We know we’ve asked for your participation in several surveys lately — and we truly appreciate your time. There’s a good reason we keep coming back to you: high-quality, rigorous data helps us tell the real story of Alaska’s nonprofit sector to funders, policymakers, and the media. Your participation ensures that the story is accurate, powerful, and grounded in lived experience. We are conducting a new statewide survey to understand how government funding cuts and policy changes continue to affect nonprofit organizations and tribes in Alaska. Earlier this year, following the administration’s announcement of a federal funding freeze, we moved quickly to assess the potential impact. The initial results showed a catastrophic threat to the health and well-being of Alaskans and the organizations that serve them. Now, almost a year… Read more »

There are times in everyone’s life that feel especially difficult. These experiences can be unnoticed by many, even while they feel intense and all-consuming to the people experiencing them. Then there are times when we have a more collective experience of hardship. In these moments, it may not be something you experience directly, but you are still drawn into it in ways that spur you to action and help you pause to consider the ramifications. This is such a time. During the pandemic, I often reflected that we are all in the same ocean, but we are not in the same boat. Indeed, depending on one’s geography, health status, age, and many other privileges and complications, the pandemic felt very different at a personal level. Nonprofits also had a varied… Read more »

October has brought us snowy mountains, golden leaves, and a government shutdown. Many may remember the federal government shutdown of 2018 – it lasted 35 days, with far-reaching negative impacts for people, businesses, nonprofits, and the government itself. Now, another shutdown is underway. A federal government shutdown translates to real, potentially devastating impacts on people, communities, and the nonprofits that Alaskans rely on every day. Simply stated, during a shutdown, federal agencies cannot spend or obligate congressionally approved funds, including funds for paying employees, meeting grant obligations, and operating federal programs. Based on previous shutdowns, this one will have immediate and longer-term impacts on Alaska nonprofits and the people we serve. That’s because many of our nonprofits will see an increased demand for services while experiencing decreased funding. Previous shutdowns proved in… Read more »

Many may remember the federal government shutdown of 2018 – it lasted 35 days, with far-reaching negative impacts for people, businesses, nonprofits, and the government itself. Now, another shutdown is underway. A federal government shutdown translates to real, potentially devastating impacts on people, communities, and nonprofits that Alaskans rely on every day. Simply stated, during a shutdown, federal agencies cannot spend or obligate congressionally approved funds, including funds for paying employees, meeting grant obligations, and operating federal programs. Based on previous shutdowns, this one will have immediate and longer-term impacts on Alaska nonprofits and the people we serve. That’s because many of our nonprofits will see an increased demand for services while experiencing decreased funding. Previous shutdowns proved in too many ways that nonprofits will once again be called upon… Read more »

Many organizations are facing increased uncertainty due to recent federal government changes. Our Rapid Response Convenings are designed to help you navigate this evolving landscape by creating a network of support. These one-hour virtual sessions provide a safe and collaborative space to share current challenges, exchange ideas and solutions, and learn from the collective wisdom of your peers. Thanks to the generous support of the Rasmuson Foundation and the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust, we’re offering these free convenings specifically for: Fundraisers (This session is for Executive Directors, Development Staff, Board Members, or anyone who is involved in fundraising at your organization) October 13, November 3, December 1 from 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm Nonprofit HR professionals October 14, November 13, December 11 from 12:00 – 1:00 pm Nonprofit Finance professionals… Read more »

Right now, as the nonprofit sector, and as individual leaders, we are doing our best to navigate the twisting turns that lay in front of us. There are lions, and tigers, and bears, and a lot of “oh my” every day. That is, if lions are impoundment, tigers are rescission, and bears are the threat to nonprofit nonpartisanship, and the are all sitting against the backdrop of executive orders, that makes us exclaim another “oh my!” This journey is sometimes loud, often confusing and even dizzying, and a lot to take in on any given day regardless of whether you agree with the actions or not. Honestly, it is so much all at once, one could just get overwhelmed without a full understanding of the whole story. Let’s take impoundment,… Read more »

As the result of a Trump executive order, the U.S. Department of Education is considering changes to the rules for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program including one that would exclude some 501(c)(3) nonprofits. Once the rule is announced, the public will have 30 days to comment on it. Information is available in this webinar from the National Council of Nonprofits…. Read more »

Many organizations face uncertainty from recent federal government changes. Our Rapid Response Office Hours are here to help you navigate this evolving landscape. We know a trusted thought partner can make all the difference—helping you get unstuck and move forward with clarity. Thanks to the generous support of the Rasmuson Foundation and the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust, we are offering free 45-minute consultations with our experts. You can sign up for a session on topics such as: Financial Scenario Planning Human Resources Scenario Planning Board Governance Collaboration and Mergers Not sure which topic fits your needs? Or have another topic in mind? Contact us – we’re here to help…. Read more »

The Johnson Amendment – Facing a New Threat to Charitable Nonprofit Nonpartisanship July 10, 2025 This week, the nation’s nonprofit sector has witnessed an overtly misguided effort by the Internal Revenue Service which places the long-held principle of nonprofit nonpartisanship in real jeopardy. Background A long-held core value of the charitable nonprofit sector – nonprofit nonpartisanship – is again being threatened by the federal government. In 1954, Lyndon B. Johnson, who was then a senator from Texas, introduced an amendment providing that in exchange for federal tax-exempt status, a charitable nonprofit, foundation, or religious organization may “not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distributing of statements), any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office.” What is sometimes referred to as… Read more »

The nonprofit sector is changing – more than the usual flux we expect for a sector that meets communities’ needs and responds to gaps that government either can’t or won’t fill. We expect that. We see that. But based on new federal policies and the state’s shifting priorities, changes will be and already are monumental. How it settles out is unclear. There are hundreds of lawsuits still to play out. The new federal budget bill will take years (in some cases until 2028) for the full impacts to be felt and many decisions are already taking their toll. In the article, It’s Personal: Why Nonprofits Matter to Everyone, we explored all the quiet ways nonprofits make our communities, our society, and our democracy work. Most people don’t notice but that’s… Read more »