November 2021
The BuyAlaska Buzz
Local First Focus for November: Think local first for holiday shopping

Shopping from local businesses over the holidays means that not only are you supporting small businesses at a time more needed than ever, but you are also keeping more money in our state and investing in the future and prosperity of Alaska.

We are SO lucky to have such creative, unique, and quality businesses in Alaska, and there are so many to choose from. So this November, keep it local, and shop small for the holidays. We're here to make it easy for you. Check out our Holiday Gift Guide, list of Holiday Markets in Alaska, and the BuyAlaska Business Directory below.
BuyAlaska Holiday Gift Guide
Holiday gifting AND supporting local just got a lot easier.
We are thrilled to announce that our 2021 BuyAlaska Holiday Gift Guide is live! There has never been a more important time to shop locally for the holidays. Alaska Businesses need your support, and with the global disruptions in supply chains and shipping, buying local is going to be your best bet.

We've made it easy to find the perfect gift for your loved ones with categories like gifts for her/him, gifts for the adventurous, gift baskets, and more!

Alaska businesses will be posting new gift ideas through the end of the year, so keep checking back to find out what's new on the Guide.

Happy gifting!
Alaska Holiday Markets
Holiday Markets in Alaska made easy!
Winter in Alaska is a magical time with the markets, bazaars, and craft fairs that we look forward to every year.

Alaska is filled with very talented and creative makers, and holiday markets are an opportunity to check them all out in one very special place.

This year, we wanted to make it easy to find out about all of the amazing markets going on in our neck of the woods, and the virtual markets that are taking holiday shopping statewide & beyond.

Visit buyalaska.com/holiday-shopping to learn more about the Holiday Markets fast approaching, and get all of your holiday shopping done easily with local Alaska businesses.
Do you know of Holiday Markets to add to the page? Add it by filling out a simple form.

Are you a small business with an idea for the Holiday Gift Guide? Add it by visiting our Member's Page.
Native American Heritage Month
Honoring the past and embracing the future of Native American and Alaska Native Cultures.
November is Native American Heritage Month - a time to celebrate rich and diverse cultures, traditions, and histories and to acknowledge the important contributions of Native people.

And for BuyAlaska, it's also a time to celebrate ways to support our local Alaska Native-owned businesses, honoring and sharing culture and history, and helping locally-owned businesses thrive.

This November, in addition to learning about the rich history and cultures, support Alaska Native and Native American Owned Businesses. You can find them on the BuyAlaska Business Directory.
Other ways you can honor this month:
Shop Small Saturday
Mark your calendars for November 27
Shop Small Saturday is quickly approaching! Mark your calendar for November 27th to get out there and check out all of those amazing Alaska small businesses in your neighborhood.

Show them the love they deserve by tagging them on social media with #shopsmall #buyalaska.

Use the Amex Shop Small® Map to find local businesses near you.
Spotlighting Alaska's Local First Champions
Voyij.com Recognized for Growing Alaska Businesses through Entrepreneurship
Olivia of Voyij.com met with Senator Lisa Murkowski last month to discuss Alaska's tourism industry, Alaska's small business community, and the need to shop local.

Voyij.com is an online marketplace that seeks to drive year-round revenue to Alaska businesses and a mission is to connect tourists, Alaskans, and the rest of the world with authentic Alaskan experiences, native art, local people, and so much more.

BuyAlaska is proud to be partnered with Voyij.com on the Shop Local Alaska initiatve, and working together to gain visibility for Alaska businesses.
Congratulations to UAF Center for Innovation, Commercialization, and Entrepreneurship (ICE)
The University of Alaska Fairbanks is among four universities that will receive a $150,000 federal grant to help minority business owners access funding for research and development.

Through the “Mesas to Mountains” program, Center ICE will address current gaps in access to the innovation economy for communities of color, women entrepreneurs and rural communities.

The program aims to offer mentorship, training, and guidance to submit successful grant proposals ​and increase their probability of success and revenue.
How You Can BuyAlaska
Explore 650+ Alaskan-Owned Businesses
Connect with more than 650 Alaskan-owned businesses across every industry in Alaska.
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Shop Local Alaska
Shop from local Alaska businesses on this online marketplace.
Give a shout out to a small business you love.

We aim to elevate local businesses to better Alaska’s economy.
We do that with YOU.

Help us lift up local on our channels.
The BuyAlaska Program is a statewide program by the Alaska Small Business Development Center (Alaska SBDC) under the UAA Business Enterprise Institute (BEI) and partially funded by the Small Business Administration (SBA).