School's Out Washington
School's Out Washington is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit intermediary that distributes government and foundation grants, delivers professional learning, and advocates for expanded-learning programs serving Washington's BIPOC, refugee, LGBTQ, and low-income youth across afterschool and summer programs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1993
- HeadquartersSeattle, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What School's Out Washington does
School's Out Washington (SOWA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit intermediary organization founded in 1993 (with firmographic data indicating 1987) and headquartered in Tukwila, Washington. SOWA strengthens Washington's youth development ecosystem by serving as a fiscal agent, capacity builder, and policy advocate for afterschool, summer, and expanded-learning programs serving BIPOC, refugee, LGBTQ, and low-income youth across the state. Its operations run on no proprietary technology platform beyond a Salesforce-based training calendar and a WordPress website; the organization's core capability is field expertise, equity-centered program design, and trusted relationships with public funders.
SOWA's core offerings fall into four program lines: (1) Grants Management — distributing pass-through funds such as the King County Best Starts for Kids Expanded Learning Initiative ($16M+ to 65 awardees in the 2022-2025 cohort, up from $8.3M to 38 organizations in 2018-2021), the $9.4M CARES Act Washington Youth Development Nonprofit Relief Fund (2020), the $4.575M OSPI Summer Program Fund (2022), the Refugee School Impact Program, and Feed Your Brain (175+ literacy programs since 2001); (2) Professional Learning — workshops, School-Age Basics certification, customized training, and the annual Bridge Conference; (3) Quality Improvement — quality cohorts and assessment frameworks for partner organizations such as Hilltop Children's Center; and (4) Policy & Advocacy — the 100+ program Youth Development Strategy Table (YDST) coalition, the Youth Advocacy Subcommittee (YAS), and legislative advocacy for a state Youth Development Fund.
The business model is a managed-services nonprofit model with no fees charged to grantees. Revenue comes from government grants (King County, OSPI, Washington State Department of Commerce, federal HHS), private foundation funding, and individual/corporate donations, with major funders concentrated in a small set of public agencies. Leadership is led by CEO Elizabeth Whitford, with David Beard as Policy and Advocacy Director; headcount is in the 11-50 range.
School's Out Washington firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- School's Out Washington
- Legal name
- School's Out Washington
- Website
- https://schoolsoutwashington.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1993
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- School's Out Washington is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit intermediary that distributes government and foundation grants, delivers professional learning, and advocates for expanded-learning programs serving Washington's BIPOC, refugee, LGBTQ, and low-income youth across afterschool and summer programs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
School's Out Washington industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Youth Development Services
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (6117), Educational Support Services (61171), Educational Services (611)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- After-School, Tutoring & Academic Enrichment Nonprofits (BPAGADAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- K–12 Support & School Improvement Nonprofits (BPAGADAB)
Keywords
Where School's Out Washington is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Seattle
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
School's Out Washington business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Government Grants: SOWA receives federal and state grants to distribute to youth development organizations. Examples include Refugee School Impact Program (federal grant), King County Best Starts for Kids funding, and CARES Act Washington Youth Development Nonprofit Relief Fund ($9.4 million distributed to 421 organizations).
- Foundation & Philanthropic Funding: Partnerships with private foundations for grant-making and quality improvement support to youth programs, including the Best Starts for Kids initiative.
- Individual & Corporate Donations: Accepts donations from individuals and organizations to support their mission of strengthening youth development programs. Multiple donation methods available including online, phone, and mail.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
School's Out Washington product offering
Product offeringCore offering
School's Out Washington is a nonprofit intermediary that strengthens Washington's youth development sector by administering public and philanthropic grants, delivering professional learning and quality improvement coaching to afterschool and summer programs, and convening a statewide advocacy coalition for sustained public investment in expanded learning. Services are provided free of charge to youth-serving organizations and are funded through government grants, foundation philanthropy, and donations.
