The Foraker Group

To be 100% clear, we believe that every person who can be vaccinated should get vaccinated. We stand with science and public health. We stand for health and the economy as one and the same. We stand with our whole community and say: “we care.” We also understand that health disparity is deeply rooted in our country and in our state. This means that while we all might be floating in the same ocean we were never sitting in the same boat. At our last advisory board meeting, nonprofit and philanthropic leaders from around the state engaged in conversation on this topic. We reminded ourselves that while some are choosing to be unvaccinated, many others want the shot but have difficulty accessing it. Let me share one example of thousands… Read more »

Returning to the workplace is the conversation we are all having both formally and informally with our friends, our peers, and our attorneys. Protocols, policies, and expectations abound, and in it all is a great amount of hesitation and uncertainty about what it looks like to do the right thing for the people on our team and the communities where we live. To be sure, we are not “just going back to work” ever again. Our collective conscience has shifted and individuals feel different about the workplace. So pretending that it will all just “be normal” or “as it was” is likely an unhelpful place to start when it comes to meeting your whole team where they are. The recent decision by the CDC, which is largely based on trusting… Read more »

As organizations reopen their offices, many questions have come up about how to safely resume on-site operations. Foraker recently gathered some experts who shared insights and resources on how to communicate with employees about vaccinations and what to consider when developing in-person programming. You can view the webinar here. More resources are available on the COVID page of our website under the heading Returning to the Workplace. If you have additional questions or insights to share with us, please let us know…. Read more »

Thanks to the advocacy of the National Council of Nonprofits and its state association members, including Foraker, recently released guidance confirms that nonprofits will have access to American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. This includes funds coming directly from the federal government, as well as dollars flowing into state, local, and tribal governments. To help organizations interested in applying for funds, we are pleased to announce a new website that describes ARPA and highlights points of access for nonprofits. Foraker is proud to be a partner in this effort, along with other Alaska organizations listed on the website. We especially thank the Alaska Municipal League for developing and hosting the site. We encourage you to visit the site – share it with others – and help us update it if… Read more »

Dear Alaska Nonprofit Leader: We care deeply about you, the people and communities you serve, and the overall welfare of every Alaskan. We are all still in the midst of unprecedented times, and we know that you are doing your best to navigate with every new piece of information on COVID19 and resulting economic challenges. We are proud to stand with you as together we navigate the path forward – from relief, to recovery, to resilience, and beyond. Today we need your help to better understand where you stand after 2020 and what you may need in financial assistance or other relief to move ahead.   Just as in 2020, the information in this survey will help us support you and will be provided to the Alaska funding community and policy… Read more »

On March 11, 2021 President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) into law – it’s the latest federal COVID relief package.  The far-reaching ARPA is packed with financial assistance for nonprofits, individuals, local governments, states, and small businesses.  Thanks to the tireless advocacy of the National Council of Nonprofits for ensuring nonprofits are included in the law.  We know Alaska nonprofits are wanting to learn more about specific parts of the ARPA that affect their organizations, their staff and volunteers, their clients and customers, their communities. 2020 was a tough year, and 2021 presents even more pressing challenges in responding to the global pandemic, and charting a solid, strategic path to long-term recovery.  The ARPA is a significant part of relief and recovery. In the summary below we identify… Read more »

Earlier this month President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act into law. Join Foraker and our nonprofit partners across the country on Thursday, March 25 at 11:00 am AKST – to welcome former Congressman Cedric Richmond, Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement, and others to discuss this legislation and what it means for your mission and operations…. Read more »

The American Rescue Plan Act was signed by President Biden on March 11 and has many components to support nonprofits and the people and places we serve. This is the sixth major federal COVID-relief bill enacted, and nonprofits have been included in all of them. A summary of the key provisions affecting nonprofits has been prepared by our partner, the National Council of Nonprofits, and can be found here. Of particular note to nonprofits: An additional $7.25 billion is available for the Paycheck Protection Program and eligibility is expanded to additional nonprofits and digital news services. Additional funds are allocated for the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program, and organizations are now allowed to apply for both a PPP loan after Dec. 27, 2020, and the SVOG. An additional $15 billion is provided for Targeted Economic Injury Disaster Loan… Read more »

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 »