We are in the final stretch of the Pick.Click.Give. campaign —  for many nonprofits this is the most important time to encourage giving to their organization. Thousands of Alaskans have yet to file for their PFD. As the March 31 deadline draws near, your organization has the opportunity to connect with potential donors and share your mission widely. To encourage your efforts, the Alaska Community Foundation has announced several bonus grants for organizations in the final push of the campaign: – THREE $5,000 bonus grants (one for the organization with the highest % increase in donations from 2015 to 2016, one for the highest increase in donors from 2015 to 2016, and one for the organization with the greatest increase in total donations from 2015 to 2016.) – A $1,000 bonus grant to a first-year… Read more »

Philanthropy Northwest has started a new series called the Virtual Roundtable. This month features a “discussion” among state nonprofit association leaders, including Foraker’s Laurie Wolf, on the challenges facing nonprofits and the strategies the associations are using to meet them. The leaders outline the key public policy issues they are addressing and offer ideas on how funders can support capacity building. We encourage you to read Laurie’s thoughts and learn what’s happening in the other states in our region…. Read more »

Foraker and CEO Laurie Wolf received a nod today in the “Knowledge Matters” blog from the National Council of Nonprofits for our “values-based” approach to budgeting. Check out the post below: “In Alaska, the state association of nonprofits, The Foraker Group, led by Laurie Wolf, urges nonprofits to prepare for an uncertain future: “…know who you are and where you are going. Make values-based decisions – this applies to every decision from programming, to staffing, to board composition, to budgeting.” Laurie’s recent blog post reminds us of the strong force that nonprofits can be – together – by using our voices and working together to solve problems, and by maintaining our values-based approach.”… Read more »

Each year we ask you to tell us how you compensate your staff. With your participation in the Foraker Salary & Benefit Survey, we are able to create a tool for Alaska nonprofits to use in making important personnel decisions. The survey is designed to help you establish a salary for a new position, evaluate salary norms within the Alaska nonprofit sector, and compare your organization’s benefit offerings and total compensation competitiveness. The report can be used to find information relevant to you – breaking the data down by job titles, organization budget size, and by sub-sector. New this year, we are asking organizations to specify staff gender in order to gauge pay equity in our sector. The link below will take you to a secure online survey that allows you… Read more »

We want you to succeed. We know new executive directors face challenges – and we are creating a safe space where you can find support as you face those challenges. Foraker’s Executive Leadership Initiative will assist executive directors who have been in their position for less than three years and want to take the next step in leading their organizations and increasing job satisfaction. Participants will enhance their professional skills and, even more important, will become part of a network of peers who support each other to build on their strengths and tackle their challenges of running a successful nonprofit. This program is aimed at executive directors who have worked hard to learn their jobs and serve their organizations – and may now want additional knowledge, perspective, and support. At… Read more »

We were saddened to learn today that Brent Kapansky passed away over the weekend from a medical condition. Brent served as an accountant for financial shared services from 2010 until the end of 2015 when he left Foraker to pursue other career interests. Brent cared deeply for the nonprofit sector and for the Foraker Partners he served. He was a good friend to all of us in the office, always pitching in when anyone needed a little extra help. Outside the office Brent was an avid sports fan and was loyal to both the New England Patriots and the Boston Red Sox. He loved sharing game highlights with us. We send our deepest sympathies to Brent’s family and friends…. Read more »

Alaska’s nonprofit sector got some great news this Friday when the U.S. House of Representatives voted to make important charitable giving incentives permanent. Alaska nonprofits have been working with Foraker and other state nonprofit associations to help bring positive change to federal law. The incentives will help to promote, encourage and reward charitable giving to nonprofit organizations of all shapes and sizes. The legislation passed the Senate earlier in the week and is now on the way to President Obama for signature. The legislation includes components that encourage small businesses to make food donations to local food banks, encourages private landowners to conserve land by establishing conservation easements, and fosters increased charitable giving by individuals through their Individual Retirement Accounts or IRAs. According to Laurie Wolf, Foraker President/CEO, “this federal legislation brings real change… Read more »

Alaska leads all states when it comes to the rate of giving through the crowdfunding site GoFundMe. A recent story in the Alaska Dispatch says that Alaskans gave 53 cents per resident, compared to 47 cents per resident for Washington D.C., the next closest area. Total giving through the site by Alaskans from Nov. 1, 2014, through Oct. 31, 2015, was just over $390,000. Foraker President/CEO Laurie Wolf was interviewed for the article, which you can read here…. Read more »

At its October meeting, the Foraker Governance Board approved increases in Partner fees and consulting rates. These changes are modest, and this is only the third time in 15 years that we have increased rates. No other rates, including fees for Foraker classes, are increasing. You may view the new rates and Partner fees below.We also have added a new category of partnership for those organizations with annual budgets below $50,000. This is being done to accommodate nonprofits that otherwise might not be able to become Partners. Even with this fee increase, we are far below the rates charged by our peer organizations.To ease transition to the new fees, organizations that renew as Partners by December 31, 2015, will be charged under the current structure for their 2016 partnership. Also,… Read more »

At its October meeting, the Foraker Governance Board approved increases in Partner fees and consulting rates. These changes are modest, and this is only the third time in 15 years that we have increased rates. No other rates, including fees for Foraker classes, are increasing. You may view the new rates and Partner fees below.We also have added a new category of partnership for those organizations with annual budgets below $50,000. This is being done to accommodate nonprofits that otherwise might not be able to become Partners. Even with this fee increase, we are far below the rates charged by our peer organizations.To ease transition to the new fees, organizations that renew as Partners by December 31, 2015, will be charged under the current structure for their 2016 partnership. Also,… Read more »