Nonprofit Association of Washington

What Nonprofit Association of Washington does

Nonprofit Association of Washington (NAWA) is a Seattle-based, tax-exempt statewide membership association founded in 2010 that convenes the nonprofit sector across Washington State. The organization serves as an umbrella body for nonprofit organizations, board members, Executive Directors, and volunteers, providing advocacy representation at the state legislature, professional development, compliance resources, and peer-networking infrastructure. Its core offerings include organizational membership, an annual Washington State Nonprofit Conference, more than 150 learning and networking events per year, an extensive Learning Library of toolkits (Boards in Gear, Let's Go Legal, Finance Unlocked for Nonprofits, Tax Basics, Liquor/Cannabis/Gambling, Starting and Dissolving a Nonprofit guides), a Community Slack with 28+ topic channels, affinity groups, a nonprofit job board, and The Connector monthly e-newsletter with tiered advertising.

NAWA's technology stack is built on a WordPress CMS foundation with WooCommerce handling event ticket registration and membership transactions. Supporting integrations include Slack (Pro tier) for community engagement, Vimeo and YouTube for educational video, and Facebook, LinkedIn, X, and Bluesky for social distribution. The organization holds WCAG 2.1 Level AA accessibility conformance and the Gold Transparency 2026 Candid Seal. It operates as the Washington state affiliate of the National Council of Nonprofits and maintains a strategic partnership portfolio of more than 13 mission-aligned organizations spanning legal services, capacity building, BIPOC leadership development, statistical consulting, and academic pipeline programs.

NAWA's revenue model is diversified across four streams: recurring membership dues from nonprofit organizations, event registration and conference fees, tiered newsletter advertising, and donations. The membership program operates on an annual billing cadence, with specific tier pricing not publicly disclosed. Go-to-market is community-led, relying on content marketing, events, the monthly newsletter, the job board, and social media to attract and retain members across Washington State.

Name

Nonprofit Association of Washington

Legal name

Nonprofit Association of Washington

Website

https://nonprofitwa.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Nonprofit Association of Washington (NAWA) is a Seattle-based statewide membership association that convenes, trains, and advocates for nonprofit organizations across Washington State through events, toolkits, and peer-networking services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: NAWA is a membership organization where nonprofit organizations pay dues to become members, gaining access to training, resources, discounts, and advocacy services.
2. Event Registration Fees: Revenue from registration fees for learning events, workshops, conferences, and networking opportunities. Some events are offered free to members.
3. Newsletter Advertising: Revenue from advertising in The Connector monthly e-newsletter through tiered ad pricing.
4. Donations: Accepts donations to support the organization's mission and work.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Nonprofit Association of Washington (NAWA) is a membership organization that provides nonprofit organizations across Washington State with advocacy representation at the state legislature, professional development training, and peer networking. It sells organizational memberships, learning events, an annual conference, and an extensive library of governance, legal, finance, and tax compliance toolkits.

Product overview

The Nonprofit Association of Washington (NAWA) operates as a membership organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of products and services for nonprofit organizations across Washington State. The core offerings include organizational membership with advocacy representation, annual conferences, over 150 learning events per year, and an extensive Learning Library with specialized toolkits. Key educational toolkits include Boards in Gear (governance training), Let's Go Legal (legal compliance), Finance Unlocked for Nonprofits, Tax Basics for Nonprofits, and Liquor/Cannabis/Gambling Event Toolkit. Additional resources cover starting and dissolving nonprofits, strategic planning guides, and topic-specific collections. The organization also provides a Community Slack platform for peer networking, affinity groups, advocacy resources, member discount programs, a job board, and a monthly newsletter called The Connector.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Membership Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 150 learning and networking opportunities offered annually

