The Foraker Group

Do you wonder why some decisions seem better timed than others? Or why the expectations of some board members about their service do not fit with the discussions and activities the team needs today? Do you wish your board or staff would see why your line of questioning makes so much sense right NOW in your organization? When you are in a planning session do you struggle to find the balance between internal and external focus in your goals, or find that the board is holding you and your staff back from taking on new goals that would propel the mission forward? We hear about these tension-filled scenarios a lot, but unfortunately there is little science to give us the answers to eliminate the tension. More often, the gift instead… Read more »

Here at Foraker we are following the current healthcare debate in Congress with concern about its impact on the nonprofit sector and the Alaskans we serve. Foraker’s President/CEO Laurie Wolf summarized those concerns in an email she sent earlier this week to Senator Murkowski, Senator Sullivan, and Congressman Young. Laurie wrote: As you know, The Foraker Group is the nonprofit voice for Alaska. In that role, I am strongly urging you to do what is necessary to take the appropriate amount of time to consider healthcare for all Alaskans. The charitable and philanthropic communities have a major stake in what the ultimate law says and does. Charitable nonprofits make up twelve percent of the private workforce in urban Alaska and more than fifty percent of the workforce in rural Alaska…. Read more »

Failure by the Alaska Legislature to pass a budget presents a grave risk to communities and individuals served by the nonprofit sector. We make a strong call to all legislators to break through the political gridlock and get the job done for Alaskans – pass a state budget that protects Alaska’s most vulnerable populations, our environment, education, and cultural life. Without a budget, many state operations will shut down on July 1. That’s something we haven’t seen in Alaska. And the lack of action by the legislature that is leading to this dire consequence is both irresponsible and unacceptable. Our message is simple: Get to work, stop the infighting, compromise, and pass a budget. As an organization that supports the work of nonprofits in communities around the state, we are profoundly… Read more »

You have likely noticed that there has been a lot to say recently about the fate and work of our nonprofit sector. In every community and at every level of government, decisions are being made that affect the work we do. While it has compelled Foraker’s board and our staff to use our voice more often to take a stand for the sector, we have also noticed a few things along the way that might inspire you and your organization to find or use your own voice more often. In this month’s article I want to highlight a few of those observations and, importantly, I want to hear from you about what you are noticing. I also want to share a tool with you that could be helpful as you… Read more »

It may seem a ways off, but planning for the 2020 Census is in full swing – and it’s important that Alaska nonprofits are aware of how the census affects them. Most importantly, the Decennial Census and its counterpart, the ongoing American Community Survey (ACS), have a significant impact on the amount of federal dollars Alaska receives with much of the funding directed to our nonprofits. With that in mind, Foraker has made the census one of its public policy priorities. Specifically, we are committed to ensuring that everyone in Alaska is counted and that the annual ACS estimates are accurate for Alaska communities. The census is important because it helps decision makers, businesses, and civic leaders better understand their communities and the people who live there. What can you… Read more »

Earlier this week the Trump Administration released a proposed budget for fiscal year 2018. The proposal is a vision document and is not expected to pass Congress in its current form. The House and Senate budget committees will release their own proposals next month. The National Council of Nonprofits has looked closely at how the cuts affect the nonprofit sector. You’ll find their analysis here. We urge Alaska nonprofits to review this analysis and then contact our congressional delegation to share your thoughts on the suggested cuts…. Read more »

One of our public policy priorities for the past two years has been to bring much-needed change to the state’s single audit regulations. Foraker staff and the public policy committee have devoted significant time to this effort. And that work has paid off. While we did not see all the adjustments we felt were needed, the state did make changes that will help save time and money for many Alaska nonprofits. By way of background – Alaska nonprofits that receive at least $500,000 in grant funds from the state in a fiscal year are required to file a State Single Audit. In comments submitted to the state earlier this year, Foraker said that the $500,000 threshold was onerous and diverted resources from critical nonprofit missions. We urged the state to… Read more »

Catalyst for Nonprofit Excellence is a results-oriented, tool-based program designed to increase your leadership skills. The program is open to senior leadership staff and board members committed to the nonprofit sector who are looking to be more effective in achieving goals and creating a more fulfilling, engaged work life. In this program you will: Discover your unique strengths as a leader and how to apply them more fully for better results Build a strong support network that helps you achieve your goals Transform workplace disputes and conflicts into opportunities for deeper understanding and positive change Become more effective in work and personal relations than ever before More information on the program can be found here. The deadline for applications is June 16, 2017…. Read more »

To everything there is a season and, yes, there are budget seasons. We are in one now – for federal and state governments, and for your nonprofit. If you have a fiscal year that begins in July, you are very likely drafting a budget for the next year. (For those of you with a January or October fiscal year, your season has past, and you are well on your way to living your budget.) Budgets come in all sizes and all complexities. They can be simple and straightforward, as well as incredibly detailed and nuanced. They can be about millions of dollars or about thousands. All of our organizations benefit from this financial roadmap, and yet in Alaska we know from our recent survey work that too many organizations (19%)… Read more »

Recently we conducted a survey of the mood of the Alaska nonprofit sector. We wanted to measure what we had been hearing anecdotally. The mood survey is complete and we received a representative sample from organizations across the state and sector. What we learned didn’t surprise us – you are anxious. The more revealing answers lie in the details. Overall, board members have more anxiety than CEOs. This is interesting on several fronts: 1) There are more board members than CEOs so the anxiety has a multiplying effect. 2) Board members typically represent other sectors of our economy so they have a different perspective of how the economy is affecting the work. 3) CEOs are particularly adept at dealing with challenges and difficult situations – it almost comes with the… Read more »