Product overview
School's Out Washington (SOWA) is a nonprofit intermediary organization that does not sell a commercial product but rather delivers a portfolio of service programs for Washington's youth development ecosystem. The core offerings consist of: (1) Professional Learning — trainings, workshops, and the annual Bridge Conference for youth development professionals; (2) Quality Improvement Pathways — coaching, quality cohorts, and assessment tools for program quality improvement; (3) Grants Management — facilitation of multiple grant programs including the King County Best Starts for Kids Expanded Learning Initiative, Summer Program Fund, Feed Your Brain, Refugee School Impact Program, and the Washington Youth Development Nonprofit Relief Fund; and (4) Policy & Advocacy — the Youth Development Strategy Table (YDST) coalition, Youth Advocacy Subcommittee (YAS), and the Youth Development Fund legislative initiative. SOWA also maintains a public Resources Library of downloadable tools for the field. All programs are offered free or subsidized to youth-serving organizations and are delivered through direct service, partnerships with public agencies, and online platforms.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Professional Learning Trainings and Workshops Workshops, webinars, and the School-Age Basics certification for youth development professionals working in afterschool, summer, and expanded learning programs across Washington State.
- Bridge Conference Annual flagship conference that brings together the expanded learning field for keynotes, workshops, networking, and professional development; the 2025 conference carried the theme "Together We Rise."
- Grants Management and Facilitation Fiscal agent and administrative services that channel government and foundation funding to youth development programs serving BIPOC, LGBTQ, migrant/immigrant, and low-income youth across Washington State.
- Summer Program Fund State-funded grant program administered with the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) that distributes funding to summer learning programs across Washington State.
- Feed Your Brain Funding and training initiative for summer literacy programs at schools, community-based organizations, and tribes, linking literacy programming to federal summer meals funding.
- King County Best Starts for Kids Expanded Learning Initiative Multi-year grant initiative with King County Best Starts for Kids that funds and supports culturally responsive afterschool and summer programming for BIPOC and low-income youth.
- Washington Youth Development Nonprofit Relief Fund One-time COVID-19 relief fund of $9.4 million made possible by the CARES Act and administered by SOWA in partnership with the Washington State Department of Commerce.
- Refugee School Impact Program (RSIP) Federal grant administered by SOWA that provides funding and support to school districts serving refugee populations and fosters partnerships between community organizations and schools.
- Quality Improvement Pathways Program quality improvement support for youth-serving organizations, including quality cohorts, assessment tools, and continuous improvement frameworks.
- School-Age Basics Certification Foundational certification within SOWA's Professional Learning portfolio for staff working in school-age and youth development settings.
- Youth Development Strategy Table (YDST) Coalition Coalition of 100+ youth development programs across Washington State advocating for equitable state funding and policy for the youth development sector.
- Youth Advocacy Subcommittee (YAS) Subcommittee of approximately 10 young people who work with SOWA and the YDST coalition on policy projects and youth advocacy initiatives.
Quantifiable outcome
- Distributed $9.4 million in CARES Act funding to 441 youth development organizations in 2020
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use School's Out Washington
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
School's Out Washington technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
School's Out Washington partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Washington State Department of CommercecoreSOWA was chosen by the Washington State Department of Commerce to administer the $9.4 million Washington Youth Development Nonprofit Relief Fund made possible by the CARES Act. SOWA's field expertise, equity lens, and grant-making experience enabled rapid deployment to 441 youth development organizations.
- Youth Development Strategy Table (YDST)coreYDST is a coalition of 100+ youth development programs across Washington state that SOWA helps lead and facilitate. Since 2019, the coalition has been advocating for the establishment of a state Youth Development Fund. SOWA hosts YDST coalition meetings and supports the coalition's advocacy efforts.
- King County Best Starts for KidscoreSOWA partners with King County Best Starts for Kids as the administrator for the Expanded Learning Initiative, distributing resources to providers across King County working to improve practices and provide afterschool/summer programming for BIPOC youth and youth in poverty. The partnership has funded dozens of organizations through multiple funding cycles (2018-2021 cohort and 2022-2025 cohort).
- Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI)coreSOWA partnered with OSPI for the 2022 Summer Program Fund, selecting 139 organizations to receive $4,575,000 in funding. SOWA also works with OSPI on youth development policy and the proposed Youth Development Fund would be administered through OSPI.
