JUNEAU -- Sealaska Heritage Institute officials say the nonprofit tribal organization has awarded nearly $410,000 in scholarships to shareholders and their descendants.

The scholarships are for students pursuing vocational-tech training or graduate and undergraduate degrees in the 2012-13 school year.

Institute president Rosita Worl says 327 Alaska Natives are recipients of the scholarships.

According to officials, the scholarships are funded mostly by Sealaska Corp., the regional Native corporation for Southeast Alaska that founded the heritage institute.