We encourage you to participate in BoardSource's Leading for Impact survey of board practices in the U.S. There are separate links for executives and board chairs:

Take a look at these upcoming grant opportunities to see if any are relevant to you.

It takes a tremendous amount of support to ensure GiveBIG can be as successful as possible for nonprofit organizations across the state of Washington.

This year 1,500+ nonprofits are participating in GiveBIG 2019. So far during the Early Giving period, more than 1,000 donations have come in through the first 24 hours. Nonprofits have already raised $2.1 million in matching funds and nearly 300 peer-to-peer campaigns have been created.

Your software solutions are designed to help your nonprofit succeed. Success looks different for every organization, but generally speaking, your technology should help contribute to your organization’s overarching mission. Whether that means better communicating your goals to your supporters or garnering donations, technology is there to help.

Want the opportunity to talk through common challenges with sympathetic peers? Join us for the next Executive Director Forum on Friday, Oct. 5 from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. at Pacific Tower (Suite #810).

Working on your 2019 budget? Consider the benefits of outsourcing important back office functions to 501 Commons!

In early August, 75+ people attended a workshop with Toren Lewis from the Alliance for Justice on the rules governing nonprofits being engaged in advocacy. The big takeaway was simple: Nonprofits and board members can and should advocate for the causes that matter most to them.

While it may seem like well-funded special interest groups are drowning out citizens in the public policy advocacy space, nonprofits shouldn’t feel like they’re voiceless. With proper strategy and allies, creating lasting change at the local, state, and national levels is possible.

All teams will experience breakdowns in their effectiveness. These can be more easily and quickly resolved if you do some important work in advance. Building trust and establishing clear norms and expectations can reduce conflicts and increase accountability to organizational goals.

Nonprofits in Washington raise millions each year from fundraisers, auctions, and raffles. But – whoa Nelly! – before you plan your next event, read this helpful toolkit.

For 40 years, Vietnamese Friendship Association has proudly served the Vietnamese and refugee populations in South Seattle. The organization originally sought to help resettle refugees affected by the Vietnam War. As time has gone on, VFA shifted toward supporting education, economic self-sufficiency, and leadership development programs.

A “microaggression” is a verbal or nonverbal cue (whether intentional or unintentional) that communicates hostility or bias toward a targeted group of people. These unintended slights may seem harmless on the surface, but they perpetuate the feeling of being devalued and viewed as “the other.”

When we communicate with people from a racial or cultural background different from our own, there’s always the chance we might commit a “microaggression” – a verbal or nonverbal cue that conveys disrespect or bias.

Your mission may be best tackled by advocating for public policy and budget changes that impact your constituents. Learn the rules so that you can keep your board and organization aligned with the law while advocating for change.