Community Council

What Community Council does

Community Council is a nonprofit civic engagement organization founded in 2008 in Walla Walla, Washington, that facilitates citizen-driven research, dialogue, and consensus-based solutions for regional issues. The organization serves residents of Columbia and Walla Walla counties (Washington) and the Milton-Freewater area (Oregon), operating through a structured 26-week study/action process adapted from the Jacksonville Community Council model. Since inception, Community Council has completed 13 studies spanning education, affordable housing, gang prevention, outdoor recreation, value-added agriculture, civic communication, food security, and broadband internet access; each study generates implementation task forces that advocate for adoption of its recommendations with measurable local outcomes (e.g., the creation of Common Roots Housing Trust, the 2019 Smart Partnership Award for the Blue Mountain Region Trails Plan, and the 2018 APA Citizen Involvement Prize).

The organization operates with a 26-member volunteer board of directors and a small paid staff led by Executive Director Mary Campbell (former Assistant Attorney General in Oregon and Washington) and Community Research Coordinator Laura Prado. Core offerings include the Study/Action Process, the Internet for All initiative (current study with active Implementation Task Force), the Affordable Housing program, the Education advocacy program (supporting the Elevate cradle-to-career partnership), Community Conversations (a data-informed dialogue initiative developed with Blue Mountain Community Foundation, Sherwood Trust, and United Way of the Blue Mountains), the Digital Resource Fair (an annual bilingual digital equity event co-hosted with Walla Walla Community College and Goodwill Industries of the Columbia), and Walla Walla Regional Vital Signs (a regional quality-of-life data platform tracking approximately 40 indicators in partnership with Eastern Washington University). Community Council does not offer a proprietary technology product; its core intellectual asset is its facilitation methodology and the institutional trust it has built over 15+ years.

Community Council is funded through grants from local philanthropic organizations (Blue Mountain Community Foundation, Sherwood Trust, United Way of the Blue Mountains), individual donations (with a monthly giving program that matches the first month 12x), and event revenue (annual luncheons, spring socials). Participation in study committees, implementation task forces, and community conversations is free and open to all residents; select fundraising events charge modest ticket prices. The organization operates without ownership, agenda, or political bias, and is governed by a board whose primary mandate is to safeguard the integrity of the study process.

Name

Community Council

Legal name

Community Council

Website

https://wwcommunitycouncil.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Community Council is a nonprofit civic engagement organization facilitating citizen-driven research, dialogue, and consensus-based recommendations on regional issues across Columbia and Walla Walla counties, Washington, and the Milton-Freewater area of Oregon.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Civic Engagement and Community Advocacy Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (81341), Social Advocacy Organizations (81331)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Development & Neighborhood Revitalization (CDBG, Place-Based Initiatives) (BPAIANAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL), Civic Education & Community Engagement (Voting, Local Government) (EDAAAFAC)

Keywords

• Civic engagement services
• Community research studies
• Regional advocacy initiatives
• Nonprofit community organizing
• Consensus based policymaking

Headquarters

HQ city

Walla Walla

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Grants: Community Council receives funding through grants from local philanthropic organizations and foundations.
2. Individual Donations: The organization receives donations from individuals and local organizations. Monthly giving program available with 12x match of first month's donation.
3. Events: Revenue generated through events such as annual luncheons, spring socials, and fundraising activities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Community Council facilitates a structured citizen-driven study/action process in which residents of Columbia and Walla Walla counties identify regional issues, study them over a 26-week intensive period, develop consensus-based recommendations, and advocate for implementation through dedicated task forces. Its offerings include active and completed studies (Internet for All, Affordable Housing, Education as a Path to Economic Growth), Community Conversations data dialogues, the annual Digital Resource Fair, and the Walla Walla Regional Vital Signs quality-of-life data platform. All programs are provided free and open to the public, funded through grants, donations, and fundraising events.

