The Foraker Group

Protecting the work of nonprofits around the country, and especially here in Alaska, is an important part of our work. In that effort, we work closely with our trusted partner, the National Council of Nonprofits (NCN), which tracks federal policy that impacts charitable nonprofits. You likely have many questions regarding the Executive Orders (EOs) already issued by the new administration and those to come. The NCN team is tracking the EOs and their potential impact on nonprofits and sharing their insights in daily information updates. We encourage you to bookmark this page and check it often and to join us on our Advocacy in Action calls for nonpartisan conversations about the issues facing nonprofits. When we feel there is an imminent threat to the sector, we will let you know and suggest… Read more »

Closing out an old year and entering a new one is that moment when so many of us take stock of what has just passed and what is yet to come. Looking back at 2024 from Foraker’s perspective, I remember it as a year of big projects, big internal shifts, and many expected and unexpected changes. Some of our projects were planned and some not, and per our usual, we ebbed and flowed with each other and made it work. Does this sound like your workplace? I found that time and again, groups we engaged with in 2024 were experiencing a high degree of change similar to what happened during the pandemic but also very different in that the changes were coming more from inside and not as much from outside… Read more »

Over the last few months, we’ve shared information about the new Federal Minimum Salary Changes for Alaska Employers that was set to take effect on January 1, 2025. However, on November 15, 2024, a federal judge in Texas struck down the U.S. Labor Department’s overtime rule. The decision applies to the higher salary level test that went into effect on July 1 and also blocks the next change set for January 1, 2025. The district judge also invalidated the automatic increases scheduled for every three years. Based on this decision, the Alaska salary threshold for exempt-level positions remains at $48,796.80 per year, or $938.40 per week. We will keep you updated and share additional information as it becomes available…. Read more »

This holiday season we are celebrating with the gift of turning data into action. There is a data point for almost every wish on your holiday list but there is always an elusive – if not magical – data point that is just out of reach. Of course, no holiday gift is worth it unless you can use it again and again, right? So, the good news is this data has a nice shelf life and should carry you through your strategic planning, the Halls of Congress, and our state Capitol for a long time. We hope you use these truths to raise your voice and sing a joyous song about the essential work taking place (often in the background of the tinsel and sparkly light kind of things you… Read more »

What’s Next? If you are a West Wing fan, you hear that question when the voice of Martin Sheen as President of the United States takes on one big thing after another. And so, that is what we will also do as this election season draws to a conclusion. For some of you, this election was a high point, and for others, a low point — certainly, it brought a response that resonated deeper than a person or a political party. Regardless, I feel certain that not everyone experienced the election the same, nor will we experience the consequences of the decisions made by the American people the same. During the pandemic, it was an often-used metaphor that “we are swimming in the same ocean, but we are not in the… Read more »

The Executive Leadership Intensive program is designed for executive directors in their first three years of leadership. We believe successful leaders are supported leaders. With the Executive Leadership Intensive (ELI), you will be in a safe space where you can find tools and resources to help you grow into your role as executive director. During this program, you will strengthen your board relationship, explore management and planning strategies with an experienced mentor, and learn from a network of peers. Applications are due January 3. The program starts February 3. Apply today!… Read more »

Charitable nonprofits are celebrating the best October surprise ever: an updated version of the Uniform Guidance from the Office of Management and Budget that went into effect October 1. The reforms streamline the federal grant process and reduce the financial and administrative burdens for nonprofits hired by the federal government to deliver critical services to communities. Learn more about what the specific changes will mean for your nonprofit in a full analysis from the National Council of Nonprofits…. Read more »

Searching for and claiming our origin story feels like a universal experience across cultures, generations, and experiences. It is the act of knowing where we came from and what makes us who we are today. There are many paths to get to this place including oral traditions, shared stories, formal documentation, scientific evidence, and artistic renderings. Each effort has meaning and offers us some truths to hold on to as we move ahead to what’s next.   Each of us likely has varying personal experiences with searching for and owning our own origin stories which can be thrilling, heartbreaking, insightful, harrowing, surprising, lovely, and perhaps everything in between. Maybe our personal experience makes us either more eager or less willing to search out and document our nonprofit’s origin story. And, as… Read more »

With support from Foraker’s Leadership Transition team, JAHMI Health and Wellness has selected Dr. Will Jemison to serve as their next CEO. Dr. Jemison joins JAMHI from the brand new Alice Walton School of Medicine where he served as Chief of Staff to the CEO under the school’s development and preparation for opening in September ‘24. In this role, Jemison drove efficiency in operations, structure, and change management strategy through an academic medicine and population health lens. Will Jemison previously served as Chief Administrative Officer for Resurrection Health and Missions in Montgomery, AL. In that role, Jemison led organizational enhancements to better engage and serve a population with similar health outcomes and demographics to those of Southeast Alaska…. Read more »

After a comprehensive process using Foraker’s Leadership Transition services, Sprout Family Services (Sprout) has announced Jonathan McGhee as their new Executive Director. Mr. McGhee was chosen from a field of qualified applicants to join Sprout in their mission of promoting the healthy development of children in partnership with families and community. Mr. McGhee joins Sprout with over 28 years of experience in the human services field, not only in the United States, but in 10 other countries as well. During his more than 22 years in nonprofit leadership, he pioneered and led two non-profits, one in the U.S. and one in the Philippines, and developed the first IPS supported employment program in the State of Alaska. “The board is so excited to welcome Jon as our new Executive Director,” says… Read more »