Barrow At the end of whaling season the residents of Barrow celebrate their bounty. It’s called Nalukataq. The successful crews who work together to harvest this important and meaningful subsistence food now share with the entire community. Elders sit around the perimeter of the activity to observe and assure all is well while children run freely in the excitement of the moment. The traditional blanket toss, first used as a technique to spot whales, is a highlight for all adding to the high energy and celebration. Today’s smidgen of insight is that community and celebration are intertwined. We need each other and having predictable ways of expressing this connectedness is important. Dennis… Read more »

Each year the Rasmuson Foundation generously offers sabbaticals to nonprofit leaders, allowing them to take time away from the office to refresh and energize. Learn more about the program and how you can apply by clicking here…. Read more »

Hello from the sunny capital of Alaska – Juneau. This trip began yesterday in Cordova, which was finally snow free. The Prince William Sound Science Center was celebrating with their dignitary-filled event, the Copper River Nouveau. From there I arrived in Juneau to visit with a nonprofit about CEO transition, another about a capital project, and a third about their sustainability. I leave tomorrow for Kodiak to meet with the senior staff of a significant organization, then back to Anchorage Monday night to catch a 6:30 AM train to Seward on Tuesday for strategic planning with another board. The snow is gone!!!! (At least at sea level) And the cruise ships have arrived. Today three boats were in Juneau increasing the population by almost 20%!! On their busiest days they… Read more »

Greetings from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge where we met with community leaders, did basic finance training and had opportunities to help connect people to resources available to their community. For people who never leave their western, urban core community, it’s hard to understand the sense of community within and the isolation from outside of communities like in Kaktovik. I wish every Alaskan, everybody, could have the experience I feel so fortunate to regularly experience in my job. That leads to today’s smidgen of insight. Life is neither more ideal nor tragic in small communities. In smaller communities there are a few people engaged enough to make a difference and from time to time those who are engaged have conflicting opinions about what should be done. The only difference is… Read more »

Washington DC — Greetings from our nation ‘s capital. Once a year we visit our delegation to update them on our sector. We also provide the same information we provide our Partners on the trends we see emerging in the sector and in Alaska. I met with a key staffer at Congressman Young’s office and almost the entire staff at Senator Begich’s office. (Unfortunately Senator Murkowski’s staff was “too busy” this trip.) All that we’re able to meet were appreciative and encouraged by our continued communication. But it was from my second meeting this trip that I had today’s smidgen of insight. I serve on a committee of the Independent Sector; a national association of nonprofits and foundations. The committee’s purpose is to recommend how Independent Sector can facilitate high… Read more »

Any savvy Alaska Airlines traveler knows where I am today, over Mount Rainier. I am on the way to the East Coast. This is the time of year Foraker visits our nation’s capital to meet with our delegation’s staffs and discuss what is new in the nonprofit sector. This trip we’ll discuss the new reality about capital campaigns and how so many organizations have called to discuss potential strategic alliances. We will also report on the increasing number of nonprofits in Alaska that are experiencing funding issues. And how almost every nonprofit we are with nowadays is concerned about recruiting and keeping the right directors on the board. For all those familiar with the trends we predicted eighteen months ago, these issues should sound familiar. The smidgen of insight today… Read more »

International news proclaimed the winter of 2011/2012 as “Snowpocalypse” in Cordova, Alaska, a historic community on the Gulf of Alaska. Over 30 feet of snow fell on this fishing town, home of the fleet that harvests the famous Copper River Red salmon. When I viewed the avalanche destruction on my trip to Cordova last week, it reminded me of a recent article in our newsletter on “Board Bullies.”? That natural destruction, similar to the remnants of board bullies, could have been prevented or at least minimized with prevention. So that’s today’s snippet of information. Like excessive snow piling up over the winter, board behavior that involves threats, manipulation, or psychological warfare used to control others and get one’s way, if not addressed, can result in massive destruction for any organization…. Read more »

The focus of this blog is twofold. First, to serve as a travel log of all the great places I visit and the people I meet along the way. The second is to provide insight I get from these contacts. My last blog was from the North Slope of Alaska – Point Hope – where spring was arriving along with the humpback whales. I returned to home base Anchorage on April 7th for a short visit with my saintly wife who lets me do this job and an even shorter visit with my hard working staff on Monday the 9th before leaving again for Seattle the 10th of April. There I spent time with staff at the Paul G. Allen Foundation providing an update on Alaska’s nonprofits before leaving the… Read more »

Spring has arrived in Point Hope! While it’s still 10 below outside, a little of the Bering Sea is opening and the first Bowhead Whales have arrived. The people in Point Hope are busy preparing for their spring whaling season. While Alaskans in the Southeast may have the first signs of green popping out and those in South Central may have the slush of breakup to content with, the people on the North Slope are experiencing the excitement of their spring based on thousands of years of surviving in the arctic. The Foraker Group is dedicated to serve all of Alaska. We have now provided support, on the ground in almost 150 communities, each with their unique culture and tradition. Since more and more Alaskan communities are embracing the technologies… Read more »

I took a little sabbatical from the blog, mainly because I took some time off from my too frequent flights on Alaska Airlines. Those days of bliss are over and before June I will again qualify for the 75K Gold status. But today, on one of the first trips in 2012, I’m off to Juneau. Every nonprofit leader who depends on state funding should schedule a trip during session. Even if you are not dependent today, it is a good practice to visit the Capitol, shake hands, and work on a relationship with legislators and their staff – on their turf. One day that effort will be rewarded. Unfortunately, I am a late-comer to public policy work. I’m convinced I should have started 30 years ago. Thankfully I have staff… Read more »