The Foraker Group

I took a little sabbatical from the blog, mainly because I took some time off from my too frequent flights on Alaska Airlines. Those days of bliss are over and before June I will again qualify for the 75K Gold status. But today, on one of the first trips in 2012, I’m off to Juneau. Every nonprofit leader who depends on state funding should schedule a trip during session. Even if you are not dependent today, it is a good practice to visit the Capitol, shake hands, and work on a relationship with legislators and their staff – on their turf. One day that effort will be rewarded. Unfortunately, I am a late-comer to public policy work. I’m convinced I should have started 30 years ago. Thankfully I have staff… Read more »

As of this morning, 15,645 Alaskans have made 25,023 pledges through Pick. Click. Give. for a total of $1,406.250. That compares to a total of $1,040,400 on February 13 last year. Thanks to everyone who is using Pick. Click. Give. to support their favorite causes…. Read more »

If your organization has been discussing a potential capital project with lawmakers in Juneau, the deadline is near for submitting that project. Legislators are finalizing their “wish lists” right now. Consider giving the legislator who’s working with you a call…. Read more »

We are pleased to announce that the 2013 application is now available electronically. An organization can enter its information online and then simply print, sign, and submit a check to complete the process. The new online application offers a feature that should save you time and effort. For organizations that were part of the program in the past, many of the documents required in the application are already loaded into the application. For organizations new to the program, the documents will be stored for future applications. Organizations are encouraged to verify all the existing information and change any that is not correct. The application information is password protected and it is only used to qualify your organization for Pick.Click.Give. No information will be shared for any other purpose. The online… Read more »

A bill was submitted in the Alaska legislature this past week that would provide endowment funds to local community foundations. The Endow Alaska grant program (Alaska House Bill 290) calls for making an annual grant to a lead philanthropic organization. That money would then be distributed to community foundations as one-to-one matches for money raised from local communities. Thus, says one sponsor, state dollars would leverage local giving and community foundations would be provided with some help in building their asset bases and local support. Read more-… Read more »

As of 6:00 am today, 11,291 Alaskans have made 17,817 pledges through Pick. Click. Give. for a total of $987,325. That compares to a total of $758,450 on January 23 last year. Thanks to everyone who is using Pick. Click. Give. to support their favorite causes. And congratulations to the PCG participants who are actively promoting their involvement with the program…. Read more »

Alaskans aren’t strangers to snow, but last week’s storm in Prince William Sound was exceptional. Foraker certificate graduate Rochelle van den Broek produced a couple of videos that show the impact on local residents. Her work is being viewed extensively on Facebook and YouTube. Take a look here…. Read more »

Alaska’s Pick.Click.Give program will have an aggressive new focus in 2012, the result of surveys done over the past year. Research completed in October revealed a discrepancy between the kinds of charities people said they wanted to give money to and what they actually supported when giving through the Pick.Click.Give program. Read more-… Read more »

The annual Pick. Click. Give. campaign is underway. In the first 100 hours of 2012, the program saw over $275,000 in pledges from Alaskans across the state. According to the Permanent Fund Dividend Division, as of 6 a.m. this morning there were 5,319 pledged gifts from 3,387 people whose average pledge equaled $82 per donor. At this rate, if the same number of people file online in 2012 as did in 2011, the program is on track to generate $1.99 million for the over 400 charitable causes on the Pick. Click. Give. list. “These first days’ numbers suggest there is reason for optimism that we may reach this year’s goal of $2 million for the state’s nonprofit sector through Pick. Click. Give.,” said Jordan Marshall, manager of initiatives and special… Read more »

Project leaders behind the popular Alaska charitable effort known as Pick. Click. Give. hope to make 2012 the biggest year yet for Alaska nonprofits in the program. With the January 1 opening of the filing period for Permanent Fund Dividends fast approaching, a statewide Pick. Click. Give. public awareness campaign is now in full swing. Program managers spent much of 2011 conducting market research and other behind-the-scenes planning to make 2012 the most successful yet for the statewide philanthropy initiative. Pick. Click. Give. allows Alaskans to make charitable contributions to one or more of over 400 eligible nonprofit organizations when they file online for the annual dividend. Click here for more on the research and goals…. Read more »