Sabbatical Program

• The applicant must be an Alaska resident with at least seven years in the nonprofit sector or with a tribal organization and at least five years in their current position.
• The organization must be an Alaska 501(c)(3) nonprofit, tribal entity or equivalent. Executives of arts organizations are eligible.
• The applicant must be the CEO, executive director or tribal administrator of their organization.

• 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.
• 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. Support before, during and after the sabbatical is available through the Foraker Group or the Alaska Tribal Administrators Association (ATAA) 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 they leave before the year is complete.
• Within 30-60 days of completing the sabbatical, the participant must provide the Foundation with a written report on the benefits of the time away from work and any challenges faced. Photos and videos are encouraged.

A Rasmuson Foundation selection committee that includes staff, board members and past sabbatical awardees takes a number of factors into consideration but are interested primarily in two things: the benefit of a sabbatical to both the organization and the executive, and the quality of the plan to ensure the organization’s sustainability during the sabbatical.

There is no expectation that participants enroll in courses to advance their professional career. The sabbatical program is intended to provide participants an opportunity to engage in activities for personal renewal.

Rasmuson Foundation gives priority to organizations that can demonstrate 100% of the board has contributed financially to the organization in the last 12 months. Tribal organizations are excluded from that requirement.

Some organizations temporarily promote an interim leader from within. Other organizations distribute the chief executive’s responsibilities among existing staff. The Foundation provides technical support to ensure success. The Foraker Group or the Alaska Tribal Administrators Association can advise participating organizations on management during the leader’s absence. A sabbatical will not be awarded if the selection committee concludes upon assessment that the organization would be unable to sustain itself.

Nonprofit and tribal leaders are encouraged to apply for these awards. Applications open in early summer and close at the end of summer for sabbaticals to be taken the following year. During the open period, leaders can apply online below.

Individuals may nominate candidates for a Sabbatical Award by emailing sabbatical@rasmuson.org. The nominee still will need to apply.