501 Commons

Nonprofits are the lifeblood of our communities. They protect our most vulnerable, fight for just causes, and do thankless work that millions of lives depend on.

501 Commons is a trusted partner for the organizations that make Washington State and the Pacific Northwest a place where people and communities thrive.

Our passion is to amplify the strengths of nonprofits—so ALL people and communities flourish. Through a wide array of consulting and management support services, we provide nonprofits of all kinds with affordable expertise that they otherwise wouldn’t be able to access. Our Finance, HR, IT, Management Consulting, and Nonprofit Advisory Services allow nonprofit leaders and staff teams to focus their time on what matters most: their mission.

The last year has been challenging for 501 Commons. Thanks to the dedication of our board, staff, Executive Service Corps volunteers, donors, and community partners, we remain open, mission-focused, and ready to serve.

As we move forward, we are excited to introduce you to Pat McCowan, our new Interim Executive Director, who brings 30+ years of experience in the nonprofit sector, specializing in purpose-driven leadership, productive board-executive partnerships, success planning, and leadership continuity. Pat is committed to strategically leading 501 Commons into a new chapter. Read more about Pat and the experience and expertise she brings to our organization.

Even with this exciting leadership transition and the heartwarming generosity we witnessed from our donors and funders, we are not taking our future for granted. Your continued support is necessary to help 501 Commons build the stability needed to thrive for years to come.

This GiveBIG, our goal is to raise $25,000. Our board of directors has generously offered a match of $12,500.

A gift of $50, $100, or $250 strengthens hundreds of nonprofits and the communities they serve. One gift touches thousands of lives. We invite you to invest in our future – both as an organization and as a crucial part of the nonprofit community.

As government funding and public support have shifted, nonprofits are at a critical juncture. It’s up to us to make a difference. Your donation ensures the organizations Washington depends on never have to go at it alone.

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Why 501 Commons is vital to the nonprofit sector

Nonprofit Advisory Services: "Our nonprofit had no funds budgeted for a professional review, and Greg at 501 Commons stepped right in to help us update our language and make sure we were meeting state requirements with accuracy and circumspection. He had several great suggestions and corrections that hadn’t even occurred to us, and we now have a much stronger, clearer document that should serve for years to come.” –Nancy Rudel, Board President at DuPont Historical Society

Finance: “It was chaos and now there is order, clarity, and simplicity. Thank you! As a result of working with 501 Commons, we have great tools in place to streamline both data entry and reporting and are able to share accurate and timely financial reports with the Board.” – Victoria Watts, executive director of Moisture Festival

Management Consulting: “Since working with 501 Commons, our board has made significant progress. Regularly reviewing and using our strategic plan has helped stabilize staffing, strengthen our financial position, and better prepare us to address long-term challenges facing the Hamlet community.” – Heather Harrison, executive director of The Hamlet in Lopez Village

Human Resources: “Our policies are tighter, cleaner, and more intentional. They’re not ‘cookie-cut,’ but rather tailored to the work we do. We hire our staff to be mentors and ask them for a 12-year commitment. As you can imagine, we need a lot of policies and safety procedures. Having the ability to shoot an email to Chris or Danielle, regardless of the issue, has been a huge asset.” – Edgar Masmela, deputy director at Friends of the Children – Seattle

IT Services: “501 Commons has helped us transition from a local server to the cloud and we couldn’t be happier with how the process went and the abilities we now have in this new remote world.” – Kayla McKinney (Communities In Schools of Washington)