The Foraker Group

Not your typical training or workshop. Not your typical anything. The Catalyst for Nonprofit Excellence is a rare opportunity for nonprofit leaders to focus on themselves while getting the support they need from a cohort of peers. The third cohort of the Catalyst program is offered in partnership with Context International. Whether you are on top of your game or looking to take your skills and knowledge to the next level, you will measurably enhance your results and your experience of life when you participate in this program. Catalyst is open to senior leaders, funding officers, and board members with a commitment to the nonprofit sector. The deadline for applications is August 12, 2013. You can learn more here. Still have questions, call our office and talk with Laurie or… Read more »

The term “nonprofit sustainability” has been a buzzword in the sector for a couple of decades. However, many public and private investors ask potential grantees to demonstrate their sustainability. For many nonprofits, the definition of sustainability is that “We have enough money to get through this budget cycle, and we many have a little reserve in the bank for an emergency.” But sustainability is much more than management and having some money in the bank. Here are some of the organizational behaviors than nonprofits can adopt to be truly sustainable. Knowing who you are and where you are going so you can adapt and change services Seeking and nurturing strategic partnerships to maximize your overall impact Establishing an organizational culture that allows for securing and maintaining the right board and… Read more »

Most nonprofit leaders care about their mission and are concerned about doing good work in their community. They want a user-friendly process to build their organization’s capacity, focus on sustainability, and ultimately, to show that their organization is demonstrating impact for the people they serve. The Foraker Nonprofit Sustainability Model, although simple, is based on a sophisticated understanding of organizational development. With it, you can identify the four factors that help predict nonprofit sustainability. Those factors are having a clear focus, gathering the right people, developing meaningful partnerships, and having unrestricted funds available. Nonprofit leaders who operate in an environment structured around these factors have lenses to help them take a good look at their organization, weigh decisions, and create clarity for the path forward. How do you see your… Read more »

Are you interested in taking your skills and knowledge to the next level? Then consider the Catalyst for Excellence program. This innovative training is open to senior organizational leaders, funding officers, and board members of Alaska nonprofits. Catalyst is a partnership between Foraker and Context International and is geneously supported by BP. You can learn more here. The deadline for applications is August 12, 2013…. Read more »

The National Council of Nonprofits has launched a new tool that will help nonprofits make informed decisions about conducting independent audits. The Nonprofit Audit Guide is available by clicking here. The guide will help you understand what an independent audit is, or is not, and whether your organization is required to conduct an audit. It also covers how to involve your board and an audit committee. Raj Shankar, Foraker’s CFO, helped develop the guide. He was recognized by the Council as a national expert on the subject and an excellent resource for other state associations. We encourage our Partners to review the material and call us if you have any questions…. Read more »

The challenges facing Alaska nonprofits that rely too heavily on government funding was covered recently by the Alaska Dispatch, an online news service. The story, which includes comments from Foraker President Dennis McMillian, echoes the message we have been delivering for some time now: Alaska nonprofits are overly dependent on government grants and need to diversify their funding sources. The story also talks about the success of Pick.Click.Give. in promoting individual giving. Foraker’s work has shown that individual giving and earned income are two sources of sustainable revenue that need to be developed by nonprofits if they hope to survive and thrive. Click here to read the article…. Read more »

A recently released study — the 2013 State of the Nonprofit Sector Survey — details changes organizations are making after years of economic stress. You can read more about the survey here. A survey analyzer allows you to filter the national results by various categories. For example, 32 Alaska nonprofits took part in the survey and you can see the results for those organizations here…. Read more »

As part of this year’s Summit, we encouraged you to develop your own “calls to action.” What do you plan to do with what you learned? Develop your story — decide who you will tell your story to — be clear about what you want your audience to do — share what you learned with staff and board? Click here for a few resources that may help. You’ll find a guide for developing a marketing or communication plan, along with a comprehensive reading list of the best material available on nonprofit communications. Check it out…. Read more »

“As Alaskans we sometimes can’t find the words to describe what we experience – like the pastels in an Alaskan sunset, standing in a stream with a Coho on the line, the color blue in a glacier, or seeing the wisdom on the face of an Alaskan Native elder. We may need to add another to that list – how we felt when we left the last Foraker Leadership Summit.” Click here to read Dennis’s reflections on the summit…. Read more »

The Foraker Group was named a full state association member of the National Council of Nonprofits this week. According to the Council, the designation recognizes Foraker’s achievement as a leader for charitable nonprofits in Alaska. In a statement issued yesterday, the Council said: “The Foraker Group has been serving Alaska’s nonprofits for more than a decade. Led by Council of Nonprofits Board Member Dennis McMillian, The Foraker Group has been providing not just leadership and high quality trainings, but also a suite of back office services and consulting services, making Alaska’s nonprofits stronger every day.” The Council also recognized Foraker’s publication of Focus on Sustainability: A Nonprofit’s Journey, a guide for nonprofit staff and board members on how to approach sustainability more holistically…. Read more »