You are here:

Have You Had Your Checkup?

Posted Nov 01, 2021 12:19 PM
Learn how your organization could benefit from using the 501 Commons organizational assessment.

North Snohomish County Outreach (NSCO) is an Arlington, WA-based nonprofit that offers laundry services to people experiencing homelessness, as well as connections to community organizations that offer housing, shelter, food, and other assistance. Their philosophy is simple: Build relationships, meet basic needs, refer to other resources.

Sarah Higginbotham is the organization’s first executive director. She knew the organization needed assistance in dealing with several challenges. Sarah and the board president worked together to
complete the assessment. Fund development and communications were identified as priority areas. They met with two 501 Commons consultants who helped them review their budget, current fundraising practices, past GiveBIG results, board recruitment plan, mission pitch, and donor impact. Out of this process came comprehensive fundraising and communication plans that included timelines for who was doing what by which date.

“Be open for what your needs are and use the assessments to narrow the scope of work. It’s important to get out of it what you put into it and to make time with the consultants a priority on your calendar,” Sarah recommends. “I can’t imagine where our organization would be today if we hadn’t used 501 Commons to help us get where we are.

She appreciates the consultants’ guidance and expertise in creating step-by-step action plans that gave her a sense of control and a way to measure success. They recently reached out to 501 Commons again for assistance with
volunteer training and management. When Sarah observes that 501 Commons is “like a ‘one stop shop’ for nonprofits,” she isn’t kidding. Her organization also partners with us for board development, human resources, and IT services!