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National Council of NonprofitscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNAWA is a state affiliate of the National Council of Nonprofits. As a NAWA member, organizations gain access to all information and resources available through the National Council and benefit from shared experience of state nonprofit associations across the country.
• 501 CommonscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmplifies the strengths of nonprofits by offering information, contracted financial, human resources, and technology solutions, and consulting services. Also offers free 30-minute advisory sessions for nonprofits.
• Communities RisecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFosters movements to build power in communities impacted by systemic oppression. Provides capacity building, legal services, technical assistance, and leadership development to community organizations and small businesses. Offers monthly legal clinics for Washington nonprofits.
• RVC (Rainier Valley Corps)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides operational support, capacity building, and fellowship programs that provide leadership development for leaders of color while strengthening the capacity of BIPOC-led grassroots nonprofits.
• Ile KimoyocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA multicultural, cross-sector collaborative of 240+ nonprofit leaders across Washington focused on catalyzing healing and the restoration of resources in systematically excluded communities.
• Young Nonprofit Professionals Network (YNPN)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPromotes an efficient, viable, and inclusive nonprofit sector that supports the growth, learning, and development of young professionals.
• Social Venture PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorks to advance racial justice through philanthropy by connecting individuals who want to give their time, talent, and treasure to make their communities stronger, and amplifying the work of nonprofits through capacity building, grantmaking, and skilled volunteering.
• Philanthropy NorthwestminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIncreases philanthropy's impact through delivering training and tools that build knowledge and skills; offering diversity, equity and inclusion programs and resources; and engaging on policy issues that matter to philanthropy and communities.
• Seattle University Nonprofit LeadershipminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOffers a Master of Nonprofit Leadership and a Graduate Certificate in Fundraising Leadership, using a curriculum that combines commitment to social justice, latest leadership theory and nonprofit research.
• University of Washington Evans School of Public Policy & GovernanceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOffers Master of Public Administration, Ph.D. of Public Policy & Management, and certificate programs. Home to the Nancy Bell Evans Center for Nonprofits & Philanthropy.
• Statistics Without BordersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA volunteer outreach group of the American Statistical Association offering free statistical consulting services for nonprofits including survey design and data analysis.
• Central Washington Nonprofit NetworkminorOthersRegional network partner helping provide local support to organizations in central Washington.
• Native Action NetworkminorOthersRegional network partner supporting Native communities and nonprofits.
• Whatcom Family & Community NetworkminorOthersRegional network partner serving Whatcom County nonprofits.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• BoardSource: A national nonprofit focused on nonprofit governance and board leadership, with training, certification, and resources that overlap with NAWA's Boards in Gear toolkit. Comparable as a broader, national incumbent offering governance content to NAWA's target audience.
• Candid (formerly GuideStar): A national nonprofit information provider offering transparency tools (Seals of Transparency), Foundation Directory, and nonprofit data. Comparable as a broader incumbent that issues the Gold Transparency seal NAWA has earned and serves the same nonprofit audience with information and benchmarking.
• Independent Sector: A national membership coalition of nonprofits, foundations, and corporate giving programs that conducts advocacy and research on the charitable sector. Comparable as a broader incumbent that addresses overlapping advocacy and research needs for the same end customer.

Direct peers

• Forefront (Illinois): Illinois's statewide membership association of nonprofits, foundations, and corporate philanthropy supporters. Comparable to NAWA in serving as a state-level nonprofit intermediary with advocacy, training, and member services.
• Minnesota Council of Nonprofits: A statewide nonprofit association serving Minnesota nonprofits through advocacy, training, and resource sharing. Directly comparable to NAWA in scope, structure, and member offerings, and also a state affiliate of the National Council of Nonprofits.
• National Council of Nonprofits: NAWA is a state affiliate of the National Council of Nonprofits, which serves as the national network of state and regional nonprofit associations providing advocacy, training, and resources. Comparable as the umbrella federation that defines NAWA's value proposition and offers overlapping national-level resources.
• Nonprofit New York: A state-level nonprofit membership association serving New York nonprofits with advocacy, training, and capacity-building services. Directly comparable to NAWA as a peer state nonprofit association with similar membership, advocacy, and learning-event programming.
• CalNonprofits: California's statewide association of nonprofits providing advocacy, training, and member benefits. Directly comparable to NAWA as a peer state affiliate of the National Council of Nonprofits with similar advocacy and learning offerings.
• 501 Commons: A Washington-based nonprofit that provides capacity-building, financial, HR, and technology services to nonprofits, and a NAWA strategic partner. Comparable as a Washington-focused nonprofit support organization offering overlapping training and consulting services to similar members.

Regional players

• Philanthropy Northwest: A regional association serving philanthropy and nonprofits across the Pacific Northwest, and a listed NAWA partner. Comparable as a regional player offering adjacent training, DEI resources, and policy engagement to overlapping members in the broader Pacific Northwest geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/NonprofitWA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nonprofit-association-of-washington
• Instagraminstagram.com/nonprofitwa

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Nonprofit Association of Washington