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (via Office of Refugee and Immigrant Assistance)coreSOWA administers the Refugee School Impact Program (RSIP), a federal grant that provides funding and support to school districts serving refugee populations in Washington. SOWA fosters partnerships between community organizations and school districts to better serve refugee students.
- International Rescue Committee (IRC)minorPartnership for Refugee School Impact Program - IRC Seattle created the Parent Handbook for Tukwila School District to welcome refugee families, and IRC Spokane delivers services to refugee youth under RSIP.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
School's Out Washington competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Afterschool Alliance: National nonprofit advocacy organization working to ensure all children have access to quality afterschool programs. Highly comparable to SOWA's YDST coalition and Youth Development Fund advocacy work, particularly around public funding for expanded learning.
- National AfterSchool Association (NAA): National membership organization providing professional development, training, and advocacy for afterschool and youth development professionals. Directly comparable to SOWA in mission (strengthening out-of-school time programs) and service mix (training, advocacy, quality standards), though NAA operates nationally while SOWA is Washington-focused.
- National Summer Learning Association: National nonprofit exclusively focused on closing the achievement gap by increasing access to high-quality summer learning. Directly comparable to SOWA's Summer Program Fund and Feed Your Brain summer literacy programs.
Broad incumbents
- Boys & Girls Clubs of America: Large national youth development organization operating clubs serving youth. Comparable in mission and target population (underserved youth, afterschool programming), though BGCA operates direct service sites rather than an intermediary model.
- American Camp Association: National organization providing accreditation, professional development, and advocacy for camp and youth development programs. Comparable to SOWA's quality improvement, training, and advocacy functions in the youth development space.
- Grantmakers for Education: National membership organization of education funders. Comparable to SOWA in serving as an intermediary between funders and education programs, though operating at the funder side of the relationship.
- Philanthropy Northwest: Regional association of philanthropic foundations in the Pacific Northwest. Comparable as a regional intermediary that convenes funders and nonprofits, with a similar membership/coalition model to SOWA's YDST coalition.
Regional players
- Washington STEM: Washington-state nonprofit intermediary focused on STEM education equity, working with schools, industry, and communities. Comparable as a state-level education intermediary with similar partnership, advocacy, and equity-focused programming model.
Others
- King County Best Starts for Kids: King County levy-funded initiative that is SOWA's largest funder and most important partnership. Relevant as the upstream counterparty that determines the size and shape of SOWA's largest grant administration business.
- Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI): Washington state education agency that partners with SOWA on the Summer Program Fund and policy work. Relevant as a key state-level counterpart that SOWA depends on for large-scale grant administration.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
School's Out Washington social profiles
Digital presenceSchool's Out Washington financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
School's Out Washington leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
School's Out Washington funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
School's Out Washington M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about School's Out Washington
What does School's Out Washington do?
School's Out Washington is a nonprofit intermediary that strengthens Washington's youth development sector by administering public and philanthropic grants, delivering professional learning and quality improvement coaching to afterschool and summer programs, and convening a statewide advocacy coalition for sustained public investment in expanded learning. Services are provided free of charge to youth-serving organizations and are funded through government grants, foundation philanthropy, and donations.
Is School's Out Washington a public or private company?
School's Out Washington is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was School's Out Washington founded?
School's Out Washington was founded in 1993. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is School's Out Washington based?
School's Out Washington is headquartered in Seattle, United States, in the North America region.
How does School's Out Washington make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Government Grants are the primary driver. The others are foundation & Philanthropic Funding and individual & Corporate Donations.
Who are School's Out Washington's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Afterschool Alliance, National AfterSchool Association (NAA) and National Summer Learning Association. Broad incumbents are Boys & Girls Clubs of America, American Camp Association, Grantmakers for Education and Philanthropy Northwest. Washington STEM is listed as a regional player. Others are King County Best Starts for Kids and Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI).
Does School's Out Washington have an API?
No public API is recorded for School's Out Washington.
What industry is School's Out Washington in?
School's Out Washington's product category is Youth Development Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGADAC, After-School, Tutoring & Academic Enrichment Nonprofits, with a secondary code of BPAGADAB, K–12 Support & School Improvement Nonprofits. Its NAICS code is 6117 and its SIC code is 8300.