The Foraker Group

Yesterday we hosted a conference call for nonprofits to talk about how we amplify the nonprofit community response to the line-item vetoes in Governor Dunleavy’s budget. We heard from you that you need tools to navigate the next steps. To that end, we have crafted a message template for you to use as a guide. We encourage you to use it to create a message to share with your board and others to help them when they contact their legislators. Call to Action – Please follow these steps: Step 1 – Gather your stakeholders: board, staff, donors, volunteers, participants. Step 2 – Provide them with a contact list of all the legislators. Start with your own district and then move on to the whole list – it is essential to… Read more »

A message from Laurie Wolf, President and CEO Today, Governor Dunleavy used his line-item veto to cut over $400 million from the FY2020 state budget, adding to $280 million in cuts already made by the legislature. These cuts represent some of the largest we have seen to health and human services in our state’s history. And these figures do not take into account the loss of $22 million in matching federal funds. Let’s be clear, these cumulative cuts will have an impact on every Alaskan. As we have been saying for some time now, Alaska only truly works when we work together – nonprofits, business, and government. These cuts will mean the loss of essential services, and our most vulnerable will be the most harmed. More people will go without… Read more »

The Rasmuson Foundation grants up to $40,000 to cover salary and expenses during a leadership sabbatical, which supports the personal growth or renewal of a nonprofit CEO or tribal executive. Consider nominating someone or plan to apply yourself. The deadline this year is September 15. Learn more at www.rasmuson.org/grants/sabbatical…. Read more »

A message from Foraker’s President/CEO Laurie Wolf: As nonprofit leaders we make difficult financial decisions every day and are driven to do what is best for the communities and people we serve. We know that the essential services we provide, the gifts we create for our communities, and the economic opportunities that are derived from our sector all work because we do it as partners with government, business and industry, and individual philanthropists. No one operates in a vacuum, and we need each other. Even if your organization receives no direct government funding, each decision by our policy makers has an impact on the people and places we serve. This is Alaska – we are all connected. When faced with a drastic budget proposal earlier this year, Alaskans spoke up… Read more »

One of the many gems at our Leadership Summit was Vu Le sharing the idea of practicing “we-care” in addition to “self-care.” Our team at Foraker heard the idea of “we-care” and immediately adopted it – not surprising, perhaps, because it is all about giving and receiving support, which is a staple in our work. Support in this case can take many forms from gentle reminders, motivational support, planning, coordinating, or even jumping in and doing something together. Your team can define what “we-care” means for your workplace culture. And your choice should have the flavor of not just expecting someone to figure out self-care on their own, but rather of creating an environment where care in general is a high priority and a celebrated choice. In that spirit and… Read more »

We are teaming up with the UAA Department of Economics and Rasmuson Foundation to bring philanthropy researchers to Alaska. Join us, in person, or online to hear the latest research and learn how you might apply it to your fundraising strategies. The last two lectures in the series are scheduled for the following dates: May 22: Does Fundraising Create New Giving? Join in person in Anchorage or online. June 28: Fundraising through online social networks: A field experiment on peer-to-peer solicitation. Join in person in Anchorage or online…. Read more »

For more than a decade, we have provided an array of organizational and leadership development services and offered some limited executive search services. We are now bringing those offerings into a comprehensive service called Transitions: Search & Succession. In this new service, we see leadership transition as an opportunity for positive change. We are scaling up to help nonprofits across Alaska to navigate both planned and unplanned transitions for key leaders in your organizations. All of us at Foraker look forward to seeing how the new search and transition service will benefit your organization as your key leaders make their next move. We are committed to not just standing beside you, but to being your valued guide along the way. Learn more here…. Read more »

Are you an Alaska nonprofit or tribal leader? Do you want to enhance your management skills and explore new techniques to effectively lead your organization? The Foraker Certificate in Nonprofit Management features courses developed to apply classroom teachings to your workplace, case studies directly related to issues facing Alaska nonprofits, and a network of fellow professionals to last a lifetime. The application deadline is June 3. Learn more here…. Read more »

Thank you is the best place to begin. Thank you to all of you who made space in your life to show up and be present for two full days of the Leadership Summit and to those who took the extra day to come to our pre-conference classes. Thank you for stepping in and stepping up to comfortable and uncomfortable conversations. Thank you for making space to laugh and connect and learn and dance. Thank you to our sponsors that walked alongside us to offer travel scholarships and keep two days of powerhouse presenters affordable and available to the sold-out house of just over 500 attendees. Thank you to our enthusiastic and all-in board members who hosted breakfast roundtables and lunch time conversations and breakout sessions. Thank you to staff… Read more »

As Joan mentioned in her remarks, she is making a special offer available to attendees of our 2019 Leadership Summit.  Many of you did not get the info a link to join so we  wanted to make sure you had all the information you needed to consider joining.  Here’s a brief note from Joan. Thanks to all of you for your gift of service to Alaska and for the opportunity to participate in a stellar conference.  As I mentioned I have an online membership site for a very modest monthly subscription (cancellable at any time – seriously!) called The Nonprofit Leadership Lab.  We started this adventure 2 years ago for board and staff leaders of small-midsized nonprofits for whom coaches and consultants would be cost prohibitive. Many of our members… Read more »