The Foraker Group

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 »

The federal judge in Texas who temporarily enjoined the Obama Administration’s Overtime Final Rule late last year ruled this week that the Final Rule is invalid because the U.S. Department of Labor exceeded its authority in setting a high salary-level test that denied exempt status to executive, administrative, and professional employees without regard to their job duties. The judge interpreted the Fair Labor Standards Act as granting the Labor Department the authority to define and limit the white-collar exemptions based primarily on the duties they perform. Because the Overtime Final Rule would have revoked the exempt status of four million workers based solely on the increase in the salary level and without regard to the work they perform, the judge invalidated the rule. Today’s ruling in State of Nevada v. U.S…. Read more »

Tomorrow we mark the 97th>anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote. While we have seen much progress in rights for women, we know work still needs to be done. At Foraker, we are committed to this work with many others like the YWCA – especially in the area of pay equity. To add to the conversation, earlier this year we conducted research and prepared a report on pay equity in Alaska’s nonprofit sector. You can find that report here. Please join us in celebrating our achievements and re-committing to further advancing equity in our sector and others in Alaska…. Read more »

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has published a Request for Information (RFI) in the Federal Register seeking comments from the public about how the white-collar regulations under the Fair Labor Standards Act should be updated. The Obama Administration had sought to revise the same regulations in 2016, but that effort was blocked by a federal court late last year. Under current law, employees working in a “bona fide executive, administrative, or professional capacity” are not eligible for overtime pay. Federal regulations determine which employees fall within those categories. In most cases, employees will be considered exempt from overtime if (1) the employee is paid on a salary basis (“salary basis test”); (2) the employee receives at least a minimum specified salary amount (“salary level test”) which is currently set at $455/week; and (3)… Read more »

Chellie Skoog has been named the new Vice President of Programs for The Foraker Group. Chellie is already familiar to many Foraker Partners. She has been teaching and consulting with us since 2013. Her specialty is helping organizations better manage their financial affairs, and she’s noted for assisting nonprofits that are facing fiscal challenges. Chellie says she is “excited to do the work that advances the health and well-being of communities around Alaska.” She calls Alaska nonprofits “unsung heroes” with staff and boards doing amazing things that frequently go unnoticed in the community. In announcing Chellie’s appointment, Foraker President/CEO Laurie Wolf said that Chellie brings “commitment, skills, and leadership to Foraker’s mission of strengthening Alaska’s nonprofits. We are very excited about what she’s going to accomplish in her new position.”… Read more »