One of the more fun and rewarding parts of our work is watching the sheer joy of nonprofit board and staff members when things “click” for them. Literally we see light in their faces and relief in their smile. More and more we have been experiencing this around the sometimes dreaded, sometimes feared, responsibility of fundraising. I have focused for a long time on taking the fear and mystery out of this work and doing all that we can to make it fun and accessible, while still incorporating the science of the profession. Yes, fundraising is an art and a science. The art is our organizational culture and core values and the way we talk and think about the work. The science is rooted in a growing field of evidence-based… Read more »

The 2016 Foraker Group Salary & Benefits Survey© is now available for purchase. We’re pleased that this year we have more organizations represented in this report than at any time in the past. Through this research we are able to provide valuable information to nonprofit leaders to help as they make decisions on compensation. The results in this report include salary data, which is aggregated for the state as a whole and is also broken down by region, budget size, and number of employees. You’ll find tables that summarize a variety of benefits offered by participating organizations. And, for the first time this year, we also report on findings related to gender pay equity in Alaska’s nonprofit sector. You can purchase the survey on our product’s page here. If your organization participated in the survey,… Read more »

Earlier this year, Foraker and the funding partners of the Pre-Development program placed a hold on accepting new projects. We used that time to fulfill a major commitment to complete deferred maintenance that was critical for every domestic violence shelter in Alaska. During this time, too, the funding partners looked at options for moving forward with new construction projects during this time of economic challenge. The good news is that after a close analysis Foraker and the funders have determined that Pre-D still fills a gap in services to the nonprofit sector. We also determined that we were ready for a slight adjustment to the way we operate the program. As a result, we have made two changes in the program structure. First, the Denali Commission, a founding funder of… Read more »

Anchorage, AK – A consortium of five northwest state nonprofit associations has released a comprehensive study on the capacity, strengths, and challenges of the region’s nonprofit sector. The 2016 Northwest Nonprofit Capacity Report: Our Strengths – Our Challenges – Our Resilience was developed using survey data from over 1,000 nonprofits in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. The report highlights the progress nonprofits are making in creating a resilient sector. The study specifically focuses on four core areas for building capacity: mission effectiveness, collaboration, public policy, and use of data and evaluation. The data points to some progress that nonprofits have made, but says that progress is limited. According to the report, all stakeholders – including nonprofit organizations, funders, and government – share the responsibility to support and enhance the… Read more »

The 2017 Leadership Summit will be held on April 3 & 4.           More information on training topics and speakers coming soon!… Read more »

Do the new wage and hour rules have you reeling? Or, are you wondering to yourself, “what new rules?”  If so, we have details on the Department of Labor’s new overtime and salary threshold rules. Prepare now for the new rules that goes into effect December 1, 2016. If you are staff responsible for implementing these changes, join this training to learn about the new regulations, explore options and hear what other organizations are doing in response to the changes. If you have exempt employees who make less than $47,476, or you are about to hire your first exempt staff member, or you receive government grants or contracts – this training is for you! There will be several opportunities for you to participate: Upcoming Trainings: August 18 Anchorage The Foraker… Read more »

As we’ve been reporting recently, the new Department of Labor overtime rules will take effect on December 1. The National Council of Nonprofits has been actively engaged in this issue for some months, and we’ve been sharing with you the information they’ve gathered. When the final rules were released in May, the Council surveyed organizations around the country, with a focus on those that receive government grants and contracts, to find out how the rules will affect them. Their findings include: Moral support exists for the new policy, coupled with concern over how to cover increased personnel costs while maintaining current levels of service. Organizations are concerned about the public. A third of respondents report that to comply they will have to reduce staff and service levels, likely leading to greater… Read more »

Christy Cincotta – Anchorage, AK Executive Director, Tyonek Tribal Conservation District Mat-Su Basin Salmon Habitat Partnership Steering Committee Member Kenai Peninsula Fish Habitat Partnership Steering Committee Member I am a goal-oriented person – I have a “plan” for most things in my life. Even my down time is planned out, usually on paper in the form of a list. Which is why, when I felt uncertain about the future, I spent a lot of time and energy wondering “what’s next” Catalyst created space for me to clarify that I wanted to be exactly where I was, that I wanted to plant roots in Anchorage and to continue working in a place I love and for an organization I really care about.  I have found that in the process of practicing… Read more »

Laurie Stuart – Homer, AK Update: Laurie is currently the Executive Director of the Pratt Museum Education Director, Alaska SeaLife Center Seward Community Library Association Board Member After many years teaching abroad and exploring “the rest of the world”, I returned to my home state of Alaska to join the Alaska Sealife Center. Three years later, I assumed a management role. As someone who is deeply connected to engaging people in personally meaningful learning processes, I knew that the transition to becoming a senior manager meant a shift in the way I drew inspiration, as well as how I would now be inspiring others. In that same year, I watched as our CEO’s approach to leadership developed through Foraker’s Catalyst process. I joined the Catalyst program the following year with the… Read more »

Laurie Morrow – Seward, AK Education Director, Alaska SeaLife Center Seward Community Library Association Board Member After many years teaching abroad and exploring “the rest of the world”, I returned to my home state of Alaska to join the Alaska Sealife Center. Three years later, I assumed a management role. As someone who is deeply connected to engaging people in personally meaningful learning processes, I knew that the transition to becoming a senior manager meant a shift in the way I drew inspiration, as well as how I would now be inspiring others. In that same year, I watched as our CEO’s approach to leadership developed through Foraker’s Catalyst process. I joined the Catalyst program the following year with the hope that this process would demonstrate how I could better… Read more »