Whew! Decisions. Every day in every way. Life changing and insignificant – each one is called the same thing, but wow are they different. Sometimes the sheer volume of them can make even the insignificant feel hard. As humans, of course, we are always making choices – even choices that don’t feel like a choice. For many of you, your choices have a significant impact on people’s lives or on the stability of your missions. These are the choices I am thinking about at the moment – when our responsibility is always to be in a space of “leaving it better than we found it” – when all is as it should be – bigger than a person, a point in time, a single idea. These are the choices in… Read more »

Are you new to your job or still feeling like everything is changing so much it feels new all the time?  Are you feeling more alone in your decision-making right now?  Do you see the possibilities for change but need a thought partner to explore ideas in a safe space?  These are just some of the reasons nonprofit leaders are seeking our mentoring and coaching services.  Want to join them?  We are ready with a pool of highly qualified and seasoned professionals who can help you to: Increase your confidence on the job Develop and/or refine new leadership skills Find greater job satisfaction Improve your ability to achieve goals Learn about useful resources to help you lead Increase your certainty in decision making Discover new techniques for managing the many aspects… Read more »

Workforce shortages. Government contracting shortfalls and unacceptably late payments. Rapid program expansion to meet increasing demands. Financial uncertainty based on the end of pandemic relief and no restart yet of what’s next. These are the most common issues we hear from so many of you every day. For sure, the last two years have created a “new normal” and all our workplaces are scrambling to adapt and continue delivering our missions. Part of that process means dealing with challenges that often feel bigger than us and harder to understand, which is the right next step. Indeed, tackling these issues is a step-by-step adventure rather than just one big leap. We see you – we hear you. While no perfect tools exist for every challenge you face, we do want to… Read more »

For more than a decade, Foraker has offered interim executive directors. Our interim executive pool consists of highly qualified and seasoned professionals who have led organizations for many years. They can help your board achieve stability after a crisis, give the board breathing room before taking the next step to bring in a new leader, or hold the mission steady during a change. We can place someone with your organization either full or part-time, and they can work virtually or on-site. Contractually this relationship is between Foraker and the organization eliminating the need to hire a temporary staff member. Our interim service is available to any Foraker Partner. Call us and we’ll be pleased to provide you with more information, learn about your organizational needs, and let you know how… Read more »

Our biennial survey of nonprofit salaries and benefits is now open. We encourage all Alaska nonprofits to participate. Why? Workforce Development: People power our missions and deserve fair compensation. To attract and retain talent, nonprofits must set competitive wages and benefits. COVID-19: Nonprofits are a vital part of Alaska’s economy and quality of life. Understanding how nonprofit employment is changing is an essential step in planning for what comes next. This year, the survey will ask a few questions about the impacts of the pandemic on nonprofit staffing, wages, and benefits. Pay Equity: We are collecting data on the gender of workers in all 48 positions listed in the survey to inform essential conversations about gender pay equity. This information will build on our recently released report about the gender pay gap… Read more »

Have you ever had the experience of thinking something and then suddenly it’s in every conversation and everywhere you look? I’ve been having that experience lately. So, what is it? Actually, it’s the effort to name a state of change and the very real experience of living “in-between.” Certainly, there are many people who live their whole life “in the hyphen” of their experience – meaning they are actively living in two or more cultures, two or more personas, or two or more roles. And I believe right now, and throughout the pandemic, we have all been living in this space. This in-between time has many names and many ways to navigate. Some years ago I was introduced to the word “liminality” by a friend and mentor Richard Evans. Liminality… Read more »

The IRS has introduced a new Form 1099-NEC, which is the new way to report payments to others that are self-employment income. It replaces Form 1099-MISC. The forms now have different due dates and penalties for missing the filing deadlines. Although the IRS Instructions for Form 1099-NEC say they are to start in 2022 for 2021 activities – THAT IS WRONG. 1099-NECs are due by the end of this month for 2020 payments made to independent contractors or for professional fees (February 1, 2021, because January 31 falls on Sunday).  Beginning with the 2020 tax year, the IRS now requires business taxpayers to report nonemployee compensation on the new Form 1099-NEC instead of on Form 1099-MISC. Similar required filing thresholds apply to the forms: if annual payments exceed $600, one… 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 »

Are you ready for planned change? What about change that isn’t planned? Have you and your board talked about executive transition? Whether you are a new CEO, near retirement, or somewhere in between, it’s critical to know how mission will last beyond you. In this class, we will lead you through the steps that will ensure that your organization successfully manages inevitable leadership change. Come to this session with your questions, your ideas, and your next steps. Along the way, we will share some tools and a process you might consider. This session is for CEOs/executive directors. We encourage you to bring your board chair or a board member along. Three sessions of Succession Planning: Assuring a Smooth Transition When You Change Leaders are on the schedule: Wednesday, February 12, 9:00 to… Read more »

It is necessary for us to reschedule this session. Please watch this blog and our class calendar for the new date and time. Support comes in many forms, both formal and informal. Come share and learn ways we can help one another as CEOs.  Maybe you are looking for specific connections to help move a project forward, or to navigate the political or economic climate. Maybe you are new to the field, or to your role. Maybe you just need a boost. Whatever the reason, we will explore the options together. Serving as a CEO doesn’t have to be lonely. Let’s connect and move ahead — supporting one another. CEO Connect — Supporting One Another will be held on Friday, November 22, 12:00 pm at the Foraker office, 161 Klevin St., Suite 101,… Read more »