The Connect Mat-Su Community Events Calendar is a public-facing tool designed to highlight events that promote the health, well-being, and connectedness of residents in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough and Anchorage area. This document outlines the criteria for which events may be published and which may be excluded. 

 

General Terms of Inclusion 

To be included, events must meet the following criteria: 

• • Align with Mat-Su Health Foundation’s mission, values, and strategic goals. 

• • Occur within the Connect Mat-Su service area (Mat-Su Borough or Anchorage), or be accessible virtually to residents. 

• • Be related to health, wellness, education, advocacy, family support, social connection, or community-building. 

• • Be open to the public (free, low-cost, or with scholarships/sliding scale options). 

• • Be hosted or sponsored by an organization that meets the inclusion criteria outlined in the Connect Mat-Su Resource Database Inclusion/Exclusion Procedure. 

• • Include accurate, up-to-date contact information and event details (time, location, accessibility, etc.). 

Types of Events Likely to Be Included 

• • Health fairs and screenings, education sessions, and wellness workshops 

• • Resource fairs and community forums 

• • Family support and parenting events 

• • Support groups, peer-led events, and cultural events 

• • Volunteer opportunities or trainings open to the public 

• • Free or low-cost family activities, food distribution events, or community meals 

• • Community forums or public input sessions 

• • Resource navigation, enrollment support, or public benefit access events 

General Exclusions 

Events will not be included if they: 

• • Are private or invitation-only without a community benefit focus. 

• • Are commercial in nature (e.g., product launches, sales events) without a clear public service benefit. 

• • Include discriminatory language or exclude participation on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, nationality, age, or ability. 

• • Involve services or content illegal under local, state, or federal law. 

• • Promote or encourage the purchase or consumption of alcohol or marijuana as the primary focus.  

• • Are political events that are partisan in nature (issues-based educational forums may be allowed). 

• • Charge high fees with no sliding scale or scholarship availability. 

Submission and Review Process 

• • Event submissions must be made at least two (2) weeks in advance using the designated event submission form, approved partner portal, or through email to a Connect Mat-Su staff member. 

• • All event submissions are reviewed by Connect Mat-Su staff within three to five (3–5) business days. 

• • Event submissions may be edited for clarity, consistency, or accessibility. 

• • Organizations are responsible for notifying Connect Mat-Su to update or cancel events if details change. 

• • Inclusion is not guaranteed, and Connect Mat-Su reserves the right to decline or remove any event at its discretion.  

 

For questions, comments, or concerns regarding this practice, please contact us at operations@connectmatsu.org.