The Foraker Group

Well, it’s Thursday evening and I’m sitting in 1F on the tarmac in Juneau getting ready to fly home again. These long days of rising early so I can exercise, then board the early flight to Southeast are catching up with me. But flying does give me time to start something I’ve wanted to do for some time — blog. We have decided it’s time for me to report on my travels and insights along the way. Most blogs will be short, some very short. Sometimes there may be some smidgen of insight. I always plan to report on where I am. My wife, Stephanie, once accused me of being Waldo — like “Where’s Waldo?” — because she continued to see me in unexpected places with unexpected people. So maybe… Read more »

In January 2011, The Foraker Group completed its first decade of service. At its founding, we had a five-year vision, a business plan and an amazing set of circumstances that opened many doors for success. Today, we are part of the National Council of Nonprofits and one of that organization’s largest state nonprofit associations. We also are recognized as one of the largest and most comprehensive nonprofit management assistance organizations in the nation. Nonprofit leaders and funders throughout the country are asking for our counsel. This recognition is gratifying and it’s possible because we have not strayed from our original vision and we’ve enjoyed the expert guidance provided by a large number of people through the years. This is their story. The founding environment and process The original vision for… Read more »

We recently celebrated our tenth anniversary surrounded by Partners, board members, staff and friends. Foraker was founded on the concept of partnership. One of our closest partners is Rasmuson Foundation. Jeff Baird from Rasmuson captured some comments from people at our birthday party on January 20th. You can see them here. I think you’ll also enjoy reading Dennis McMillian’s “journey down memory lane” in his President’s Letter this month. He recounts the story of how Foraker began on the back of a napkin — isn’t that where all great ideas originate? And he recognizes the people who have helped us along the way…. Read more »

The Foraker Group is pleased to announce that we are official members of the National Council of Nonprofits. Help us celebrate and check out their announcement here…. Read more »

Alaskans are showing their true color, and it is Pick Click Give green. As of this morning, two weeks into 2011, more people have made more donations totaling more pledged dollars than the first year of Pick Click Give. $555,600 to support the causes you care about. Great going! To see all the organizations on the Pick.Click.Give. list for 2011 and to learn more about the program go to www.pickclickgive.org… Read more »

For Immediate Release Contact: Jordan Marshall, 907-334-0510 Pick. Click. Give. Opening Week Shows “Remarkable Growth” ANCHORAGE: Wednesday, January 5, 2011 – Project organizers say early 2011 Pick. Click. Give. participation figures are extremely encouraging. As of today, 81,805 Permanent Fund Dividend applications have been filed online with 2,975 individuals making 4,414 pledges for a total of $224,475.00. “Alaskans are demonstrating their generous spirit as they increase their use of Pick. Click. Give.,” said Jordan Marshall, a project manager for Rasmuson Foundation, which is a major supporter of the program. “Right now we are seeing an average participation rate of 3.6 percent, which is more than double than last year’s average rate. This remarkable growth is encouraging for the participating causes that are doing important work in our communities.” Marshall said… Read more »

It is not often you will find me excited about surfing the web. I see technology mainly as a utilitarian tool that should be used sparingly in order to devote more time to actually connecting personally to people. You might also know that I am completely committed to the sector – including all its facts and statistics. However, I know that sharing those facts has much less impact if they aren’t reinforced through stories. So I was very pleased that I found this YouTube video that captures the statistics of our sector in a compelling way – a way I think people notice more than if I or anyone else just recited them. Take a few minutes to watch and be inspired by our world. Thank you for all you… Read more »

People who rely on Alaska’s nonprofit organizations — and that includes just about all of us — need to look at a recent report on the economic health of the sector. It’s sobering and mirrors a broader issue that Alaska leaders have talked about for years — the need to move away from heavy dependence on the oil industry and federal funding and set up systems that equitably balance the cost of providing needed programs and services. This is the lead for a recent Compass article by Dennis McMillian that was published in the Anchorage Daily News. Read the full piece here…. Read more »

There are a few general rules about board giving. The most important is “opportunity, not obligation.” This means that if the board members feel like they “have to” give, then it is likely they will not give at the level that makes them feel good or is helpful to the organization in the long term. If this conversation starts for the first time when the organization wants to approach a funder, it is easy to get stuck in “how much” rather than “why” it’s important that board members make a charitable contribution to the organization. I encourage organizations to remember several important points about board giving: As lead investors, board members show the community and funders that they believe the organization is a good financial investment and can be trusted…. Read more »

Can our Board of Directors simply vote on a question by email? Will the decision then be a valid decision of the board? By Steve Mahoney, Esq., Consultant to The Foraker Group Interesting questions for a board to consider. To answer we need to take some steps through general corporate common law, the Alaska Nonprofit Corporations Act (AS 10.20), and then our corporate documents. First, common law principles of actions taken by board members are set on three premises: That all directors are aware of what is being discussed and decided and have been given adequate notice, along with the ability to attend the meeting where the decision is being made. That no conflicts exist, or none remain undisclosed, that would place in question the board’s decision. That in practicing… Read more »