Let’s take a quiz. What do these three things have in common? The 6th line in the United States Constitution Only 10 questions 18% of federal dollars flow directly into Alaska nonprofits every year Did you guess it right? Well if you said the U.S. Census – then you sure did. Just what is the census? As I alluded to above, the census is enshrined in our constitution and requires the federal government to count every person living in the United States every ten years. Remarkably, it is the single largest peacetime mobilization by the federal government and while it is the job of the census bureau to do all the counting, we sure can make their efforts a little bit easier by helping Alaskans know the facts, know their… Read more »

An invitation from the Alaska Census Working Group Recognizing both the importance of the census for our state and the many risks of an undercount in 2020, the working group has launched a statewide education and outreach initiative called Alaska Counts, which has four areas of focus: Mobilize a statewide nonpartisan multi-sector effort Create a statewide education effort Help recruit people for census jobs to support the census and build trust in communities Conduct localized outreach with partners like YOU Those who engage in promoting the census are our Census Champions. Central to our initiative is the website, which serves as an information hub with a wide variety of excellent – and free – resources. You’ll find many Alaska-made products, material for social media, and messages from trusted Alaska voices…. Read more »

Governor Dunleavy joined the director of the U.S. Census Bureau, Steven Dillingham, at the Alaska Native Heritage Center Friday morning to kick off the 2020 Census. Congratulations to everyone who has been working extremely hard to let Alaskans know about the census. Alaska Counts, a project developed by the Alaska Census Working Group, has put together a comprehensive and exciting campaign that stresses to Alaskans the importance to the state’s future of participating in the census count. We encourage you to visit their website to learn more about the census and how you can work in your community to encourage participation. You can also see some of the media coverage of the kick-off here and here. Foraker is proud to be the convener of the Alaska Census Working Group. We… Read more »

A bi-partisan resolution on the 2020 Census that was introduced by Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) has passed the Senate and is on its way to the U.S. House of Representatives. The resolution encourages individuals, families, and households across the United States to take part in the Census so that all communities can be counted. “Census data is essential for the government to make informed decisions about the future of its people and ensure that all Americans have equal representation. I’m proud of the Senate passage of our bipartisan resolution that recognizes the importance and the significance of the 2020 Census and ensures it is quick, concise, and easy to complete,” said Senator Murkowski. “I’m glad to shine a spotlight on our efforts to ensure an… Read more »

Join Foraker and nonprofits across the state in a series of one-hour conversations on the impact of Governor Dunleavy’s budget on nonprofits and their mission. We will look at ways to engage your board, staff, and volunteers in the conversation, and we will offer practical tools that will make it easy for your team to become involved and speak up for your mission. Come to one or all of our conversations. Board, staff, and volunteers are welcome. Our first conversation will take place on Thursday, December 19, from 10:00-11:00 am. You can join by using this zoom link:  https://zoom.us/j/494898737 There is no charge for the series. Please register so we can send you materials, if any, in advance. Dates for other sessions will be announced soon. This series complements our Advocacy in… Read more »

Organizations across Alaska can now apply for up to $250 to fund local census outreach efforts. The more awareness that can be raised, the better. The 2020 Census will generate ten years of funding and data that we need to plan Alaska’s future. Check out the application, share with your network, and brainstorm creative ways to do outreach in your community! Apply here: Get funding. Do good. Be counted! Learn more at alaskacounts.net… Read more »

As a nonprofit leader, you can play a big role as a census champion for Alaska.  Building trust, getting the word out to your network, talking about why it is important, and celebrating the fundamental pieces of our democracy are all part of the fun.  Join us for an engaging hour of conversation and exploration into how you can be part of a statewide education campaign — Alaska Counts — and do your part to make sure every Alaskan is counted in the 2020 Census. In this session, you’ll learn: Why being a census champion is important to Alaska and your network The timeline and when to engage in the 2020 Census in Alaska (hint…Now) How to use the Alaska Counts Nonprofit Toolkit to activate and engage those around you… Read more »

As a benefit to Partners, we offer free half-hour phone consultations on a variety of topics. This quarter the topic is about preparing for the 2020 legislative session. The session will be held on Wednesday, December 11. Is your organization considering advocating on the state budget? Or maybe you already have an advocacy program in place. Many nonprofits were involved over the summer in advocacy related to the budget vetoes – and our sector was heard!  In this session of Ask the Expert, we will focus on the state budget and how to plan for the 2020 legislative session that begins in January. Dr. Mike Walsh, Foraker’s Vice President for Public Policy, will be on the line to check in with board chairs, board members, and CEOs, providing insight and… Read more »

This is a critical time for nonprofit leaders — staff and board members — to comment on Governor Dunleavy’s FY2019 proposed budget. This budget will have a long-lasting impact on virtually all nonprofits and their ability to carry out missions. December 15 is the deadline for comment. During this webinar, Foraker’s VP and Director of Public Policy Mike Walsh will provide an update on the budget, offer suggestions for ways to make your voice heard, and take any questions you may have on the budget process and how to be involved. This is an important session for you and your board members. Advocacy in Action will take place Thursday, November 14, 9:00-10:30 am. Details on the webinar and a link to register are available here…. Read more »

You may recall that in 2016 the Obama Administration proposed changes to the Fair Labor Standards Act’s (FLSA) minimum salary thresholds for exempt positions.  These changes more than doubled the minimum threshold and impacted many of our nonprofits in the state.  At the eleventh hour, the proposed changes were enjoined by the U.S. District Court in Eastern Texas days before they went into effect.  It didn’t end there, but the changes were halted. Following new proposed changes and a public comment period earlier this year, the final rule was issued this week for changes that go into effect on January 1, 2020. Is there an increase to the minimum threshold for exempt employees? Yes.  This federal ruling increases the minimum weekly threshold to exempt positions from $455 ($23,660 per year)… Read more »