We are excited to have six new board members joining our team. We welcome Nils Andreassen to our Governance Board. We also welcome Amy Skilbred, Eric Gurley, Liz Qaulluq Cravalho, Clark Halvorson, and Tanya Dumas to our Operations Board. Nils Andreassen, Executive Director, Alaska Municipal League Nils has a degree in Peace and Development from the University of Bradford in England and his background in rural and international development, Alaska, and Arctic policy issues fit well within AML’s mission to support and strengthen local governments. Nils is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Governance and Entrepreneurship in Northern and Indigenous Areas through the University of Saskatchewan and the University of Tromso. Nils lives in Juneau with his family.     Amy Skilbred, Executive Director, Juneau Community Foundation Amy has been… Read more »

We are seeking candidates for the position of part-time Recruiter as an independent contractor. This is an opportunity for a professional seasoned in recruiting for nonprofit leadership positions to help us fulfill our deep commitment to ensuring that Alaska’s nonprofit sector is both diverse and welcoming to the communities they serve. Candidates need not reside in Alaska. A full position description and application instructions can be found here…. Read more »

We congratulate President Biden and Vice President Harris on their inauguration today. They and our own Alaska federal delegation deserve our heartfelt thanks for their commitment to public service, especially during these difficult times. The nation’s agenda is challenging as we address the COVID crisis, the political division, and an economy that is increasingly leaving people and families behind. This is a day to honor the strength of our democracy and a day to look ahead and to look inward at what we as individuals and as a sector must do to advance equity and justice in our organizations, our communities, and our state. As members of Alaska’s nonprofit sector, we are committed to public service.  We welcome all Alaskans to join us. Look for places where you can serve…. Read more »

We are proud that our efforts to promote gender pay equity are highlighted in a story in The Chronicle of Philanthropy. The article, “Why Women Don’t Get Ahead at Nonprofits”, is a stark reminder of the importance of engaging in practices that support pay equity. Is your organization ready to take action? Here are eight proven practices that promote an equitable pay environment. Note: To view the full article in the Chronicle, you will need to create a free account.  … Read more »

In commemoration of Dr. King’s lifelong commitment to civil society and equity, may we each take time to lean into our role of making our country a safer and more equitable place for everyone. Dr. King reminded us that true democracy requires full participation – each of us doing our part to stand for equity and justice. The Foraker office will be closed on Monday as we reflect and commit again to our own role in creating and sustaining just and welcoming nonprofits that serve our communities.  … Read more »

As nonprofit leaders, it’s essential that we have the tools to make informed decisions. One of those tools is our Salary and Benefits Report – which gives us context and a comparative benchmark for compensation in Alaska’s nonprofit sector. What’s in the report? The 2020 Salary and Benefits Report features: Salary data for 48 positions including executive director, finance director, development director, administrative support, accountants, clinical support, and program staff Regional breakdown of data from Southcentral, Interior, and Southeast Alaska Data from organizations with budgets ranging from less than $100,000 to over $10 million Data from 20 types of nonprofits, including youth development, educational institutions, medical disciplines, arts, culture, and humanities groups Benefit data on medical, dental, vision, holidays and leave, retirement plans, life insurance, and more Data on gender pay gap… Read more »

Help us create a tool for Alaska nonprofits to use in making important personnel decisions. Your participation in our salary and benefit survey allows us to generate a report 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 survey will take approximately 30 minutes to complete. You’ll need a list of your employees’ positions and their wages (Note: we are collecting data for 48 position categories, so not everyone at your organization may fit in the categories.), your employee handbook, and a description of your benefit plan. The link to the survey will take you to a secure online area that allows you to add key information about wages and benefits. If you participated… Read more »

A note from Laurie: We are thrilled that our latest gender pay equity report was highlighted in The Nonprofit Quarterly. As you know we are strongly committed to the goal of achieving pay equity and have been working on that commitment in a variety of ways for many years. We’ve published several reports in the past as part of our Salary and Benefits Survey. However, this year we are bringing a new level of data and resources to understanding the issue, and we’ve been able to take advantage of information that’s only available in Alaska. This work could not be more important right now as COVID is taking an additional toll on women in the workplace.  I am sure many of you understand this first hand and I ask that… Read more »

We are thrilled with Mayor Berkowitz’s appointment of Heather Harris as Anchorage Health Department Director. Heather has been part of the Foraker family in many and varied ways. She worked on staff, graduated from Certificate and Catalyst, teaches for us, and joyfully mentors many emerging nonprofit leaders. She has been dedicated to our success and the success of nonprofits around the state. We know she will be successful in her new and important role at the municipality. We send her all our good wishes. You can read the announcement from the mayor here…. Read more »

A note from Laurie:  A new reality needs new words. Recently I was asked, “are you open?”  A simple question but now with so many meanings and answers.  In the midst of this pandemic, we have watched nonprofits close the doors on their physical space but stay open virtually.  We have watched as some close their physical space without a clear path to anything virtual and we have watched missions shift space and double down on service delivery no longer hampered by their building infrastructure.  For decades when consulting with organizations about their potential capital campaigns I have said to countless board and staff members “you are not building a building – you are expanding or deepening mission.” Indeed it is the mission that happens inside the building that matters,… Read more »