The Foraker Group

Message from Foraker’s President/CEO Laurie Wolf in response to Governor Dunleavy’s veto of HB 133. We are extremely disappointed by Governor Dunleavy’s veto of House Bill 133, legislation that would have created accountability for late state payments to nonprofits, local governments, and tribal organizations providing essential services to Alaskans. Across Alaska, nonprofits operate shelters, food programs, behavioral health services, youth programs, and many other critical supports on behalf of the public. When payments are delayed, organizations are forced to use reserves, take on debt, delay hiring, reduce services, or even close programs. HB 133 was a practical response to a systemic problem that nonprofits and municipalities have experienced for years. The governor’s veto message points to administrative reforms, improved systems, and agency accountability as alternatives to legislation. In reality, nonprofits… Read more »

Recent actions by several online fundraising platforms—including creating donation pages for nonprofits without their knowledge or consent—have highlighted the need for stronger standards that protect both nonprofits and donors. That’s why we’re joining nonprofit leaders across the country in supporting four principles for ethical online fundraising: Nonprofit Consent: Nonprofits must have the power and agency to decide for themselves how and when to engage with online fundraising platforms before they solicit or collect donations. Transparency: Donors must have the power and information they need to decide whether to make a donation through an online fundraising platform. Partnership: Online fundraising platforms must recognize nonprofits as valued, equal partners. Accountability: Online fundraising platforms must be accountable to nonprofits, donors, the public, and the appropriate regulators. Learn more about the principles and endorse… Read more »

On May 29, 2026, the federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) proposed sweeping changes to the Uniform Guidance that, if implemented, would create significant risk and instability for all federal grantees, including nonprofits, making it more difficult to provide vital services to communities. We are calling on Alaska nonprofits to loudly declare our opposition to the proposed changes. The OMB proposed changes would apply to all federal grants, cooperative agreements, and pass-through awards received by Alaska nonprofits. Since before statehood, Alaska nonprofits have had a long track record of serving with honor and accountability as a trusted partner with the federal government, the State of Alaska, and local municipalities. We are such a vital part of everyday Alaska life we are recognized in our state’s constitution. We provide a… Read more »

After months of planning and an extensive search using our comprehensive Leadership Transition services, Foraker has helped place Paul Rasmussen as the new Executive Director of the Cold Climate Housing Research Center. Rasmussen’s background as an architect, combined with his construction management experience, will help to further CCHRC’s mission of advancing sustainable solutions for healthy and resilient homes in cold climates. “Paul’s selection to lead CCHRC reflects the board’s deep care and clear belief in where one of Alaska’s most trusted homegrown institutions can go next,” said Board Chair Griffin Forster. “The housing crisis demands action at a speed and scale we have never seen before. Paul brings the vision, energy, and collaborative leadership needed to help meet that challenge. The board is thrilled and eager to support him as… Read more »

If you have a fiscal year that begins in July, this is your budgeting season. And it likely means you are putting the finishing touches on how you think the future will unfold for the next year. (For those of you with a January or October fiscal year, your season has passed, and you are well on your way to living your budget.) I admit that numbers were not my thing when I started in this work, but I quickly learned to be a champion of the budget when I figured out that while it is certainly made of numbers, budgets are far more than that. Budgets tell a story of your organization. They tell you and your team about your vision for growth and your fears and insecurities about… Read more »

You’re invited to the 2027 Foraker Leadership Summit! Join us April 26–27 at the Dena’ina Center in Anchorage to connect with nonprofit leaders from across Alaska, explore new ideas, and discover practical ways to put them into action. Held every two years, the Foraker Leadership Summit brings together more than 500 nonprofit, tribal, and community leaders for learning, inspiration, and meaningful conversation. You won’t want to miss it. Stay tuned for registration details, speaker announcements, and more!… Read more »

As nonprofit leaders, it’s essential that we have tools to make informed decisions. One of those tools is our Salary and Benefits Report – which gives us context and a comparative benchmark for compensation in Alaska’s nonprofit sector. What’s in the report? The 2026 Salary and Benefits Report & Dashboard features: Salary data for 54 positions, including Executive Director/CEO, Finance Director/CFO, Development/Fundraising Director, administrative support, accountants, clinical support, and program staff Data from over 1,500 nonprofits in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Montana, Washington, Utah, and Hawaii Regional breakdown of Alaska data from Southcentral, Interior, Southeast, and the Southwest Data from organizations with budgets ranging from less than $100,000 to over $20 million Data from 15 types of nonprofits, including education, human services, health care, environmental, recreation/sports, and arts, culture, and humanities groups Benefit data on medical, dental,… Read more »

Strong financial systems help nonprofits stay focused on their mission. As our finance team continues to grow, we’re able to support additional organizations with finance projects and trusted nonprofit financial expertise. Whether your organization needs assistance preparing for an audit, strengthening financial processes, or completing a specific finance project, our team is here to help. We can provide assistance with: • Audit preparation and audit support • Budget development and facilitation • Financial health assessments • Senior-level financial consulting • Accounting process review and cleanup projects • Financial systems and reporting support These services are designed to provide targeted, short-term assistance to help organizations address immediate financial needs, strengthen systems, and build long-term financial sustainability. Fill out our inquiry form to share your organization’s finance needs and learn how we can help…. Read more »

After months of planning and an extensive search using our Leadership Transition services, Foraker has helped place George Pollock as its first Executive Director. The hire represents an important step forward for STA after a long history of community driven trail work. Pollock brings more than three decades of deep involvement in Anchorage’s mountain biking and trail community to the role. He arrived in Anchorage in 1993 and quickly joined up with a group of mountain bikers exploring rides across the state, from the annual Kantishna out-and-back to the original Soggy Bottom in the early 2000s. Over the years, he has logged countless hours of volunteer trail work at Kincaid and contributed to the development of Hillside’s informal winter trail system. Pollock brings to the role a passion for mountain… Read more »

In March 2026, Alaska Attorney General Stephen Cox announced lawsuits against six crowdfunding platforms for creating donation pages for all charitable nonprofits in the nation without their knowledge or consent. The lawsuits allege that these companies, along with another dozen or more, used publicly available data to generate fundraising pages for over a million 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofits – including all charitable nonprofits in Alaska. The sites are now actively soliciting donations through those pages without first obtaining permission from the organizations or even telling them that the sites exist. The lawsuits involve the violation of three Alaska laws. Until these websites are taken down, it is imperative that every nonprofit inform donors about trusted ways to give. Ultimately, building and keeping donor trust and relationships is central to a nonprofit’s… Read more »