Product overview

Community Council operates as a single unified civic engagement service rather than a platform with modules. Their primary offering is the Community Study/Action Process—a structured 3-4 year program for citizen-driven problem solving. Supporting initiatives include: Internet for All (current active study on broadband equity), Affordable Housing (completed study resulting in Common Roots Housing Trust), Education as a Path to Economic Growth (completed study with ongoing advocacy), Community Conversations (data-informed dialogue initiative), Digital Resource Fair (annual tech access event), and Walla Walla Regional Vital Signs (quality of life data platform). The organization does not offer a tech product; all offerings are community organizing, research, and advocacy services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Community Study/Action Process A structured 3-4 year civic engagement process where community members identify regional topics of significance, study issues intensively over a 26-week period, develop consensus-based recommendations, and advocate for positive change through implementation task forces. Open to all residents of the Walla Walla region free of charge.
• Internet for All Current community study initiative addressing broadband internet access equity in the region. Includes digital literacy education, broadband infrastructure advocacy, and resource coordination to achieve universal affordable broadband access for residents of Columbia and Walla Walla counties.
• Affordable Housing Study Completed community study and advocacy initiative focused on housing affordability in the Walla Walla region. Led to the creation of Common Roots Housing Trust, the region's first community land trust, and city of Walla Walla protections for manufactured home parks.
• Education as a Path to Economic Growth Completed community study and ongoing advocacy initiative supporting educational attainment in the region. Continues to advocate for Elevate (a cradle-to-career partnership) and entrepreneurial ecosystem development.
• Community Conversations Data-informed community dialogue initiative incorporating demographic, social, economic, and environmental indicators to inspire collaborative action for regional quality of life improvements. Developed in partnership with Blue Mountain Community Foundation, Sherwood Trust, and United Way.
• Digital Resource Fair Annual community event connecting residents with technology resources including free Wi-Fi locations, low-cost devices, tech lending programs, and digital literacy assistance. Open to all community members with Spanish and ASL interpretation provided. Co-hosted with Walla Walla Community College and Goodwill Industries of the Columbia.
• Walla Walla Regional Vital Signs Regional quality of life data platform tracking approximately 40 community health indicators. Provides trend data and evaluation components for Columbia and Walla Walla counties and the Milton-Freewater area, serving as the data backbone for the Community Conversations initiative.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 40% of households in the region were found to be cost-burdened by housing costs (paying more than 30% of income on housing)
• +4 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered major, minor and core.

