The Foraker Group

The Senate passed its version of the tax bill ‪on December 2. For those of you tracking the bill closely, here is how the issues that directly impact nonprofits stand in the House and Senate versions. There is more work ahead of us all. Thanks to the National Council of Nonprofits for their close analysis…. Read more »

Alaska nonprofit staff, board, volunteers and donors: As tax legislation moves through the U.S. Senate this week, some of the basic structures under which the nonprofit sector operates are facing significant changes. For 100 years, through the U.S. tax code and its charitable giving incentive, Americans have been encouraged to donate to the causes that matter to them. If the Senate provision that raises the standard deduction is approved, 95% of us will lose that opportunity.  Additionally, partisan politics will likely enter into our charitable organizations, fundamentally compromising the nature of our work. Yesterday, the National Council of Nonprofits issued an open letter to all of us.  As a member of the Council, I encourage you to take a moment and read the full letter. There may be certain parts of the tax bills that you support, but… Read more »

The Senate is now looking at its version of tax reform legislation and Senator Murkowski and Senator Sullivan need to hear from you TODAY, before debate begins on the Senate floor. The most effective way of advocating on a fast-moving bill is to pick up the phone. So, if you have time to do only one thing today, have that one action be calling each of our senators. Make the Call: Simply call Senator Sullivan (202.224.3004) and Senator Murkowski (202.224.6665), identify yourself as a constituent, and relay these two important points: “Do not use tax reform to weaken or repeal the Johnson Amendment, which keeps divisive partisan politics out of nonprofits, houses of worship, and foundations. I am concerned that efforts to repeal or weaken the Johnson Amendment would harm… Read more »

There is a common saying: “It is lonely at the top.” I have been contemplating this saying as I enter my 18th year in leadership, including my two and a half years as Foraker’s CEO. I’m thinking about this mostly because of hard conversations I’ve had recently with Alaska leaders, and because of studies like Daring to Lead, which suggests new CEOs often leave their jobs during their third year because they feel isolated. I am also thinking about it because while there are certainly times I experience isolation, for the most part this is an experience I have managed to avoid. What can make leadership less lonely? And how do we stay and thrive in our work? Some research points to creating environments of support. We believe in this… Read more »

On November 9, House Republicans unveiled their Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (H.R.1). Our colleagues at the Montana Nonprofit Association prepared an excellent analysis on the impact of the legislation on nonprofits. With thanks to MNA, we share their thoughts here. The 429-page bill carries many implications for nonprofits and private foundations. MNA is concerned about two provisions in particular. First, the partial repeal of the Johnson Amendment erodes nonprofit nonpartisanship. Second, the standard deduction is doubled, which almost decimates charitable giving incentives for all but 5% of taxpayers. The bill will be marked up in the next few days, so now is the time to be very clear with our congressional delegation on the impact of these provisions. Join us in advocacy that protects the nonprofit sector. Foraker agrees with MNA and we… Read more »

A special thanks to those who who donated to Foraker through Pick.Click.Give.! We’re honored that our work is among the causes you care most about – together we are creating a thriving nonprofit sector that meets diverse community needs across the state. Thank you all!: Stephanie Allen Lisa Aquino Bruce Botelho Angela Cox Patuk Glenn Zane Jones Diane Kaplan Gabe Layman Jillian Lush Jordan Marshall Joel Neimeyer Joan O’Keefe Deena Bishop Rebecca Savidis Chellie Skoog Joy Steward John Van Alstine Bernie Washington Laurie Wolf Anonymous x2  … Read more »

Tax reform is taking center stage in Washington. The administration and House of Representatives have released their Unified Framework for Fixing Our Broken Tax Code, which proposes maintaining tax deductions for charitable donations. On the surface this is good news, but a closer look by the National Council of Nonprofits and the international Association of Fundraising Professionals has raised significant concerns. Don’t delay – act now. Here’s what you need to know. According to the Council, one provision – doubling the standard deduction – would reduce the value of charitable deductions because far fewer people would be able to take advantage of them. Currently, 33% of Americans itemize when they pay their federal taxes. AFP points out that the proposed change reduces to 5% the number of people who would… Read more »

As we close in on winter in Alaska, each of us is doing our seasonal work of filling freezers and shelves with food, storing lawn furniture and securing our outside environment from the impending wind and snow, calculating how long until we need to switch our tires over to combat icy snow-roads, and generally realigning ourselves and our families for the season to come. We go through these motions with equal amount of routine and stress – like working out a muscle we haven’t used in a few months. It’s hard and takes effort, but it’s familiar. In this change of season, we respond accordingly. In our nonprofit work environment, we also know this fall season. There are things we do at this time of year because our boards are… Read more »

Have you seen the new Pick.Click.Give. communication toolkit? Use logos, shareable images, email signatures, postcard templates and more to promote your organization to your stakeholders and donors! You can find this great resource on the Pick.Click.Give website…. Read more »

The challenges in this world today are many. They come in the form of weather disasters, war, climate change, human action, and many other causes. There are so many critical areas that call to us for action, it’s easy to understand how we can feel distressed and inadequate in the face of such overwhelming events. Today, I join you in considering how to respond in a way that helps us restore our energy, renew our faith, and strengthen our resolve to continue our critical work. There are no magic answers to these questions. But in the midst of disasters around the world, we are hearing and seeing stories of remarkable heroism by individuals and nonprofit organizations mobilizing in unprecedented ways to support and stand up for those who have fallen…. Read more »