Federal Actions: Alaska Impacts

Tracking changes in the federal government.

Understanding federal changes and what they may mean for your organization.

Federal policies, funding decisions, laws, regulations, and court actions are impacting the work of Alaska nonprofits and Tribes in many ways. We have gathered information and resources in one place to help nonprofit and Tribal leaders understand what is changing, consider how it may affect your organization and communities, and find additional information.

This page includes Alaska-specific information from Foraker as well as resources from trusted national organizations. It also provides some links to government agencies.

We recognize that misinformation and confusion will be present in this rapidly changing environment. We will endeavor not only to place trusted sources of information on this site but also to update it as new and verifiable information becomes available.

Please let us know if you need direct support or advocacy.

This page is intended as an informational resource and is not legal or tax advice.

Federal Funding & Grants

Federal grants and contracts are an important part of Alaska’s economy and help many nonprofits and Tribes deliver services and programs.

Research conducted by Foraker in partnership with the University of Alaska Anchorage Center for Economic Development shows that Alaska received $38 billion in federal grants in 2023, the latest year for which data is available.

Changes to federal funding, grant requirements, and the rules governing federal awards can have far-reaching effects on organizations and the people they serve—and put billions of dollars in federal funding to Alaska at risk.

Foraker Resources

Alaska Nonprofit Data on Federal Impact

More Resources From Trusted Partners

Federal Agencies Resources

Nonprofit Nonpartisanship Under Threat

A long-held core value of the charitable nonprofit sector – nonprofit nonpartisanship – is again being threatened by the federal government. On July 7, the Internal Revenue Service, in a federal court filing, reversed nearly 70 years of legal precedent, saying that “churches and other houses of worship” can endorse political candidates in certain circumstances.

This attempt to eliminate the “Johnson Amendment” from the IRS Code would have a highly detrimental effect on nonprofits and houses of worship both around the country and here in Alaska. Learn more here.

Resources

  • Nonprofit Nonpartisanship — Foraker’s guide to nonprofit nonpartisanship and the federal rules that apply to charitable organizations.

Charitable Giving & Tax Policy

Federal tax law implemented in 2025 impacted charitable giving as did other state and national efforts.  The full impact of those changes continues to evolve.

Resources

Need more help adjusting to a new charitable giving landscape?  Contact us.

DEI, Civil Rights & Serving Our Communities

Federal actions can affect organizations based on the programs they operate, the communities they serve, their funding sources, and the terms of their federal grants or contracts.

The legal and policy landscape can change quickly, and the impact is different from organization to organization. The resources below can help leaders understand federal actions and find additional guidance.

Resources

Because this area continues to evolve, organizations with questions about a specific grant, contract, program, employment practice, or legal concern should seek advice from an attorney or other qualified professional.

Stay Informed

Federal policy can change quickly. If you want to stay connected to issues affecting Alaska nonprofits and Tribes:

Sign up for Foraker’s newsletter to receive updates and announcements.

Follow Foraker’s Public Policy Alerts for opportunities to learn more and engage.

Connect with Foraker through Advocacy in Action for conversations about public policy issues affecting Alaska’s nonprofit and Tribal sectors.

We’ll continue to share information as we learn more and identify resources that may be useful to Alaska nonprofits and Tribes.

 

Latest Federal Impact Posts

Aug 7, 2026
A Step Closer to Accessing Approved Funding

Today, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit issued its opinion affirming a preliminary injunction issued by a federal district court in spring 2025 that blocks the administration’s attempts to freeze funding enacted by Congress under the bipartisan Inflation Reduction Act and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The court’s decision means that the preliminary injunction’s protections will remain in effect for at least as long as the case continues.  This is an important development for nonprofits, tribes, and local governments, including those in Alaska, seeking to use these funds for overdue investments in public health, climate resilience, critical infrastructure, and many other community-led infrastructure projects. Foraker’s 2024 economic impact report found that Alaska nonprofits received congressionally approved funding for $7.6 billion from the Infrastructure Act and $2.5 billion from the Inflation Reduction Act. While this is a major… Read more »

Jul 13, 2026
Deadline Today: Add Your Voice on Proposed Federal Grant Changes

Today, Foraker submitted comments to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) urging the agency to withdraw the proposed changes to the Uniform Guidance or substantially revise them through meaningful consultation with nonprofits, municipalities, Tribal organizations, and other stakeholders. Now it’s your turn. Add your voice to this important conversation. Comments from organizations and individuals can help demonstrate the real-world impact these proposed changes would have on nonprofits and the communities they serve. The deadline to submit comments is today, July 13. The Foraker Group is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization serving as Alaska’s nonprofit association and primary technical assistance provider to our state’s nonprofits and tribal organizations. We respectfully submit the following comments to OMB regarding regulations for federal financial assistance. The Foraker Group strongly opposes proposed changes to federal… Read more »

Jun 17, 2026
Changes to Federal Grant Rules Could Put Alaska Nonprofits at Risk

On May 29, 2026, the federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) proposed sweeping changes to the Uniform Guidance that, if implemented, would create significant risk and instability for all federal grantees, including nonprofits, making it more difficult to provide vital services to communities. We are calling on Alaska nonprofits to loudly declare our opposition to the proposed changes. The OMB proposed changes would apply to all federal grants, cooperative agreements, and pass-through awards received by Alaska nonprofits. Since before statehood, Alaska nonprofits have had a long track record of serving with honor and accountability as a trusted partner with the federal government, the State of Alaska, and local municipalities. We are such a vital part of everyday Alaska life that we are recognized in our state’s constitution. We provide… Read more »

Apr 20, 2026
Johnson Amendment stands, with appeal pending

A federal judge in Texas dismissed a lawsuit on March 21, 2026, that sought to overturn the Johnson Amendment. The 70-year-old law prevents nonprofit organizations, including houses of worship, from endorsing or opposing partisan political candidates running for public office. The judge dismissed the case on technical grounds. An appeal is expected. Find more here from the National Council of Nonprofits and on our web page where we provide detailed information on the background of the Johnson Amendment and what its loss could mean to nonprofits…. Read more »

Apr 10, 2026
A Strange Kind of Quiet: An Opportunity to Resurrect Our Voice

In August 2025, after Congress passed HR1., the tax overhaul bill, and all the advocacy that went along with it began to die down, we started to notice a strange quiet taking over Alaska’s nonprofit sector. Maybe it also was happening beyond our borders, but regardless, it was a noticeable absence of noise in the wake of vocal disbelief, clear outrage, and loud dissent, not just to the tax implications for the people nonprofits serve every day, but to all the federal policy and funding changes that had preceded the bill. While the new bill contained some potential positive opportunities, we knew even then that this quiet was not necessarily acceptance of a new normal, nor acceptance of what is happening to nonprofit funding and policy. Instead, we interpreted it… Read more »

All Posts