Learn about the issues - and take action!
Learn about the issues - and take action!
We invite you to join us in advocating for the following issues that have an impact on your mission and the sector. Want to find out more? Call in to our Advocacy in Action sessions to stay up to date and learn how you can get involved.
The Foraker Group serves as a reliable and credible resource for Alaska’s policymakers on the value of nonprofits to the well-being of local communities and especially to the state’s economy. We have long practiced collaboration with federal, state, and local governments and tribes to address public policy issues that have an impact on the sector. We look forward to continuing these partnerships as an effective way to address challenges and find solutions. Below, you will find our priorities for 2026.
We share data and stories with Alaska’s congressional delegation to highlight the important contributions nonprofits make and the impact federal changes are having on our sector. Our goal is to protect our vibrant sector, including a robust workforce, and to support nonprofits as they navigate change. With our national partners, we are participating in federal advocacy efforts that impact Alaska.
For nonprofits receiving state dollars through grants, contracts, and reimbursements, timely payment from the State of Alaska is critical to healthy, productive government/nonprofit partnerships. We support legislation, regulatory changes, and adjustments to administrative policies to ensure that state funding, and federal funds passed through the state, are disbursed to nonprofits promptly for the benefit of Alaskans. During the 2025 legislative session, Representative Rebecca Himschoot and Senator Scott Kawasaki introduced HB 133 & SB 129 in their respective chambers. The companion bills aim to bring parity in state payment to current statutory protections for private contractors who deliver public works projects. HB 133 & SB 129 ensure both state and federal pass-through funds are disbursed promptly to nonprofits, local governments, and tribal organizations, benefiting the people of Alaska.
Nonprofits are tax-exempt for good reasons – they provide services to the community that lessen the burden on government, leverage public dollars, ensure Alaska’s safety net, and help maintain quality of life. We monitor inappropriate taxation and fee proposals that impact nonprofits, particularly at the local and state levels, and pursue changes to state law that will provide clarity and consistency on nonprofit property tax exemptions and sales taxes.
In 2017, Foraker successfully advocated for a change in the State Single Audit threshold to match the federal threshold. This effort saved both the state and nonprofits time and money by eliminating the gap between state and federal requirements. In October 2024, the Office of Management and Budget issued new rules, including raising the federal audit threshold, again creating a gap between state and federal requirements. We support legislation or regulatory changes to the state audit threshold.
We advocate for legislative and regulatory changes that create an equitable and productive Alaska workforce, including legislation that promotes pay transparency, a proven practice for eliminating the gender pay gap. Working with the UAA Center for Economic Development and Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, we produce data to advance efforts to eliminate the pay gap.
Typically, we focus on issues that affect the entire nonprofit sector, or a vast majority of the sector, and we remain committed to lending support to sub-sector issues such as childcare availability and housing. We support nonpartisan sub-sector organizations and coalitions in their public policy advocacy. Our regular Advocacy in Action sessions provide a forum for these conversations and collaboration.
Foraker has been instrumental in creating and sustaining The Alaska Census Working Group, which was formed to ensure every Alaskan was counted in the 2020 Census. The Alaska Counts campaign is the result of that statewide multi-sector partnership and continues to focus on the same goal in 2030. Foraker is engaged at the policy level and on the ground in our communities as we prepare for the 2030 Census.
Many Alaska nonprofits already encourage voting through nonpartisan action, including holding registration drives, providing information on where to vote, hosting candidate forums, providing translation services, giving staff time off to vote, and more. We know there is room for greater nonprofit engagement. Our Alaska Voter Engagement Guide is a toolkit for charitable nonprofits to engage in elections while remaining nonpartisan effectively.
Many nonprofits are unable to offer employees health insurance because of the enormous costs. Foraker remains steadfast in our effort to find a reliable and affordable solution that will support a high-quality and stable nonprofit workforce.
As a co-creator of this uniquely Alaskan format for philanthropy, Foraker stands ready to protect any effort to undermine the charitable intent of the program, while fostering the positive promotion, access, and use by Alaska nonprofits and Alaskan donors.
Contact us to let us know if you have a advocacy group to add to this list.