Sabbatical Program

Grants to Alaska nonprofit organizations and tribes to benefit organizational leadership. Funding is intended for costs associated with a three to six-month leadership leave of absence for organizational leadership. Funding is also intended to provide time off for leaders to engage in a range of personal growth and renewal activities.

The Sabbatical Program provides tribal executives and nonprofit CEOs/executive directors with time away from the office for rest and personal renewal. The Foundation believes nonprofit CEOs/executive directors and tribal administrators are able to better serve their organizations when they have taken extended time away to reflect on their work, gain insight into what they want to accomplish in their careers, learn better ways to run their organizations, and renew their personal energy.

This award is for the personal renewal of the applicant. Activities dedicated to personal renewal as defined by the recipient may include travel, personal enrichment, time for reflection, or simply rest. Awards will support sabbaticals of 90 to 180 continuous days. Sabbatical recipients are expected to fully step away from their organizations for the length of the sabbatical. 

Requirements: 

• The organization must agree to continue paying employee benefits to the recipient during the sabbatical.
• The application must be supported by the applicant’s board of directors.
• During the sabbatical, award recipients must participate in a peer support network through the Foraker Group.
• An interim leader must be identified by the organization in the plan for how the organization will be managed in the chief executive’s absence. Technical assistance before, during and after the sabbatical is available through the Foraker Group at no charge to the recipient organization.
• The participant must commit to return to the organization for a minimum of one year after the sabbatical. The participant also must commit to pay back all expenses to the organization if he or she leaves before the year is complete.

Selection Criteria:

• Benefit of the sabbatical to the organization and the executive.
• The quality of the plan to assure the organization’s sustainability during the sabbatical. The award will not be given if the selection committee concludes that the organization would be unable to sustain itself during the executive’s absence.
• Rasmuson Foundation gives priority to organizations that can demonstrate 100% of the board has contributed financially to the organization in the last 12 months.