It's been a really BIG year. 501 Commons has added 24 new staff in 2013, seven of whom were former NPower staff who continue to provide IT Infrastructure services, web and database consulting/maintenance, technology strategy, and more. The technology team has been doing an awesome job, with 100% of their 70 clients reporting satisfaction with our services.

Financial services led the pack in client growth, with a 50% increase this year. Over 70 organizations are using our Financial Services now. Also website traffic doubled with 5000 unique users now visiting the website each month.

We also added several new programs this year. Organizations working to alleviate poverty particularly benefited from the United Way of King County Volunteer Manager Corps which provided 20 organizations with volunteer managers at no cost for 10 hours a week for about 9 months.

Philanthropic support from Google and the Corporation for National and Community Service allowed us to offer Plan IT!, a technology planning program, for free. Twenty organizations have developed technology plans to guide their investments of time and money in the coming years, with 17 more underway. Nearly 200 people attended our Free Technology Brown Bags.

We have had the opportunity to do more consulting projects outside of King County, as well as offering Catalyst in Snohomish thanks to the support of the Greater Everett Community Foundation. Next spring we will start the Plan IT! program in Walla Walla (thanks to Sherwood Trust), and ED Forums in Pierce County (thanks to Greater Tacoma Community Foundation).

We’re ready for more in 2014

When an organization changes this quickly you are inclined to look for the brakes. But we know that there is much more that we can do. That can-do spirit comes in large part because of our terrific Service Corps members, who provided $1.8 million worth of services to nonprofits this year. With over 450 people in the services corps of all ages and backgrounds, it is rare that we do not have someone with exactly the skills and experience needed by a nonprofit looking for a consultant, facilitator, executive advisor or coach.

Thanks to all the foundations, corporations, individual funders, service corps members and clients that made 2013 such a great year. We hold high hopes for the upcoming year, and we wish you and yours all the best.

- Nancy Long, Executive Director