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The Commons – Our Blog

News, Tips, and Insights from 501 Commons

3 Tips to Keeping Your Foundation and Board Informed and Engaged

Community grantmakers often face challenges in communicating localized impact and financial health to their leadership. Historical data and financial metrics buried in fragmented spreadsheets or bulky legacy systems make it difficult to keep board members informed, which stalls decision-making and isolates leadership from the realities of their investments.

3 Best Practices to Win More Grants

Nonprofit grant funding is highly competitive. With thousands of organizations seeking the same resources, it takes an efficient application process to stand out. Development teams are often stretched thin by heavy workloads, making it vital to adopt practical approaches when researching, drafting, and managing grants. Relying on slow, manual methods drains your staff's time and leaves potential funding on the table.

3 Ways Your Nonprofit Can Earn Volunteer Grants

June 3, 2026 Volunteers
Imagine a typical Saturday at your nonprofit, your warehouse filled with energetic supporters sorting food donations. These individuals are the lifeblood of your operations, contributing their unique skills, passion, and time to keep your programs running smoothly.

Helpful Resources: Grant Writing

October 7, 2022
Of the 87,142 foundations operating in the United States, 1,329 are in Washington State, and they awarded more than $3.9 billion to nonprofits in 2013. While individual gifts are an important avenue of generating revenue, the importance of grants and applying for grants cannot be ignored. We provide helpful grant writing resources and referrals that can help you raise the funds you need to support your mission.

Calling All Advocates! Learn the Rules of the Road

September 21, 2022 Policy & Legal
Nonprofits have led the charge on many of the major movements that have changed our country. Whether it’s child labor laws, food regulations, women’s right to vote, racial and LGBTQ equality laws, or employee rights – the nonprofit sector played a substantial role in giving these movements life at the grassroots level.

How to Use Your Online Giving Page to Boost Donor Retention

A donation page is a powerful tool for nonprofits. From expanding your reach to attracting new donors, your nonprofit needs a strong online presence—and this includes a well-designed donation page. However, simply bringing new donors to your page isn’t enough. You also want supporters to stick around for the long term and become recurring donors.

Online Accessibility for Beginners

August 18, 2022 Diversity & Equity Technology
With the development of so many incredible technologies available to us today, the best choices for nonprofits should keep accessibility in mind. Simply said: "When websites and web tools are properly designed and coded, people with disabilities can use them."

The 2021 King County Nonprofit Employee Engagement Report

Most nonprofit jobs require knowledge of the sector and professional expertise. This is reflected in the high education levels in the nonprofit workforce. However, community-based nonprofits tend to have lower pay levels compared to the government, philanthropy, education, and health care sectors. This makes it challenging to attract and retain well-qualified employees.