• Walla Walla Community CollegemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 October 2025Walla Walla Community College co-hosted the 2025 Digital Resource Fair, a free community event helping people connect with technology. The college serves as a key partner in bridging the digital divide.
• Goodwill Industries of the ColumbiamajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 October 2025Goodwill Industries of the Columbia co-hosted the 2025 Digital Resource Fair and provides digital equity services including free wi-fi, low-cost devices, and tech lending.
• Walla Walla Community CollegemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 October 2025Walla Walla Community College is the venue and co-host for the 2025 Digital Resource Fair (Feria de Recursos Digitales) on October 16, 2025 from 4-7 PM.
• Blue Mountain Credit UnionminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Blue Mountain Credit Union is a sponsor of the 2025 Digital Resource Fair.
• Columbia iConnectminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Columbia iConnect is a sponsor of the 2025 Digital Resource Fair.
• YMCAminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025YMCA is a sponsor of the 2025 Digital Resource Fair.
• Baker Boyer BankminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Baker Boyer Bank serves as a resource and game table host at the 2025 Digital Resource Fair.
• Blue Mountain Action CouncilmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Blue Mountain Action Council serves as a resource host at the 2025 Digital Resource Fair and provides weatherization services and home repair programs for affordable housing initiatives.
• Pacific PowerminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Pacific Power serves as a resource and game table host at the 2025 Digital Resource Fair.
• Blue Mountain Community FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlue Mountain Community Foundation is a key partner in the Community Conversations project, which brings residents together to learn about and discuss quality of life in the region. The foundation helped develop this initiative alongside Sherwood Trust and United Way.
• Sherwood TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSherwood Trust is a partner in the Community Conversations project, working with Community Council to inspire and inform action in the region through data-driven community conversations.
• United Way of the Blue MountainscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnited Way of the Blue Mountains partners with Community Council on the Community Conversations project to build consensus around shared goals and catalyze action to achieve identified goals.
• Common Roots Housing TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommon Roots Housing Trust, the region's first community land trust, emerged from the work of Community Council's Affordable Housing study. This organization creates permanently affordable housing for families in the region.
• Elevate: Building Strong Communities through EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerElevate is a cradle-to-career partnership that acts as a catalyst for change, working to eliminate barriers to student success and build better alignment across the educational continuum. Community Council continues to support advocacy for this initiative following its Education study.
• Jacksonville Community CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Jacksonville Community Council in Florida served as the model for Community Council. With more than three decades of experience in civic problem-solving, Jacksonville Council's methodology was adapted for the Walla Walla region.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC): LISC is a national nonprofit that finances and supports community development initiatives, including affordable housing, economic development, and resident-led civic engagement. It is comparable as a much larger, established incumbent in the community development and civic engagement space in which Community Council operates.
• Ashoka: Ashoka is a global organization that identifies and supports leading social entrepreneurs and changemakers. It is comparable as a broader-incumbent civic/social-change organization that, like Community Council, focuses on citizen-led problem solving and community impact across multiple issue areas.
• Independent Sector: Independent Sector is a national membership organization that convenes and advocates on behalf of nonprofits and foundations. It is comparable as a broader-incumbent civic infrastructure organization supporting the sector in which Community Council operates, with overlapping focus on civic engagement and community impact.

Others

• Sherwood Trust: Sherwood Trust is a regional foundation in the Walla Walla Valley and a core strategic partner on the Community Conversations initiative. It is included as a thematically adjacent funder/convening organization rather than a direct competitor.
• Common Roots Housing Trust: Common Roots Housing Trust is the community land trust created as a direct outcome of Community Council's 2019 Affordable Housing study. While not a peer in the competitive sense, it is thematically adjacent as a community-development spinoff organization working on permanently affordable housing in the same region.

Direct peers

• Blue Mountain Community Foundation: Blue Mountain Community Foundation is a regional philanthropic partner and co-developer of Community Conversations with Community Council. As a place-based community foundation focused on regional vitality in the same Columbia/Walla Walla/Milton-Freewater geography, it is a directly comparable civic-stewardship peer.
• United Way of the Blue Mountains: United Way of the Blue Mountains is a core strategic partner on the Community Conversations project and operates as a regional nonprofit convening community stakeholders on quality-of-life issues in the same Walla Walla service area. It is comparable as a similarly scoped regional civic/social services organization focused on collaborative regional action.
• Jacksonville Community Council Inc. Jacksonville Community Council Inc. is the 30+ year civic engagement organization whose study/action methodology Community Council explicitly adapted. It runs an identical structured community study/advocacy process, serves as the originating model for the Walla Walla organization's framework, and represents the most direct functional peer.

Emerging players

• Habitat for Humanity Walla Walla Valley: Habitat for Humanity Walla Walla Valley focuses on affordable housing in the same region and is a natural implementation partner that emerged in the orbit of Community Council's Affordable Housing work. It is comparable as a regional housing-focused nonprofit addressing needs identified through Community Council's research.

Regional players

• Benton-Franklin Council of Governments: Benton-Franklin Council of Governments is a regional planning and intergovernmental coordination body in southeastern Washington. While focused more on planning and public-sector coordination than citizen study committees, it is comparable as a regional convening organization operating in adjacent Washington state counties.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/CommunityCouncil
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/communitycouncil

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Community Council