The Foraker Group

Update: Foraker staff will be canceling all sessions requiring travel until April 21 in accordance with the Governor’s mandate to limit interstate travel.  Dear Nonprofit Leaders: Starting today, Foraker staff will be working remotely.  Our plan is to keep the office closed until April 15, at which time we will reevaluate the situation to see what is necessary for public health. I do not make this decision lightly. I am concerned not only for the health of our staff and consultant team but for the public’s health.  The more we self-quarantine and practice social distancing the better off we will all be as a community. We are staying ready and able to serve the nonprofit sector.  While we are working to reschedule all in-person meetings, we are still available to… Read more »

Update: The survey will close tomorrow – March 24 – at 12:00 pm.   Dear Alaska Nonprofit Leader: We care deeply about you, the people and communities you serve, and about the overall welfare of every Alaskan. We know these are unprecedented times and that you are each doing your best to navigate with every new piece of information on COVID-19. We are monitoring the impact of this virus on our sector closely, and we need to hear from you to understand what you need and what questions you have as we move forward together. Please take just a few moments to complete a brief survey and talk among your team so that only one person answers this survey for each organization. The responses will be used to help Foraker provide… Read more »

In partnership with the Atwood Foundation, we are offering considerable discounts on capacity building services to Anchorage arts, culture, and humanities organizations. Your organization may be eligible: Are you focused on arts, culture, and humanities? Are you based in Anchorage? Do you need help with strategic or annual planning, fundraising, organizational assessments or other capacity building services? If so, please fill out this application and send it to Monica Garcia-Itchoak at mitchoak@forakergroup.org…. Read more »

We are seeking leaders who are committed to a career in Alaska’s nonprofit sector to apply for the 2020 Certificate in Nonprofit Management cohort! The courses are designed to immediately apply what you learn in class to your workplace. Certificate is for nonprofit professionals across the state – no matter whether you’re leading a large organization or a small one, or if you have been in the field for decades or only a year, this program is designed to meet you where you are in your career. Learn more here…. Read more »

To date, there have been no reports of coronavirus in Alaska. However, we are aware of the growing number of incidents in other parts of the country, including deaths in California and Washington state. So this is a good time for nonprofit leaders to learn what they can do to protect the people they serve, their staff, and the community at large. It’s time to move into action now and plan ahead. Fortunately, disease control experts have been busy posting information to help us with planning and prevention. No doubt you have looked at a number of websites that offer excellent guidance. We’ve gathered some we believe are especially helpful and list them below. From the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services, a webpage with general and Alaska specific… Read more »

On Febraury 11, 2020 BP officially handed over the keys to the BP Energy Center to The Alaska Community Foundation. At the event, Laurie Wolf gave a tribute to the building, and to BP for their generosity. Here are her comments:  On behalf of the nonprofit sector and the hundreds of organizations and civic groups who use this facility every year, thank you. And thank you for inviting me to say a few words about this place and this gift to Alaska nonprofits. We are here today to celebrate this remarkable gift as it transfers hands and keeps its promised intent for Alaska’s nonprofits. We are grateful as nonprofits not only for the gift of this space, but for the many gifts of financial investment, employee time and engagement, and… Read more »

Let’s take a quiz. What do these three things have in common? The 6th line in the United States Constitution Only 10 questions 18% of federal dollars flow directly into Alaska nonprofits every year Did you guess it right? Well if you said the U.S. Census – then you sure did. Just what is the census? As I alluded to above, the census is enshrined in our constitution and requires the federal government to count every person living in the United States every ten years. Remarkably, it is the single largest peacetime mobilization by the federal government and while it is the job of the census bureau to do all the counting, we sure can make their efforts a little bit easier by helping Alaskans know the facts, know their… Read more »

Foraker is pleased to announce the addition of Kimberly Waller to our team. Kim is the first-ever Director of Sultana, our fiscal sponsorship program. Sultana exists to support groups and projects in the preliminary stages of their development, offering opportunities to incubate ideas, employ staff, and provide the stability that funders need to make initial investments. As the Director of Sultana, Kim will support opportunities for new collaboratives and grassroots initiatives to germinate. She will also take on the role of a Foraker Lead Capacity Builder and join a team of facilitators who are responsible for strengthening Alaska organizations and tribes. Kim will be focused on collaborative efforts by fostering cross-sector partnerships to maximize missions across Alaska. Kimberly Waller, Director of Sultana/Lead Capacity Builder Kimberly was born in Fairbanks and… Read more »

Foraker’s Leadership Transition team is rapidly growing so we can better support your organization through a leadership change. We know that change is inevitable and that a smooth transition from one leader to another will keep your organization focused on mission. Please join us in welcoming Catherine Bradshaw and Mara Carnahan to Foraker. In addition, Foraker consultant Allison Fong has changed roles and is now a staff member. Catherine is joining us as the Director of Leadership Transition. She is deeply committed to helping nonprofits develop their leadership capacity and navigate the journey of transitioning to new leadership. She brings over 25 years of experience as a coach and consultant to nonprofit leaders, with a particular focus on succession planning and leadership transition. Before joining Foraker, she was a consultant with… Read more »

An invitation from the Alaska Census Working Group Recognizing both the importance of the census for our state and the many risks of an undercount in 2020, the working group has launched a statewide education and outreach initiative called Alaska Counts, which has four areas of focus: Mobilize a statewide nonpartisan multi-sector effort Create a statewide education effort Help recruit people for census jobs to support the census and build trust in communities Conduct localized outreach with partners like YOU Those who engage in promoting the census are our Census Champions. Central to our initiative is the website, which serves as an information hub with a wide variety of excellent – and free – resources. You’ll find many Alaska-made products, material for social media, and messages from trusted Alaska voices…. Read more »