The Foraker Group

Posted Under: Advocacy Foraker News Leadership Summit President's letter

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What’s Next?

If you are a West Wing fan, you hear that question when the voice of Martin Sheen as President of the United States takes on one big thing after another. And so, that is what we will also do as this election season draws to a conclusion.

For some of you, this election was a high point, and for others, a low point — certainly, it brought a response that resonated deeper than a person or a political party. Regardless, I feel certain that not everyone experienced the election the same, nor will we experience the consequences of the decisions made by the American people the same. During the pandemic, it was an often-used metaphor that “we are swimming in the same ocean, but we are not in the same boat.” That idea will hold true again, but likely in even more dramatic ways as the next four years unfold.

What’s next for Foraker

Our work will both stay the same and intensify as we respond to the ever-growing needs of the sector. Our assumption is that for many of you — but not all of you – your work is about to get much harder and much more intense. We will be ready to meet you where you are with open ears, welcoming space, and lots of grace. Again, for almost all of you, the need to find collaborators will intensify as the work will multiply in demand, but likely not the money or the people available to do it. We will be ready for those conversations. Speaking of collaborations, mark your calendars for April 14-15, 2025, when the next Leadership Summit will focus on cross-sector and within-sector collaboration. That is a “what’s next” for all of us.

In other ways, we must be ready to help groups navigate new labor rules that have likely passed in Alaska. We will do that in a variety of ways, including community classes, resources, and one-on-one guidance. If you are already searching for answers and considering the financial and internal implications of compliance, let us know or watch our website for more information, which is coming soon.

On the very positive side of the public policy equation, Alaska is leading the nation in a bipartisan coalition for both the House and the Senate. This is super exciting for our work and for all Alaskans. We look forward to advancing our public policy priorities to help Alaska’s nonprofits.

What’s next for you?

• If you need to pause and reset, I encourage you to do it – rushing fast is rarely the right answer. For some of you, it will take extra time to restore your energy for what lies ahead. Grace and space should be a high priority not just for you but for the teams you lead and belong to. A wise person said to me this past week, “we don’t tell people attending a funeral to get to work, we stop, listen, and hold their hand until they are ready for what’s next. This is how some people around you need you to show up for them and for you – please do.
  • Perhaps this reflection will also be of use. Akaya Windwood (Founder of The Rockwood Institute and past Leadership Summit speaker) shared this lesson at a past Summit: every day as nonprofit leaders, we experience grief and joy in our work, and it is a source of strength for us – even when no disaster or political shift in power is present. The gift to slow down and reflect on how these two strong emotions are interwoven into the fabric of our sector, and often our daily work, feels like the gift we can give ourselves right now – not just to prepare for what’s next, but to stay grounded for the long haul.

If you haven’t considered this gift before, take a moment to think about what brought you to this work. Was it the joy of helping someone, or some place, or some thing? Was it the ability to create lasting change? Was it the deep desire to give back to a community? Was it bearing witness to injustice and taking a stand? Was it the knowledge that you were built to find joy in hard things? There are so many reasons, but I imagine many of them were and are deeply rooted in that strong combination of joy and grief. Looking into grief can offer many insights into what is happening in your thoughts and body. It can be very telling if you sit with it as a friend rather than push it away. Looking for joy is also to understand that everything has energy and that energy can either bring us joy or not. How you “pick up” your work and hold it to truly feel the grief and the joy can help us make sense of this time in our lives a little more. If we each seize this moment to connect deeply to the original reason we came to this work, then we might refuel for the next steps in front of us. Maybe in so doing, we can actively seek more joy in small everyday ways on our own and with our teams in ways that feel healing and create more connections – not fewer – with those around us.

What’s next for your team?

• Anytime there is a major change in our world (positive or challenging), it is a good time to gather to connect, ground, and energize each other with the fuel of mission and values. There are so many ways to do this, of course, and whichever way you do it, I hope it includes connecting within the team (regardless of political views) and that the conversion be forward-facing to move mission ahead. Here are some generative topic prompts to get you started:
  • What are we the best at providing through our mission?
  • What matters most for the people we serve now and into the future?
  • What can we do now to prepare for the future?
  • What struggles or challenges can we formulate a strategy around and which ones will we have to wrestle with without obvious solutions?
  • How and when will we be ready to ask many (if not all) of these questions to the people our mission was created to serve so that we get to the answers with them not just at them? I am guessing that within those collective answers lays all we need to keep moving to what’s next.

What’s next for your organization?

This is just the right time to capture people’s energy to be part of something greater than themselves – people who want to be a part of something good and feel like their time and money matter. Thinking as we do through the lens of the Foraker Nonprofit Sustainability Model, there are three lenses to consider:

• Right People: Board and volunteer service is still shifting from the pandemic so now might be just the right time to recruit new energy into your space. Consider joining Alaska Board Match to recruit new board members. However, before you do that, be ready to tell the truth about the time commitment, both yours in helping them be great board members and theirs in helping the mission move ahead.
  • Note that if you are reading this and are considering board service for the first time, here are some self-assessment questions you can use to figure out the right spot for you. Also, be sure to sign up for Alaska Board Match because it is just the right spot for first-time board members.
• Unrestricted funds: This is also the right time to set up and communicate about monthly or recurring donation options so that you can connect more deeply with people who want to feel great about a consistent gift to the causes they care about. This is just the kind of stability that the donor and the organization need. (Remember to watch the fees and use a trusted and encrypted program to manage the online transactions).
• Partnerships: This lens is essential now as we adapt to the workforce shortage and potential growing demands. Consider which partners you can invite to the table to think more broadly or deeply about your work from their perspective. Consider which partners are likely to fare better in the coming years and how your work connects with them without either of you compromising your core values. If you are one of those groups that is positioned well for the future, how will you extend your hand to others?

What’s next for all of us?

• Let’s commit to standing up with each other, encouraging each other, learning with each other, and reminding ourselves that we are better prepared to do the work our communities, people, and planet need us to do because of the lived experiences we bring to each conversation and action.
• Let’s commit to gathering our determination, reminders of all that we have learned, and a good dose of hope and support, and then turning our gaze to what lies ahead, not shying away or abdicating our power. With our eyes focused on what comes next and our feet firmly planted in reality, we can and must move forward together.

I am ready for what’s next – even as I don’t know all that is coming. My team and I are ready to stand with you for what you need and to help with all these ideas. We are grateful for the work you do and honored to walk with you.

Laurie