The Foraker Group

Why advocate?

Taking a stand for your mission is a critical role for every nonprofit leader. Nonpartisan advocacy is a powerful tool to advance your mission and ensure you’re part of important discussions in your community. Together we can bring about real change for those we serve.

How can I become an advocate for Alaska’s nonprofits?

As nonprofit leaders, we fulfill a variety of missions to improve our communities. We are part of life in Alaska. It’s essential that we talk to local policy makers and state and federal political leaders about the value of Alaska’s nonprofit sector.

Curious about the difference between lobbying and advocacy? Watch this video: 

Is your organization a 501(c)(3) interested in lobbying? Get the basics.

Not sure what to say? These talking points can help you when you meet with decision makers — or when you’re visiting with the public or community groups.

Do your board and staff need help in learning to become advocates? Contact us for training opportunities.

Stay current on policy issues that affect Alaska’s nonprofits – get our Public Policy Alerts and become part of our Advocacy in Action calls. We will keep you up-to-date on local, state, and federal issues through our networks and the National Council of Nonprofits.

Take action on the issues

As a nonprofit leader, you can speak up on the following issues that have an impact on your mission and the sector. Learn about all of the issues Foraker is working on here.

What is Foraker’s role in advocacy?

Foraker is Alaska’s nonprofit state association. We connect with policy makers, businesses, and other nonprofits to highlight the positive impacts nonprofits have on our state.

Positioning the sector as a credible voice is a role we take seriously. We work hard every day to:

• Advocate for the sector
• Conduct research on topics affecting nonprofits
• Monitor trends and develop positions on issues affecting the sector as a whole
• Convene the sector to highlight an issue, raise awareness, and encourage collaboration on important issues
• Provide training and resources to help nonprofits advocate their positions on their own issues

Do you need advocacy support? Contact us.

How does Foraker decide which issues to focus on?

Each year a joint committee representing Foraker’s Governance and Operations Boards analyzes issues affecting the Alaska nonprofit sector.

In addition to ensuring that we are nonpartisan, Foraker’s Public Policy Committee uses four criteria to analyze issues and recommend to the Governance Board those that should be priorities for board and staff to work on together. The four criteria are:

• Impact: Does an issue affect the interests of the nonprofit sector in a significant way, positively or negatively?
• Partner Support: Is there already, or is it likely that Foraker Partners will support Foraker’s position?
• Credibility: Would Foraker be perceived as an appropriate advocate for the position to be taken?
• Organizational Capacity: Does Foraker have the financial and human resources to engage in the required advocacy?

Do you have a sector-wide nonprofit nonpartisan issue you would like us to consider? Contact us.

You can review a complete list of our public policy priorities here.

Public Policy Resources