WACF

What WACF does

WACF (Washington Association for Children & Families) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership association founded in 2012 and headquartered in Snoqualmie, Washington. The organization acts as a unified voice for child- and family-serving agencies across Washington State, providing legislative and administrative advocacy, training, technical assistance, and continuing education certificate processing. WACF organizes dozens of member agencies into five Communities of Practice covering Family Preservation & Support Services, Child Placement Agencies, Youth Residential Services, Independent Living & Foster Care Housing, and Caregiver Support, and maintains a working partnership with the Washington State Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF). Its named member agencies span child-welfare nonprofits such as Amara, Catholic Community Services, Olive Crest, Skookum Kids, Friends of Youth, Y Social Impact Center, and Youthnet.

WACF does not operate a technology platform; instead it delivers services through direct programming. Its product portfolio includes the Institute for Practice Improvement (a technical-assistance and training sub-brand), the Leadership Training Series (a three-session, two-hour neuro-leadership and polyvagal-theory program priced at $120), a Training Archive of recorded courses priced at $15 per session on topics ranging from trauma-informed care to suicide prevention, and CE Certificate Issuance delivered under NBCC-approved provider status at a flat $150 for up to 10 certificates plus $10 per additional. The organization also operates Communities of Practice meetings and tracks legislation, with documented rate increases secured for Independent Living Services, Family Preservation Services, and Child Placing Agencies from 2014 through 2026.

Revenue is diversified across annual membership dues (Individual $125/year, Partnering $525/year), training and CE certificate fees, and 501(c)(3) donations from members and non-members. Distribution is exclusively direct and member-based within Washington State, marketed through the website, email, legislative advocacy communications, and webinar-style training. The operation is small (firmographic headcount 1–10, with only two named staff: Executive Director Jill May, M.S.W., since 2018, and Program Coordinator Natalie Dempsey), with a Board of Directors drawn from member-agency representatives including Olive Crest, Akin Family, The Source, Seattle University School of Law, Skookum Kids, Y Social Impact Center, and Ryther.

Name

WACF

Legal name

Washington Association for Children & Families

Website

https://wachildrenandfamilies.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Washington Association for Children & Families (WACF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership association providing advocacy, training, technical assistance, and continuing education services to child- and family-serving agencies across Washington State.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Snoqualmie Pass

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Organizational, Individual, and Partnering membership fees provide core operational support. Individual membership is $125/year and Partnering membership is $525/year.
2. Training Programs: Revenue from leadership training series ($120 per participant) and archived training courses ($15 for recorded sessions).
3. CE Certificate Issuance: Continuing education certificate processing for member agencies: $150 flat rate for up to 10 certificates plus $10 per additional certificate.
4. Donations: 501c3 nonprofit relying on donations from members and non-members to support training and community-based agency assistance.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

WACF is a nonprofit statewide association that unites child- and family-serving agencies in Washington State through advocacy, training, technical assistance, and continuing education services. It sells annual memberships, paid training programs, archived training recordings, and CE certificate processing, while organizing members into five service-line communities of practice and conducting legislative advocacy on behalf of DCYF-contracted providers.

Product overview

WACF (Washington Association for Children and Families) is a 501c3 non-profit statewide coalition of child welfare providers that operates as a unified voice for advocacy, training, and collaboration. The organization offers a portfolio of programs including: the Institute for Practice Improvement (providing technical assistance and training), the Leadership Training Series (neuro-leadership training for supervisors), CE Certificate Issuance services, and a Training Archive of recorded courses. WACF organizes its members through five Communities of Practice (Family Preservation & Support Services, Child Placement Agencies, Youth Residential Services, Independent Living & Foster Care Housing Program, and Caregiver Support), along with advocacy services at administrative and legislative levels. The organization does not operate a technology product platform but rather provides direct service programs, training, and advocacy for child and family-serving agencies across Washington State.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Institute for Practice Improvement: A division of WACF that provides targeted technical assistance and training, equipping professionals with knowledge and tools to foster best practices and drive systemic improvements in child and family services.

