Bring Your Problem to Cordova

Got a trail project you can’t quite fund? A recreation asset caught between agencies or funding programs? A tourism challenge that needs a different approach? A partnership that makes sense but hasn’t quite come together?

Bring it to Confluence.

Sept. 22–24 in Cordova, the Alaska Outdoor Alliance is bringing together an intentionally small group of people working across outdoor recreation, community development, transportation, health, tourism, conservation and funding. We want to put that collective brainpower to work.

Confluence is built around conversations, not presentations—time to talk about what you’re actually trying to accomplish, what’s getting in the way and who or what might help.

Trying to cobble together funding for a trail, trailhead, boat launch, harbor or other outdoor infrastructure? Alaska Municipal League will lead a working session on cross-sector resourcing, with state agencies, funders and practitioners at the table. The goal: figure out how recreation, transportation, health and community development resources can work together instead of staying in their respective silos.

Thinking about the future of Alaska’s coastal communities and economies? Alaska Conservation Foundation will host a listening session exploring the future of the blue ocean economy, part of its Kelp Values project.

And with Alaska choosing its next governor, we’ll livecast the Governor’s Candidate Forum on Outdoors & Tourism—then have the opportunity to talk together about what communities and the outdoor sector need from the next administration.

Some of the most useful connections won’t be on the agenda at all. That’s one reason we keep Confluence small. There’s room to find the agency person who understands the program, the community that has tackled something similar, the funder who sees another path, or the potential partner you simply hadn’t met yet.

You don’t need to come to Cordova with a polished proposal or all the answers.

You bring the problem or the half-formed idea or the project that’s stuck.

We’ll bring some good people to the table.

Confluence | Sept. 22–24 | Cordova, Alaska