This week, representatives of multiple non-profits in the Upper Valley met to discuss the future of their organizations. The talks included staff and board members of entities of various sizes, including KTNA.
On Thursday, Foraker Group’s Dennis McMillian discussed the challenges facing non-profits around the state and across the country. Foraker Group provides a number of services dedicated to sustainability in the non-profit sector. Foraker Group’s research shows serious impending challenges, including a funding crisis and what they term as a “crash of the herd” of non-profit organizations. Additionally, Dennis McMillian says that the most common request Foraker Group receives is how to find board members.
Issues discussed over the three days of meetings included organizational and outreach changes aimed at making local non-profits more sustainable. Ideas discussed included shared back-room services, communication and coordination, and outreach to younger generations. Friday’s conversation resulted in a plan to explore creating an Upper Valley consortium of non-profits. Within that consortium, each organization will theoretically be allowed to maintain its own IRS tax status and smaller board of directors, but asset management, financial services, and volunteer coordination could be more centralized. Alternatively, some groups could dissolve and allow their mission to be carried by the umbrella organization.
Dennis McMillian says some local non-profits, such as KTNA, the Sunshine Community Health Center, and the Jessica Stevens Community Foundation, would not be able to move under the umbrella due to current funding or organizational requirements, but could coordinate and potentially share services.
This week’s meetings were funded by a grant from the Alaska Community Foundation. The next step the non-profit organizations plan to undertake is to pursue additional grant funding that would pay for the planning and organization of the consortium. The timeline for that consortium to come online is currently being measured in years. Additional planning and discussion meetings are anticipated, but have not yet been scheduled.