Products and services

• Membership Program Annual membership program offering Organizational, Individual ($125/year), and Partnering ($525/year) tiers that grant members access to WACF's advocacy, training, insurance programs, and the five Communities of Practice. Designed for DCYF-contracted child welfare agencies, individual practitioners, and mission-aligned organizations.
• Institute for Practice Improvement A division of WACF providing targeted technical assistance and training that equips child and family services professionals with knowledge and tools to foster best practices and drive systemic improvements.
• Leadership Training Series An interactive three-session, two-hour leadership training series priced at $120 per participant, designed for supervisors working in high-acuity child welfare environments and grounded in Neuro-leadership and Polyvagal Theory.
• Training Archive On-demand access to recordings of previously presented WACF training courses, including topics on trauma-informed care, LGBTQ+ youth support, AI ethics, and suicide prevention. Priced at $15 per recorded session, with some content offered free; CE credit is not available for archive recordings.
• CE Certificate Issuance Continuing Education certificate processing service for WACF member agencies that are not independently accredited. Through WACF's NBCC-approved provider status, members can issue professional, verifiable CE certificates at $150 flat rate for up to 10 certificates, plus $10 per additional certificate; members are invoiced upon approval with 30-day payment terms.
• Child Placement Agencies (CPA) Community of Practice WACF's primary community of practice serving private agencies that recruit and certify families, place children in foster homes, and support reunification processes in partnership with DCYF. Members include Amara, Catholic Community Services, Community and Family Services Foundation, Community Youth Services, Olive Crest, Skookum Kids, Friends of Youth, Y Social Impact Center, and Youthnet.
• Family Preservation & Support Services (FPSS) Community of Practice Community of practice supporting member agencies that provide in-home and community-based services to families to prevent out-of-home placement, support reunification, and avoid placement disruptions.
• Youth Residential Services Community of Practice Community of practice for member agencies providing Behavioral Rehabilitation Services, Crisis Residential Centers, HOPE beds, Regional Assessment Centers, and adolescent transitional living programs for youth with complex needs.
• Independent Living & Foster Care Housing Program Community of Practice Community of practice supporting member agencies that provide community-based services to young adults transitioning from foster care, including Casey Life Skills Assessment, housing vouchers, and case management for independent living.
• Caregiver Support Community of Practice Community of practice providing education advocacy, medical appointment coordination, child care support, behavioral health strategies, and case aide hours for state-licensed caregivers, including relatives and kin caring for children placed by DCYF.

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Council on AccreditationcoreOthersWACF is a member of the Council on Accreditation, an organization that supports social impact and quality standards for human services organizations.
• NOSACcoreOthersMember of NOSAC (National Organization for Strength and Achievement in Communities), sharing values and supporting WACF's mission.
• CWLAcoreOthersMember of Child Welfare League of America, an organization WACF partners with to advance its mission for children and families.
• Social CurrentcoreOthersWACF is a member of Social Current, an organization supporting social impact and community-based services.
• Association of Children's Residential & Community ServicescoreOthersMember of the Association of Children's Residential & Community Services, contributing to Together The Voice initiative.
• Washington State Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWACF works with DCYF on administrative advocacy and legislative priorities. The organization advocates on behalf of providers who hold DCYF contracts and supports agencies serving children and families under DCYF programs.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• Council on Accreditation (COA): Accreditation and quality standards body for human services organizations including child welfare providers. WACF is a member of COA, and the two organizations intersect through shared standards, training, and member services for child and family-serving agencies.
• National CASA / GAL Association: National organization supporting Court Appointed Special Advocates for children in foster care. While CASA focuses on volunteer advocates rather than provider agencies, it shares WACF's child welfare advocacy mission and operates in the same Washington-state ecosystem.
• AdoptUSKids: National child welfare project supporting adoption and foster family recruitment. WACF's Executive Director previously led AdoptUSKids' National Resource Center for Diligent Recruitment, making the organizations closely connected in mission and leadership background.

Broad incumbents

• Child Welfare League of America (CWLA): National membership association for child welfare agencies and professionals. WACF holds membership in CWLA, and both organizations advocate for child welfare providers, deliver training, and convene members around policy and practice—though CWLA operates at the national level rather than a single state.
• Casey Family Programs: Major national operating foundation focused on child welfare and foster care. Casey works with states, tribes, and providers to improve child welfare systems—overlapping with WACF's mission of strengthening Washington providers and the policy environment around them.

Direct peers

• Social Current: Membership network supporting social impact and human services organizations with standards, advocacy, and learning communities. WACF is an active member and the two organizations share a focus on community-based provider support, training, and collective advocacy.
• National Organization for Strength and Achievement in Communities (NOSAC): National association supporting community-based human services providers. WACF is a member and NOSAC's mission and provider-support focus directly parallel WACF's role for Washington child welfare agencies.
• Association of Children's Residential & Community Services (ACRCS / Together The Voice): National association representing residential and community-based child welfare providers. WACF is a member and the two organizations share a collective-advocacy, training, and standards-development model for child and family-serving agencies.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wacfnews

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 WACF