The Foraker Group

On March 4, the Alaska House Health and Social Services Committee took testimony on HB 76, a measure that would extend the COVID-19 Disaster Declaration for the state. Foraker President/CEO Laurie Wolf offered this testimony on behalf of the nonprofit sector. ******** Thank you Representative Zulkosky and Representative Snyder. I am Laurie Wolf, President/CEO of The Foraker Group, which serves as the state nonprofit association for Alaska and the nonprofit capacity building organization for nonprofits across the state. As the voice for the nonprofit sector, I appreciate the opportunity to speak before the committee in support of House Bill 76, extending the Disaster Declaration for Alaska. I join my colleagues from across the state that you have heard from today and many others in support of a renewed disaster declaration… Read more »

For a two-week period, the Small Business Administration and Paycheck Protection Program lenders will process loan applications ONLY from nonprofits and for-profit businesses with fewer than 20 employees. Starting Wednesday, February 24 and running through Tuesday, March 9, the exclusive small-employer PPP processing window is designed to provide more equitable relief by “targeting the PPP to the smallest businesses and those that have been left behind in previous relief efforts” to ensure that lenders give smaller employers the attention they need to work their way through the application process. If you think your nonprofit may be eligible for an initial PPP loan or a second draw loan Congress authorized at the end of 2020, now is the best time to contact a lender and find out how much relief may… Read more »

Alaska nonprofits – use your voice today. Let policy makers in Juneau know that your work to keep Alaskans safe, along with the safety net that Alaskans depend upon during this pandemic, are in jeopardy. Like all of our partners in the for-profit and government sectors, we are asking for stability to do our essential work to help people and communities. Remind Governor Dunleavy, your representatives, and your contacts around the state just how the current declaration is making good work happen in every corner of the Alaska. The Legislature and the Governor must work together to extend the emergency declaration. This declaration has been misunderstood by too many as having to do with mask mandates and school closures. The fact is that this emergency declaration has meant a path… Read more »

The Shuttered Venue Operator Grant is a new Small Business Administration program that is part of the latest federal coronavirus relief signed into law December 27, 2020. The grant is designed for live venue operators, which is broadly defined by the SBA, and many nonprofits in Alaska may qualify. One of the most important aspects of the program is the current guidance that says an organization cannot apply for both the Shuttered Venue Operator Grant and the Payroll Protection Program.  In this session we will talk about the eligibly requirements and things to consider before applying with guest speakers Heather Noonan, Vice President for Advocacy at the League of American Orchestras and Jon Bittner, director of the Alaska Small Business Development Center. Register here…. Read more »

Today we join with our partners at the National Council of Nonprofits in urging you to sign a letter that will be submitted to President Biden and Congress. This letter urges policy makers to enact COVID relief legislation that highlights the unique role of nonprofits in providing pandemic relief and in long-term economic recovery. Specifically we are asking that the next COVID relief package includes four nonprofit public policy priorities: Provide nonprofit-specific grants, forgivable loans, and refundable tax credits for all nonprofits Strengthen charitable giving incentives by increasing and extending the above-the-line deduction while preserving the itemized charitable contribution deduction Provide 100% unemployment benefit reimbursement to nonprofits that self-insure these benefits, both retroactively to 2020 and extending through the first three quarters of 2021 Provide substantial financial aid to state and local… Read more »

If you missed the National Council of Nonprofits webinar What’s in the New COVID Relief Law for Nonprofits? You can find a recording of the presentation, the slides, and additional resources on their website. As several of the presenters mentioned, Congress is debating additional COVID relief and federal agencies and departments – particularly the Small Business Administration and Treasury Department – are in the process of answering questions and implementing the law enacted at the end of 2020. You can help the nonprofit advocacy efforts to secure additional legislative solutions and helpful guidance by completing the brief form: Let us know how COVID-19 is affecting your nonprofit…. Read more »

For those organizations that did not apply for COVID relief through the first round of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), a second round begins today. Key provisions include: Borrowers can set the covered period of their PPP loan to be any length between 8 and 24 weeks to best meet their needs Loans will cover additional expenses, including operations expenditures, property damage costs, supplier costs, and worker protection expenditures Eligibility is expanded to include 501(c)(6)s, housing cooperatives, destination marketing organizations, among other types of organizations Greater flexibility is provided for seasonal employees Certain existing PPP borrowers can request to modify their first draw PPP loan amount Certain existing PPP borrowers are now eligible to apply for a second draw PPP Loan. A borrower is generally eligible for a second draw… Read more »

Like many organizations, the COVID-19 pandemic prevented us from in-person activities like meeting with colleagues, holding classes, consulting with clients, and conducting facilitations and planning sessions. So we turned to Zoom. We’ve learned some practices from our Zoom experience that have helped us better communicate and carry out our work in a virtual environment. We want to share them with you. 1.Create a welcoming space. Encourage participants to have their names on the screen. Keep cameras on, especially if you are the host or co-host. Be clear on the timing of the session. Make space for introductions or acknowledgment of everyone in the room. Options include: one person conducts a “roll call” by calling on each person to say “hello” and test their microphone, or by asking everyone to introduce… Read more »

The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 (omnibus spending and COVID relief bill)  is now available online. Foraker has been working closely with the National Council of Nonprofits to understand how organizations will be impacted by the legislation. The National Council has issued a preliminary analysis, which you’ll find here. We appreciate their very prompt action to bring the sector this information. The legislation runs 5,593 pages and spends more than $2.3 trillion. The National Council chart provides page numbers for deeper analysis on issues important to nonprofits. As Foraker and the National Council continue to review the legislation, we’ll fine-tune this analysis and post it on our website. A few important highlights for nonprofits include: Charitable Giving Incentives: Reestablishes the $300 above-the-line deduction for 2021 and applies a $600 deduction… Read more »

Urge our congressional delegation today to enact essential relief for charitable nonprofits before leaving Washington for the holidays. Congress is actively negotiating the next COVID-19 relief package. Senator Lisa Murkowski is a leader in the bipartisan effort to bring immediate relief to millions of Americans, local governments, businesses, and nonprofits.  Communities in all parts of Alaska are relying on nonprofits more than ever as COVID-19 cases rise in our state and across the nation. Join us TODAY. Let Senator Murkowski know you support her willingness to include nonprofits in the next relief bill. And join the national call to action — #Relief4Charities — to ensure every legislator knows the national nonprofit priorities…. Read more »