The Foraker Group

We’ve all known that ranked choice voting was coming to Alaska, but not this soon. The passing of Congressman Don Young has accelerated the use of ranked choice voting in Alaska by a few months, and like all of our fellow Alaskans we need to know more so we can participate fully in this special election. Alaska nonprofits have an important voice in shaping public policy, in part through the ballot box. Nonprofits can break down barriers to civic engagement by demystifying the process, providing language access, and by using our trusted voice to cast a wider net of engagement. Ultimately, when we all vote, we all win. If you missed our webinar on ranked choice voting, you can find the recording here and can find more resources below. Alaska… Read more »

As Alaska’s nonprofit state association, we connect with policy makers, businesses, and other nonprofits to highlight the positive impacts nonprofits have on our state. Positioning the sector as a credible voice is a role we take seriously. Each year a joint committee representing Foraker’s Governance and Operations Boards analyzes issues affecting the Alaska nonprofit sector. In addition to ensuring that we are nonpartisan, Foraker’s Public Policy Committee uses four criteria (see How does Foraker decide which issues to focus on?) to analyze issues and recommend annual priorities. We are excited to work together on reaching our 2022 advocacy objectives. We invite you to join us in advocating for the following issues that have an impact on your mission and the sector – you can learn more about each of these… Read more »

We are excited to launch a new tool for organizations that may be considering a capital project, whether it’s constructing a new facility or renovating a current building to better serve your mission. We know this can be a daunting task. Our new Pre-Development Online Toolkit is designed to assist you. This toolkit is much more than a few instruction sheets and checklists. It brings together the experiences of many organizations that have gone through our Pre-D program. It offers guidance and tools to assist board and staff to educate themselves, explore options, and make informed decisions. With the influx of federal dollars from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, it is more important than ever that organizations, governments, and tribes are prepared to use those funds as efficiently and effectively as they… Read more »

In partnership with the Alaska Municipal League, Alaska Federation of Natives, and through support from the Municipality of Anchorage, The Foraker Group is taking part in a Federal Grant Symposium on April 12 from 9am – 4pm at the Dena’ina Center in Anchorage following events hosted by Senator Murkowski on April 11. Nonprofit leaders are encouraged to register to attend. The event is free and offers learning opportunities focused on federal grant compliance, preparing to apply for federal grants, and opportunities to network and engage with community development projects being planned at the regional and local levels. While the presentations will be in the context of the federal funding coming to Alaska through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed earlier this year, this symposium is an opportunity to collaborate with community members, organizations, and leaders from… Read more »

Our nonprofit economic impact report is ready for you to use when you speak with policy makers, or do your own planning, or understand the world around you, and our goal is to create ways for you to use it as if it were your own. We’ve found that sometimes when we share our report we run straight into myths about our sector and our work. It can be hard to know how to respond in a way that feels strengths-based, relationship focused, and at the same time informative so the conversation can shift to a more productive place. To that end, below are five of so many myths about nonprofits followed by possible responses to get you unstuck in these sticky conversations. Myth: Nonprofits are all the same. Myth:… Read more »

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 »