a budget. Awards range from $3,000 to $5,000.
The Best in the West small business competition started in 2009. Since the program’s inception, more than $250,000 has been awarded to small businesses in western Alaska. Of the 64 winners in the last ten years only 14 are not in business currently. The 2019 application start date is December 1, 2018.
“Participating in this program takes dedication and it has successfully created thriving businesses in the YK Delta,” said Reyne Athanas, program director from Yupiit Piciryarait Cultural Center and UAF, Kuskokwim Campus. “Eighty percent of the businesses we’ve funded are still in business today.”
This year’s winners are:
Lucus Salzbrun,-Rural Service Solutions, $4,000
Tracy Wilbanks-The Windy Willow Salon, $4,000
Azara Mohammadi-Healthy History Media, $3,000
Krystle Penaflor-Fireweed Craft Company, $4,000
Conor Burke-Conor Burke Productions, $3,000
Christine Stone, –Traditional Craft Workshops, $3,000
Louise Russell-Jones Family Apiary, $5,000
About Best in the West
Bethel Community Services Foundation is the Best in the West project fiscal sponsor and provides the back-end services for the project (receipts for donors, fund administration, etc.). Reyne Athanas at YPCC/UAF Kuskokwim Campus is the project director. Funding partners include UAF Kuskokwim Campus, Yupiit Piciryarait Cultural Center, Donlin Gold, Coastal Village Regional Fund, Bethel Community Services Foundation, Bethel Native Council, Calista, First National Bank, GCI, Kuskoskwim Art Guild, ConocoPhillips, BP Alaska, Wells Fargo, and Bethel Chamber of Commerce.
