The Foraker Group

The House is preparing to vote as soon as tomorrow on a legislative package to reopen and fund key federal agencies. The package provides full-year funding for five of the remaining spending bills, and it extends funding for two weeks for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Steps expected today by the House Rules Committee will provide a view of whether additional delays may occur in enacting the package. The current shutdown is impacting 78% of the federal discretionary budget. There is a desire to keep this shutdown as short as possible. Right now, the impact on federal agencies is minimal. However, if the shutdown continues into next week, it could start to hurt TSA workers, air traffic controllers, Head Start programs, and more…. Read more »

The partial shutdown is guaranteed as federal funding runs out tonight at midnight. After some delays, Congress is still on track to enact a spending package as early as next week to reopen and fund the government, potentially limiting the harm caused by a partial shutdown on nonprofits and the communities we serve. The Senate late today approved that spending package, and the House is expected to vote on it when lawmakers return to Washington next week. The partial shutdown that begins tonight will impact 78% of the federal discretionary budget. If the House approves the measure, however, the impacts of the partial shutdown are expected to be limited. Federal agencies have been developing contingency plans outlining which federal employees will be instructed to stop working and which are deemed… Read more »

We know we’ve asked for your participation in several surveys lately — and we truly appreciate your time. There’s a good reason we keep coming back to you: high-quality, rigorous data helps us tell the real story of Alaska’s nonprofit sector to funders, policymakers, and the media. Your participation ensures that the story is accurate, powerful, and grounded in lived experience. We are conducting a new statewide survey to understand how government funding cuts and policy changes continue to affect nonprofit organizations and tribes in Alaska. Earlier this year, following the administration’s announcement of a federal funding freeze, we moved quickly to assess the potential impact. The initial results showed a catastrophic threat to the health and well-being of Alaskans and the organizations that serve them. Now, almost a year… Read more »

We recently alerted you to the unauthorized use by GoFundMe of 1.2 million nonprofits on their online giving platform. GoFundMe has issued an apology and offered steps to walk back their practice of using the names, logos, and other key identifiers of nonprofits without their knowledge or consent. At the same time, they have been charging exorbitant fees or “tips” to the for-profit vendor. Our alert also provided a link for authorized users of each nonprofit to remove their organization from the GoFundMe website. If you have not taken those steps, do it today. This past week, we learned that these unethical fundraising practices of both using nonprofits information without consent and charging high fees is quickly becoming common in the industry, with Charity Navigator being the latest in a… Read more »

There are times in everyone’s life that feel especially difficult. These experiences can be unnoticed by many, even while they feel intense and all-consuming to the people experiencing them. Then there are times when we have a more collective experience of hardship. In these moments, it may not be something you experience directly, but you are still drawn into it in ways that spur you to action and help you pause to consider the ramifications. This is such a time. During the pandemic, I often reflected that we are all in the same ocean, but we are not in the same boat. Indeed, depending on one’s geography, health status, age, and many other privileges and complications, the pandemic felt very different at a personal level. Nonprofits also had a varied… Read more »

October has brought us snowy mountains, golden leaves, and a government shutdown. Many may remember the federal government shutdown of 2018 – it lasted 35 days, with far-reaching negative impacts for people, businesses, nonprofits, and the government itself. Now, another shutdown is underway. A federal government shutdown translates to real, potentially devastating impacts on people, communities, and the nonprofits that Alaskans rely on every day. Simply stated, during a shutdown, federal agencies cannot spend or obligate congressionally approved funds, including funds for paying employees, meeting grant obligations, and operating federal programs. Based on previous shutdowns, this one will have immediate and longer-term impacts on Alaska nonprofits and the people we serve. That’s because many of our nonprofits will see an increased demand for services while experiencing decreased funding. Previous shutdowns proved in… Read more »

Many may remember the federal government shutdown of 2018 – it lasted 35 days, with far-reaching negative impacts for people, businesses, nonprofits, and the government itself. Now, another shutdown is underway. A federal government shutdown translates to real, potentially devastating impacts on people, communities, and nonprofits that Alaskans rely on every day. Simply stated, during a shutdown, federal agencies cannot spend or obligate congressionally approved funds, including funds for paying employees, meeting grant obligations, and operating federal programs. Based on previous shutdowns, this one will have immediate and longer-term impacts on Alaska nonprofits and the people we serve. That’s because many of our nonprofits will see an increased demand for services while experiencing decreased funding. Previous shutdowns proved in too many ways that nonprofits will once again be called upon… Read more »

Many organizations are facing increased uncertainty due to recent federal government changes. Our Rapid Response Convenings are designed to help you navigate this evolving landscape by creating a network of support. These one-hour virtual sessions provide a safe and collaborative space to share current challenges, exchange ideas and solutions, and learn from the collective wisdom of your peers. Thanks to the generous support of the Rasmuson Foundation and the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust, we’re offering these free convenings specifically for: Fundraisers (This session is for Executive Directors, Development Staff, Board Members, or anyone who is involved in fundraising at your organization) October 13, November 3, December 1 from 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm Nonprofit HR professionals October 14, November 13, December 11 from 12:00 – 1:00 pm Nonprofit Finance professionals… Read more »

Right now, as the nonprofit sector, and as individual leaders, we are doing our best to navigate the twisting turns that lay in front of us. There are lions, and tigers, and bears, and a lot of “oh my” every day. That is, if lions are impoundment, tigers are rescission, and bears are the threat to nonprofit nonpartisanship, and the are all sitting against the backdrop of executive orders, that makes us exclaim another “oh my!” This journey is sometimes loud, often confusing and even dizzying, and a lot to take in on any given day regardless of whether you agree with the actions or not. Honestly, it is so much all at once, one could just get overwhelmed without a full understanding of the whole story. Let’s take impoundment,… Read more »

As the result of a Trump executive order, the U.S. Department of Education is considering changes to the rules for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program including one that would exclude some 501(c)(3) nonprofits. Once the rule is announced, the public will have 30 days to comment on it. Information is available in this webinar from the National Council of Nonprofits…. Read more »