The Foraker Group

One of my favorite ways to end a full day of facilitation is to ask everyone in the room what they will take with them and what they will leave behind because it no longer serves them. This round-the-room exploration is often a telling moment for what has moved people throughout the day – and more telling about what will stick moving forward. To launch us into 2018, I offer my own version of what we are taking with us from 2017 and what we at Foraker will leave behind as we stand with you in 2018. 2017 ushered in a new federal administration, a state in fiscal disarray, and a sector left to wonder how we would manage it all as we worked diligently every day to serve our… Read more »

As we prepare for the holiday, we know many of you have questions about the current tax bill’s implications on the nonprofit sector. Below is some helpful information to know our starting point in 2018. Foraker will remain a resource to you as we navigate the changes together. To learn more about the bill, read Nonprofit Quarterly’s article What Nonprofits Can Expect in the GOP Tax Bill. The article outlines several things to watch for, including: deductibility of charitable contributions, new excise taxes on selected nonprofits, treatment of unrelated business income generated by charities, and changes in the tax-exempt treatment of interest income from certain bonds issued by nonprofits. Thanks to the National Council of Nonprofits for creating this matrix that outlines the components in the tax bill that impacts nonprofits…. Read more »

We are thrilled to have two new staff join our team. Monica Garcia-Itchoak has joined our team as a Lead Capacity Builder – she will be around the state working with our Partners on leadership support, collaboration, and civic engagement. Lailani Cook is our new Administrative Assistant – she will be behind the scenes coordinating the services you need and will be the friendly voice ready to help you when you call. Monica Garcia – Itchoak Lead Capacity Builder Monica has over 26 years of nonprofit leadership with 16 years dedicated to the museum industry in Chicago and New York.  In 2010, she relocated to Alaska to join the Anchorage Museum as the Director of Education and Public Programs.  Since then, she has been an independent consultant and continues to participate… Read more »

December is a strange mix in Alaska of extreme dark and the promise of new light on the Solstice. It is a time of reflection in a cozy curling-up space along with frenetic efforts to wrap up projects, connect with donors, and find time for joyful celebrations. It is a time of deep gratitude and wonderful surprises. I take all of this in and reflect on the fullness of the year with equal amounts of wondering “How did we get here so fast?” and “What’s next?” So as December engulfs us, I am thinking about how we take the lessons from our year and bring them forward to light our way into 2018. At Foraker, 2017 has been a year of change. We have said hello and good-bye to wonderful… Read more »

The House and Senate have passed separate versions of tax reform (see a comparison chart here). The difference between the bills must be negotiated in what’s called a conference committee made up of a dozen or more Representatives and Senators. We write asking for your help in convincing Senator Murkowski and Representative Young, as members of the tax reform  conference committees, to preserve nonprofit nonpartisanship and to reject any changes to the Johnson Amendment. Each bill contains multiple provisions that would harm the ability of charitable nonprofits to advance our missions. The most damaging is Section 5201 of the House-passed bill; it would radically change the longstanding, vital protection in law for nonpartisanship of charitable, religious, and philanthropic organizations, known as the Johnson Amendment. Section 5201 would: Create pressure on… Read more »

Calling all new Executive Directors (0-3 years in the position)! Are you interested in working with an experienced mentor and a network of peers while exploring governance, financial management, and planning? Looking to cultivate a more effective relationship with your board? Apply for the Executive Leadership Initiative – a program designed to build on your strengths and tackle the challenges of running a successful nonprofit. The deadline to apply is December 15…. Read more »

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 »