The Foraker Group

Nonprofits from all 50 states have signed a letter to the President and congressional leaders calling for “urgently needed pandemic and workforce shortage relief that will enable charitable organizations to fulfill their roles in our nation’s relief, recovery, and rebuilding.” The letter identifies nonprofit-specific policy solutions that would provide disaster relief, address nonprofit workforce shortages, and promote volunteerism. The letter is open for all charitable organizations to sign and circulate for others to sign to show Congress and the White House that nonprofits in local communities throughout the country support these priorities. Join us in signing on. … Read more »

We are excited to welcome five new board members: Sabrena Combs, Palmer City Council Member Steve Williams, Chief Executive Officer, Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority Theresa Lyons, Chief Executive Officer, YWCA Alaska Lina Mariscal, Executive Director, Enlaces Lucy Hansen, Director of Operations, Polynesian Association of Alaska We have also welcomed several new staff and consultants to our team: Mandy Ramsay, Finance Director Chris Maguigan, Staff Accountant Karen Kuhns-Hulse, Staff Accountant Tyan Hayes, Consultant (interim executive director, leadership mentoring) Liz MacDonell, Consultant (fund development, planned giving, and capital campaign support) Zoe Olson, Consultant (Sultana) Toby Smith, Consultant (Finance, Sultana, interim executive director) Sherri vonWolfe, Consultant (Pre-Development project) You can learn more about our team here…. Read more »

Our core values are reflected in our acknowledgement of the land where we live, our commitment to serving nonprofits and tribes in urban and rural Alaska, and our obligation to address the systemic racism and oppression that is deeply rooted in our history as a state. It is from this, that we begin our understanding of the oppressive systems and structures in our sector that impact people. For some time now, the Foraker board and staff have been exploring what it means to be a diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization. The following is a high-level summary of the five tenants that describe our commitment. We are part of the journey. We believe we are a catalyst. We recognize that our understanding will deepen and grow and that no single path… Read more »

Our work in nonprofits is full of paradox. One of those is about how we grapple with data. On the one hand, we lack access to or capacity to get enough data to be as effective as we always strive to be, and on the other, we are awash in lots of data but again lack enough context or capacity to do anything meaningful with it. Something we often see in the latter case is that boards, especially, are bombarded with data but in essence have little information. Over the years, we have committed not only to gathering data but also to providing education and support to turn that data into knowledge that can lead your organization to strategic action. The “data to action trajectory” is our gold standard. With… Read more »

Alaska’s nonprofits stepped up during the pandemic and the nonprofit sector remains one of the state’s largest employers and revenue generators. In our latest report, we detail how nonprofits are part of everyday life in Alaska and illustrate the ways in which we are a major economic driver, leverage public funds for maximum return, partner with government in delivering essential services, provide community investment and civic engagement, and help stabilize the economy during the pandemic. You can find the report here…. Read more »

In November, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued a standard requiring employers with 100 or more employees to ensure their employees are vaccinated or regularly tested for COVID-19. The U.S. Supreme Court stayed that requirement on January 13. This means that the court hasn’t struck down the standard but only put it on hold pending further action in lower courts. In other action, the court lifted injunctions against CDC rules that require vaccinations for all applicable staff of employers receiving payments under Medicaid and Medicare programs. Litigation in this case also continues, but the vaccination mandate is no longer blocked. We encourage Alaska nonprofit employers to continue examining their vaccination and testing policies to determine what is in the best interest of their staff and the people they serve…. Read more »

The article below was prepared jointly by Foraker President/CEO Laurie Wolf and her counterpart in Washington state, Laura Pierce, Executive Director of Washington Nonprofits. They stress the need that exists now more than ever to work together in tackling the difficult challenges facing our sector and our communities. What does it mean to collaborate right now? This was the question among a team of nonprofit state association CEOs at a recent meeting. As we all leaned into the conversation, Laurie commented, “We need to collaborate now more than ever. But exhaustion in the sector makes it hard to bring our best to the effort.” Let’s unpack that. With all the changes happening in our sector and the opportunities created by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and other federal investments… Read more »

I heard a piece on the radio the other day stating that one of the reasons we feel such a strange relationship with time since the pandemic began is because we are not creating as many memories. Of course, there was more to it than that, but it got me thinking back to a favorite question I’ve posed to nonprofit board and staff members during the last two years: “Looking back on this time, what do you want your leadership footprint to be?” A leadership footprint combines how we each show up to our work from a place of deep beliefs and core values mixed with the positive actions we take that are bigger than ourselves. It is about the future. It is about impact. It is about the conscious… Read more »

It is with great sadness that we mourn the passing of Ed Rasmuson. We at Foraker, in the nonprofit community, and around the state truly admired Ed and all that he accomplished for Alaska. Ed was a visionary, philanthropist, statesman, family man, and friend. To us, he was our founding board chair, consistent champion, and our Chair Emeritus. Ed deeply embraced what it means to “stand beside Alaska’s nonprofits.” He showed the way for the rest of us, and we will forever honor his work and the legacy he leaves us. We send our deepest condolences to Cathy Rasmuson, Natasha von Imhof, Laura Emerson, and the entire Rasmuson family, as well as to the Rasmuson Foundation board and staff. You may read more about Ed, his life, and his dedication… Read more »

Happy Solstice! Today is a day I am reminded of all of the nonprofits that bring us light and hope. Last year I wrote about a walk I went on to admire all of the lights strung around my neighborhood. Again, this year, I imagine stringing lights for the incredible bright examples of our nonprofits.  Holiday lights for Diwali, Hanukkah, Solstice, Christmas, and Kwanzaa – that is what I savor on an evening ramble through my neighborhood during these dark days of winter. They’re in the trees, windows, and roofs – inside and outside. Their sparkle lights my way both literally and in my heart. If I could string a set of lights to display our collective learning and have those lights lead us – not just to the end… Read more »