Jenny Olson arrives in Alaska.

E.A. Rasmuson arrives in Alaska.

E.A. and Jenny marry in Yakutat.

Elmer Rasmuson is born in Yakutat.

Alaska receives territorial status.

Rasmuson family moves to Skagway.

E.A. Rasmuson assumes leadership of Bank of Alaska, saving it from failure.

Elmer Rasmuson leaves career with Arthur Andersen to become president of the Bank of Alaska.

Nation's first anti-discrimination act enacted in territory of Alaska through activism of Elizabeth Peratovich. Alaskans now honor her with Elizabeth Peratrovich Day every Feb. 16.

E.A. Rasmuson dies; Elmer continues bank leadership.

$3,000 gift from Jenny Rasmuson establishes Rasmuson Foundation.

Alaska becomes a state.

Merger makes what was by then National Bank of Alaska into the state’s largest bank.

Early grants were small, as shown in this 1960 memo from Elmer Rasmuson.

Elmer Rasmuson marries Mary Louise Milligan, who goes on to serve 45 years on the Foundation board.

Good Friday Earthquake devastates Southcentral Alaska.

Jenny Rasmuson dies, leaves the bulk of her estate to the Foundation.

Prudhoe Bay oil discovered.

Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act enacted.

Alaska Permanent Fund established through constitutional amendment; Elmer Rasmuson becomes first chairman.

Alaska Legislature repeals state personal income tax.

Exxon Valdez oil spill puts world attention on Alaska.

First employee, Diane Kaplan, begins at the Foundation. Here, Diane is pictured at her fifth anniversary at the Foundation.

Foundation leads first tour of Alaska for Outside grantmakers. Many elements of that first tour continue to this day.

Judy Rasmuson, Cathy Rasmuson and Lile Gibbons join Rasmuson Foundation board. Cathy is vice chair.

On his 90th birthday, Elmer Rasmuson gives away $90 million: $50 million to the Anchorage Museum and the rest to the Foundation.

Deal reached by Rasmuson family to sell National Bank of Alaska to Wells Fargo.

Elmer Rasmuson dies, leaves most of his $400 million estate to the Foundation.

Ed Rasmuson becomes Rasmuson Foundation board chairman.

Foundation launches grant programs that remain today: Tier 1 for small awards and Tier 2 for those over $25,000.

Foundation awards $700,000 to help start The Foraker Group to strengthen the nonprofit sector.

Foundation helps launch Dental Health Aide Therapist program.

Creation of Anchorage Community Land Trust with $5 million award to revitalize Mountain View.

$2 million challenge grant for Alaska Native Science & Engineering Program building; Foundation commitments now top $14 million.

Start of $20 million, 10-year Foundation initiative to put focus on arts and culture.

Support for workforce, family and senior housing begins; total investment now tops $34 million.

Foundation board authorizes Pre-Development Program to support sustainable right-sized capital projects.

Effort to improve Anchorage parks and trails begins with $400,000 award to create Anchorage Park Foundation.

First sabbaticals awarded to give nonprofit, tribal and local government leaders a break; 92 sabbatical awards to date.

Initiative begins to create local affiliates of The Alaska Community Foundation and increase giving across the state; 11 local funds now exist.

The first Rasmuson family members from the next generation join the board: cousins Adam Gibbons and Natasha von Imhof.

Foundation board approves $900,000 to create Pick.Click.Give., an easy way for Alaskans to share their Permanent Fund dividend with nonprofits.

Rasmuson Foundation and 3 other funders launch United States Artists to support outstanding creative individuals. Tlingit carver Tommy Joseph, whose work is pictured here, became one of the first USA Fellows in 2007.

Foundation assets plunge by 40 percent during Great Recession; grantmaking impacted.

Alaska celebrates 50 years of statehood.

Recover Alaska initiative begins with goal of reducing harm from alcohol.

Mary Louise Rasmuson dies, leaves $42.5 million to Foundation.

Rasmuson Foundation crosses threshold of $200 million in grantmaking to improve life in Alaska.

Foundation turns 60, awards largest grant in its history, $12 million for Anchorage Museum's new wing.

Launch of Plan4Alaska campaign to educate the public about state budget.

Another next generation family member joins the board, Jay Gibbons.

Foundation and 10 other funders respond to magnitude 7.1 earthquake with emergency grants to 49 nonprofits.

$40 million investment into solutions for homelessness begins with Foundation and three partners.

Foundation crosses threshold of $400 million in grantmaking.

Foundation commits $2 million to help Alaska respond to COVID-19 pandemic.

Rasmuson Foundation celebrates 65 years.