The Foraker Group

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 »

Are you eager to better establish your digital footprint and connect with your online audience, but not sure where to start? Our new course – Digital DIY – offers the boost you need to help drive your mission forward and increase your bottom line with online communication and marketing tactics. Join us on January 11 & 18 from 1:00 – 3:00pm for an opportunity to get a grasp on the ins and outs of digital marketing, branding, social media and more. With an investment of time, and through trial and error, there’s no need to spend big dollars with a PR company or marketing firm. You can do it yourself! What we cover: Your mission statement – an outline Logo (conceptual) Digital advertising / flyers Social media – which platforms best serve your mission Website… Read more »

As we close out the year, I am reflecting on where we have been – from life-quakes to the Great Resignation –  and considering what comes next for our workplaces. Join me. Life Quakes – That’s what we called the personal experiences we saw all around us in the early part of the pandemic. Isolation, despair, divorce, job loss, the childcare crisis, isolation of the elderly – this list is inadequate in naming the cracks and chasms that appeared over the last two years. We watched as this slow-motion disaster ripped through our lives at breathtaking speed – rendering time almost irrelevant and eliminating the boundaries between our personal lives and our daily workplace experiences. Staff meetings were now in our living rooms, makeshift offices in our bedroom, and on… Read more »

It is with the greatest sadness that we learned about the passing of Bernie Washington. As many of you know, Bernie has been with Foraker since the very beginning. He was a board member at the United Way of Anchorage when the idea emerged of “shared services for nonprofits,” which became the seed that grew into The Foraker Group. Bernie did not leave our side since that brilliant idea. He was a champion for us and for nonprofits at every turn. When he had to leave our board because of term limits after the first nine years, he stayed on the finance committee and on the board of our fiscal sponsorship program, Sultana. When we asked him to return to the board, he never hesitated in saying yes. Bernie was… Read more »

We are closing our operations the week of November 22-26 to give our staff time to rest and rejuvenate. You can expect our pre-scheduled programs to run (Certificate in Nonprofit Management and Lead Up both have sessions) and for those of you partnering with us for your financial needs, essentials services like payroll will still take place. For all new inquiries, we look forward to connecting with you the week of November 29…. Read more »

On November 4, 2021, OSHA released Emergency Temporary Standards (ETS) regarding vaccine mandates for employers with 100 or more employees. Since last week’s release, the ETS has been challenged. Although a federal appeals court issued an order to stop the ETS, we encourage nonprofits with 100 or more employees to prepare to implement the ETS by its first deadline on January 4, 2022. The National Council of Nonprofits prepared a summary intended to answer most questions and provide assistance to nonprofit employers seeking to determine whether their organization is covered by the mandate and if so, to comply with the standard…. Read more »