Our Mission

We all rise when nonprofits thrive. At 501 Commons we serve nonprofits as experts, innovators, and partners. Our passion is to amplify the strengths of nonprofits—so ALL people and communities flourish.

501 Commons provides management and fundraising consulting, training, Quick Consults, and free advisory services. Consulting and ongoing services are available for IT, data, HR, and finance.  We produce GiveBIG and 1500 nonprofits can receive donations year-round at WAgives.org.

Each year we serve more than 2000 organizations. This includes 1500 organizations participating on Washington Gives, 1000 training registrants and about 1,000 client engagements with 700 organizations throughout the US. More than 70% of these organization have budgets below $1.5 million.

Each year we serve 110+ organizations that are based in BIPOC communities. We also offer a cohort program for community-based organizations focused on BIPOC communities.

The values that guide our work are:

• Respect
• Integrity and transparency
• Inclusion
• Accessibility
• Partnership
• Results

How we accomplish our mission

501 Commons' services strengthen leaders, build healthy organizations, and foster community engagement.

STRONG LEADERS
We amplify the strengths of leaders:

• Leadership coaching
• Executive advising & convenings
• Learning programs, fundraising training, & Staff Development Coalition
• Free informational resources, advice, & referrals

HEALTHY ORGANIZATIONS
We build capacity through consulting and stable back-office support:

• Finance & tax services
• Management, including governance & planning
• Technology, data systems, & collaboration tools
• HR services informed by the principles of IDEA (inclusion, diversity, equity, & access)

ENGAGED COMMUNITIES
Cultivate & deepen community impact:

• Advocacy training for staff & boards
• Executive Service Corps members delivering services valued at $1 million
• Volunteer program development & training for volunteer managers
• Washington Gives year-round giving platform, including the GiveBIG & Giving Tuesday generosity campaigns

As a nonprofit ourselves, we are grateful for the support we receive from individual donors and dozens of philanthropic partners. This support allows us to keep services affordable to nonprofits of all sizes.  Annually, our services strengthen more than 2,000 nonprofits, improving the quality of life for people and communities throughout the Pacific Northwest and beyond.

Our Story

501 Commons was founded in 1989 as Executive Service Corps of Washington. In 2010, we changed our name to 501 Commons, reflecting a changing role and broader range of services. In 2012, we absorbed some of the programs and services of the Alliance for Nonprofits and the technology services of NPower Northwest. Most of our clients are in the Pacific Northwest, but most of our services are available to nonprofits in other geographic areas. 

Our name is based on the principle of the "the commons." The commons can be characterized as having five distinct attributes:

1. Free and uncoerced participation
2. A shared purpose
3. Jointly held resources
4. A sense of mutuality
5. Relationships that are characterized by justice and fairness

Our Theory of Practice describes how we approach our work and our Team Charter describes how our team of 50+ work together to serve our clients.

501 Commons is a 501(c)(3) tax-deductible, nonprofit, charitable organization and is a member of the Executive Service Corps - United States. By making a donation or volunteering your time to 501 Commons, you are impacting the success of more than 2,000 organizations. Join us!

Where We Serve

Our home office is located on the 11th floor of Pacific Tower in Seattle’s north Beacon Hill neighborhood. Pacific Tower has a long storied tradition of service to the community. The building fosters a unique model of cross-organizational collaboration, acting as a dynamic hub of nonprofits dedicated to healthcare, education, social services, and job creation.

The majority of 501 Commons’ client organizations are from the Pacific Northwest, although we serve organizations in 20–30 states each year. 501 Commons' office are on the traditional homelands of the tribes of the Coast Salish and Duwamish people. We respect and honor these people and their sovereign tribal nations. Our community has been enriched by their past and current stewardship of these lands and their contributions to our history, culture, and economy.