Recently we conducted a survey of the mood of the Alaska nonprofit sector. We wanted to measure what we had been hearing anecdotally. The mood survey is complete and we received a representative sample from organizations across the state and sector. What we learned didn’t surprise us – you are anxious. The more revealing answers lie in the details. Overall, board members have more anxiety than CEOs. This is interesting on several fronts: 1) There are more board members than CEOs so the anxiety has a multiplying effect. 2) Board members typically represent other sectors of our economy so they have a different perspective of how the economy is affecting the work. 3) CEOs are particularly adept at dealing with challenges and difficult situations – it almost comes with the… Read more »

On Thursday President Trump signed an executive order that could have a significant impact on the charitable nonprofit sector. Although the law has not changed and the executive order is somewhat confusing, it essentially instructs the IRS to look the other way when it finds that a nonprofit or religious organization violates the Johnson Amendment. This provision in the tax code, named after President Lyndon Johnson, is intended to keep politics and the money that flows to political candidates out of charitable nonprofits. Recently the Foraker Governance Board issued a statement calling for support for nonprofit partisanship, and we stand with over 4,500 nonprofits across the country who submitted a similar call through a letter to Congress. We feel strongly that any attempt to repeal the Johnson Amendment is completely… Read more »

Are you an Alaska nonprofit professional in a leadership position? Come enhance your management skills and explore a full range of issues and best practices to use in your organization.The Certificate in Nonprofit Management program features courses developed to apply classroom teachings directly to your workplace, case studies directly related to issues facing Alaska nonprofit organizations, and a network of fellow professionals. Information on program dates and a curriculum overview can be found here. The deadline for applications is June 2, 2017…. Read more »

At our leadership summit earlier this month, we launched a new tool to help you assess the financial health of your organization — it’s our “Indicators of Financial Crisis.” We all know that a stressed organization operating with the best of intentions can still make ill-advised decisions – especially in the financial arena – and the results can be damaging. We also know that sometimes seeing a financial crisis is difficult. Our new tool will help you spot if you’re in crisis or coming close to one. Once you know, you’ll be able to take the steps to recover. After you take the assessment outlined in this tool and if you believe action is needed you have several options. You can tap the expertise on your board or another outside resource. You may… Read more »

We appreciate the time committed by more than 450 nonprofit professionals who engaged in thoughtful and meaningful conversations this week at our leadership summit. For those of you who were not able to attend, you may review the presentations and handouts from our speakers on our website. Whether or not you were at the summit, we offer this list of ways we can continue to connect. 1. Participate in quarterly advocacy check-ins. Once each quarter, Director of Public Policy Mike Walsh hosts a dialogue on issues affecting the sector. Mark your calendars for June 7 at 9:00 am. for the next session. Remember – the best time to advocate is when your legislators are out of session and in your communities. You can also join our Public Policy Alert list to keep up with important policy issues…. Read more »

More than 660 Alaska nonprofits participated in Pick.Click.Give. this year, and we were very pleased when we learned the results of the 2017 campaign. By the end of the PFD filing period on March 31, 26,128 Alaskans pledged $2,702,450 — an amazing total from many generous donors. Congratulations to all the organizations who worked hard to let Alaskans know about their missions — and to the PCG staff, the Alaska Humanities Forum, and the United Way of Anchorage who supported their effort…. Read more »

Our office will be closed on Monday and Tuesday, April 3-4, for our Leadership Summit. If you have questions about the summit, please call 907-743-1205. For other questions, please leave a message or call us again on Wednesday morning. Thank you…. Read more »

In our recent Foraker newsletter, we invited you to share with us your perception of the operating climate for Alaska nonprofits in 2017. This is a time of transition and we want to know how you’re doing and what we can do to help you effectively carry out your mission. What are your greatest challenges? What are your concerns? What changes do you anticipate? How are you planning? We’re interested, too, in learning your thoughts on the economy and the national landscape. First we need to hear from you. Please take a few minutes to fill out our Navigating 2017 survey. The information and perspectives you provide will help us plan how we can best serve you and your organization. This is an anonymous survey. We may use some of the… Read more »

Join us at the 2017 Leadership Summit and learn from the best. Early bird registration ends TODAY! Click here to register. Katie Orenstein,  The OpEd Project Katie writes and speaks frequently about the intersection of media and mythology – that is, what we think is fact or fiction and how that shapes our ideas about politics, culture and history. She has contributed to the op-ed pages of the New York Times, Washington Post and Miami Herald. She has lectured at Stanford and appeared on ABC TV World News, Good Morning America, MSNBC, CNN and NPR. A graduate of Harvard (BA) and Columbia (MA) universities, she is the author of “Little Red Riding Hood Uncloaked: Sex, Morality and the Evolution of a Fairy Tale.” Orenstein has worked around the world and particularly in… Read more »

The 2017 Leadership Summit is right around the corner! Join us April 3 & 4 at the Hotel Captain Cook for two days of workshops. Richard Evans, a favorite from the 2015 Leadership Summit, is a national thought-leader on resilience and adaptive change. Richard Evans, EmcArts, Inc. Prior to founding EmcArts, Richard held senior positions in performing arts management and philanthropy in the UK and the USA.  His research, program design and facilitation emphasize organizational resilience and adaptive change in the arts and culture sector, and effective ways that individuals and organizations can lead change in complex adaptive systems. As a unique service agency, EmcArts designs and facilitates programs that support individuals, organizations, and communities on their journey to becoming highly adaptive as they take on their most complex challenges. Programs… Read more »