Catalyst for Nonprofit Excellence

In Catalyst, we emphasize that courageous leadership is not about being the smartest person in the room or having all the answers; it's about showing up as the unique leader that you are. If you are looking for an opportunity to reflect on what's most important to you and to be more intentional with your time and energy, this program is for you.

Catalyst is not about learning strategies for the day-to-day management of your organization – we don't teach you how to write an employee manual or balance a budget (We have other courses for that!). Instead, we focus on bigger questions about what success looks like to you. You will walk away with a powerful sense of purpose, tools for feeling grounded in your decision making, and a deeper insight into what drives your energy and what zaps it. Along the way, you'll build new patterns for your life and career - and a supportive network to help you stay connected and accountable.

Get the support you need right now to face the pressures of today's world. The application period is closed. Please let us know if you would like to be notified of announcements for the next cohort.

What Is Catalyst?

Catalyst is a one-of-a-kind, results-driven personal and professional development program. It is designed to help you tap into your intrinsic ability to create excellence in your life while expanding your network of support. Alongside a cohort of peers, you'll engage with tools and strategies that elevate your leadership and fuel meaningful growth.

The program focuses on the soft skills of leadership - the qualities that help us truly celebrate success, navigate burnout, face challenges with resilience, and build genuine connections.

Foraker's Catalyst program has a decades-long track record of guiding participants toward deep, lasting results.

This immersive series unfolds over five interconnected sessions, each building on the last. Between sessions, you'll have time to integrate what you've learned, apply new insights, and prepare for the next step.

Session 1: The Pursuit of Excellence for Leaders assesses your personal context for life and lays the foundation for more effective leadership. You will focus on the question how can I be the most effective leader of my own life and with others?

Session 2: The Wall for Leaders clarifies what drives your energy and motivations and creates a space to confront your barriers to effective leadership. You will focus on the questions what is in my way of stepping up fully in my life and leadership/ and how will I use my strengths to overcome barriers?

Session 3: The Advancement of Excellence for Leaders pulls together all the tools and lessons you have learned to empower personal accountability and responsibility for your own results. You will focus on the question how will I move myself and my team forward to maximize our contribution to our community and the world?

Session 4: Commencement celebrates your wins and the wins of your fellow cohort members.

Session 5: The Launch, five months after Commencement, is your time to reflect on whether you are moving forward with the steps that matter most to you and to receive feedback and support. You will focus on the question how can I reinforce my support network to continue seeing positive results?

Learn how Catalyst changed the lives of our alumni

Are you interested in talking with one of our alumni about the program? Let us know, and we will connect you.

Mollie Kabler - Sitka, AK

Executive Director, CoastAlaska

"Catalyst changed how I approached my work, and made me focus on strengthening important relationships in my personal life. I learned to be patient with myself and to notice when I was holding myself back. Most of all, I learned that if I wanted change in my life that I, and no one else, was responsible for it."

Cameron Wohlford - Fairbanks, AK

Director - Design & Construction, UAF Facilities Services

"The first day of Catalyst, I was thrust into a community of 17 other very strong, high-performing sector leaders with no time to prepare. The second day was life-changing. You reveal a lot to your new family. I left the third day charged up to meet the personal goals I developed for myself and years later, I conquer that goal every day."

Mary David - Nome, AK

Executive Vice President, Kawerak, Inc.

"I learned that no matter your age or place in your career, Catalyst can change you. For me, exploring on a deeper level what is important to me makes me want to move forward, with more intention, to do more. It helped me tie in what is important to me personally with my work life."

Laurie Stuart - Anchorage, AK

Executive Director, Tyonek Tribal Conservation District

"I've discovered the importance of being consistent, sharing my own truth, and listening to peers in more thoughtful ways. As a result of the relationships I've formed through Catalyst, I have a greater sense of how we all work in different ways to strengthen the fabric of our shared society and how, as nonprofit leaders in Alaska, we benefit from one another as professional peers and supporters."

Who Is Catalyst For?

Catalyst is designed for nonprofit and tribal leaders who are ready to learn, connect, and grow. We define a leader as anyone actively engaged in the nonprofit sector or with a tribal government – whether you're a volunteer, board member, staff member, or community organizer.

Catalyst is for leaders looking to:

Become more effective in achieving their goals
Boost confidence and reduce stress
Build a more fulfilling and engaged life in and out of work
Build a statewide network of support

Successful participants share these traits:

Ready to explore past assumptions and seek new ideas
Committed to focusing on oneself while actively supporting others in their growth
Ready to do the work
Committed to community service as a board member, volunteer, or staff member
Available for the ENTIRE program. Missing classes greatly impacts your experience and that of your fellow participants. If selected, we require you to be present for every session in the series for the entire time – no exceptions.

How Often Will We Meet?

To attract a statewide set of leaders, all classes are held at the Foraker offices in Anchorage, which serve as the central location. The cohort meets for three intensive sessions followed by a commencement. In addition, you will have weekly teleconference calls with your team for four weeks. After five months, we will bring the cohort back together virtually to reflect and learn with other alumni.

What is the cost for the Catalyst program?

Every effort is made to keep costs to a minimum. Limited tuition and travel support is available.

The fee is $3,200, or $2,900 for Foraker Partners.
Travel and accommodations are not included in the cost of tuition.

Are Scholarships Available?

Thanks to the Alice Galvin Catalyst Scholarship fund, we offer limited financial support for tuition and travel.

The Mat-Su Health Foundation offers scholarships each year to Mat-Su nonprofit leaders to attend Catalyst. Once you have been accepted into the program, we can connect you to their scholarship application.

Atwood Foundation grantees are eligible for substantial discounts on Foraker programming. Contact us to learn more.

When is the next Catalyst program?

Schedule for Spring, 2026

Light breakfast, lunch, and snacks are provided. Dinner is provided on days that extend past 6 pm.
All sessions are held at The Foraker Group office in Anchorage.
*Ending times approximate. We strongly encourage you to keep your evenings open and flexible to extended hours.

Course	Date	Location
The Pursuit of Excellence for Leaders	March 2 & 3: 9 am to 6 pm* March 4: 9 am to 1 pm*	Anchorage, in person
The Wall for Leaders	April 6 & 7: 9 am to 9 pm* April 8: 9 am to 6pm*	Anchorage, in person
The Advancement of Excellence for Leaders	April 27 & 28: 9 am to 7 pm* April 29: 9 am to 5 pm*	Anchorage, in person
Full Group Session	May 5, 12, 19, & 26 (1.5 hours per week for 4 weeks): 4:30 to 6:00 pm	Virtual
Team Support	May 4 - May 28 (1 hour per week TBA for 4 weeks)	Virtual
Commencement	May 29: 12 pm to 8:30 pm*	Anchorage, in person
Launch	Oct 28: 9:00 am – 11:30 am Oct 29: 9:00 am – 12:30 pm Oct 30: 9:00 am – 12:30 pm	Virtual