CVRF wins prestigious American Marketing Association Awards

Coastal Villages Region Fund (CVRF) was honored with two awards at the 2017 Prism Awards ceremony hosted by the Alaska chapter of the American Marketing Association. The Prism Awards is a yearly competition showcasing the best examples of marketing and communications amongst Alaska organizations.

CVRF’s redesigned “Niitarkat” newsletter won first prize for the statewide newsletter category. Niitarkat, a Yup’ik word which refers to the sharing of information, was unveiled in 2017 after CVRF undertook a redesign of their newsletter with the goal of communicating more effectively in the 20 Western Alaska communities it serves.

The revamped newsletter highlights stories of the region’s residents and communities, while providing important information about CVRF’s operations and benefit programs. Niitarkat is available in-region at local Community Service Centers, as well as on CVRF’s website and social media channels.

“In communities from Scammon Bay in the north to Platinum in the south, we realize that we are all different in the way we see the world,” says Louise Paul, CVRF’s Community Service Representative in Kipnuk. “We use this understanding as we provide important information about programs and operations within CVRF, and share each other’s stories to become one voice. Honest communication is the key to success, built with truth, integrity, and respect for each other. CVRF has invested in a great communication system through ‘Niitarkat’.”

CVRF’s newest benefit offering – the “Ciuneq” program – was recognized with a merit award in the logo category. Ciuneq, which means the way or path forward in Yup’ik, was launched in the fall of 2016. CVRF developed the program’s logo with its unique goals and style in mind – providing high-achieving students in Western Alaska an opportunity to explore educational pathways and careers that will be available to them if they continue to work hard in high school.

The logo’s wavelike shape suggests this energetic, forward momentum and the power behind Ciuneq and the region’s youth. The symbol has been applied to items such as shirts and jackets distributed to the program’s participants, as well as to promotional materials.

“Ciuneq inspires our young people to be innovative, and provides tools they need to achieve their goals,” says Liana Pingayak, CVRF’s Community Service Manager in Chevak. “It’s a guide for our youth to go above and beyond educationally, to strive for success in our diverse communities.”

Coastal Villages Region Fund (CVRF) is a 501(c)(4) Alaska non-profit corporation with 20 member communities located along the west coast of Alaska, from Scammon Bay to Platinum.