YWCA of Olympia

What YWCA of Olympia does

YWCA of Olympia is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established in 1945 and headquartered at 220 Union Ave SE in Olympia, Washington. Its stated mission is to eliminate racism and empower women and those impacted by oppression, with a particular focus on women and girls of color, youth engaged in social justice, and community members facing systemic barriers in Thurston County and broader Washington State. The organization operates as a "Center for Healing in Community, Antiracist Education, and Participant-Led Advocacy," delivering free, in-person programs including Youth Action Circle (a youth social-justice network), Let's Talk / Social Justice 101 anti-racism workshops, film screenings and affinity groups, Kathleen's Closet (a free professional wardrobe open Tuesday–Thursday 10a–2p), Community Kitchen: Bread + Belonging (monthly dinner and workshop series), quarterly Lunch and Learns, and the annual Women of Achievement Celebration (30th edition held in October 2024). It also rents its ADA-accessible carriage house and the Kearney House main building to community groups for events, meetings, and classes.

The organization's core technology is minimal: a Squarespace-hosted public website and the EveryAction platform for newsletter sign-ups, donations, and event registrations. There are no mobile applications, disclosed APIs, or proprietary software products; all programs are delivered in person at the Olympia headquarters. The revenue model is philanthropic rather than commercial — all direct services are free to participants, and funding comes from individual donations, multi-year government and foundation grants (including a 2024 multi-year grant from the YWCA Association of Washington State benefiting 55,000+ individuals), and space rental fees. Distribution is community-led and event-driven, relying on newsletters, local earned media (KING 5, The JOLT News), volunteer networks, and recurring community events for awareness and donor engagement.

The organization is governed by a volunteer board led by Board Chair Amelia Watson, with Executive Director Alli Ewing (in role since January 2023) responsible for operations. The board is actively recruiting new members. As of September 2025, YWCA Olympia publicly faces potential closure, having launched an urgent community fundraising campaign that it reports as met, and is now shifting into mid- and long-term strategic planning.

Name

YWCA of Olympia

Legal name

YWCA of Olympia

Website

https://ywcaofolympia.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1945

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

YWCA of Olympia is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1945 in Olympia, Washington, providing free anti-racist education, youth programming, direct services (including Kathleen's Closet), and participant-led advocacy for marginalized women, youth, and families across Thurston County.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Social Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Child and Youth Services (624110), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Human Rights & Anti-Discrimination Organizations (BPAGAFAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Cultural, Identity & Inclusion Programs (EDALAHAF)

Keywords

• Anti-racism education
• Community social services
• Youth empowerment programs
• Women's advocacy services
• Nonprofit direct services

Headquarters

HQ city

Olympia

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, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: The organization relies significantly on individual donations from community members, with urgent fundraising campaigns and general donation pages driving contributions.
2. Government and Foundation Grants: Multi-year grant funding from government and foundation sources. In August 2024, won a multi-year grant benefiting over 55,000 individuals served by the YWCA association across Washington State.
3. Space Rental: Rental of community center spaces including ADA accessible carriage house and main building (Kearney House) for community events, meetings, or classes.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

YWCA of Olympia is a Center for Healing in Community providing anti-racist education, direct services, and participant-led advocacy. It offers Youth Programming (Youth Action Circle), Let's Talk anti-racism workshops (Social Justice 101, film screenings, panels, affinity groups), Kathleen's Closet (free professional clothing for job seekers), Community Kitchen: Bread + Belonging monthly dinners, and community center space rentals. All direct programs and services are provided free of charge to community members.

Product overview

YWCA of Olympia operates as a community services organization offering a portfolio of programs focused on eliminating racism and empowering women and marginalized individuals. The organization provides direct services including Youth Programming (Youth Action Circle), Let's Talk/Social Justice 101 anti-racism education workshops, Kathleen's Closet (free professional clothing), Community Kitchen: Bread + Belonging workshops, and community building events. Additional offerings include space rental for community events and the annual Women of Achievement Celebration. These programs work together as a unified approach to community healing, anti-racist education, and participant-led advocacy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Youth Programming (Youth Action Circle) A network of youth who care about social justice, learning, and community, designed to empower young people through advocacy, leadership activities, summer camps, and social justice education. Provided free to youth participants.
• Let's Talk (Anti-Racism Education / Social Justice 101) Anti-racism education workshops including Social Justice 101 workshops, film screenings, panels, and affinity groups designed to educate and engage community members on racial justice issues. Offered free to community participants.
• Kathleen's Closet A free community closet providing business casual attire and accessories for individuals seeking work, preparing for interviews, or starting new jobs. Open Tuesday-Thursday 10am-2pm at the YWCA Olympia location. Donations of business casual clothing accepted during open hours.
• Community Kitchen: Bread + Belonging Monthly dinner and workshop series designed to introduce participants to vital social justice issues while building community connections. Free to community participants.
• Community Center Space Rental Rental of ADA accessible spaces including the carriage house and the Kearney House main building for community events, meetings, or classes. Space rental fees apply for external community events.
• Women of Achievement Celebration Annual celebration event recognizing community members who work to make the Thurston County community a better place, featuring food, music, raffles, and speakers. Held in 2024 as the 30th annual milestone event at ASHHO Cultural Community Center.
• Community Building Events (Lunch and Learns) Community events including quarterly Lunch and Learns and community gatherings designed to build connections and support among community members. Free to community participants.

Quantifiable outcome

• Met urgent fundraising goal enabling mid- and long-term strategic planning
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• YWCA Association of Washington StatecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 August 2024Multi-year grant awarded in August 2024 benefits over 55,000 individuals served by the YWCA association across Washington State, strengthening regional impact and resources.
• ASHHO Cultural Community CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for annual Women of Achievement Celebration event, providing space for community recognition and fundraising.
• Longhouse for the PeopleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndigenous-led organization recommended by YWCA Olympia for community support and solidarity. YWCA acknowledges Indigenous land sovereignty and urges support for Indigenous-led movements.
• Jefferson County Anti-Racism FundminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional anti-racism organization supported by YWCA Olympia through referrals and mutual advocacy for racial justice.
• Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women of WashingtonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdvocacy organization supported by YWCA Olympia through referrals and solidarity messaging.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• United Way of Thurston County: Local community-impact nonprofit operating in the same Thurston County geography, addressing poverty, equity, and basic needs through grant-funded programs. Comparable as a donation- and grant-dependent regional social services organization.
• Northwest Harvest: Washington State hunger-relief nonprofit addressing food access and community nutrition. Partially comparable given YWCA Olympia's Community Kitchen: Bread + Belonging programming that incorporates food and community building.
• Thurston County Food Bank: Local direct-service nonprofit addressing food insecurity in the same Thurston County geography. Comparable as a community-rooted social services nonprofit reliant on donations and grants.
• Community Foundation of South Puget Sound: Regional philanthropic foundation serving Thurston County and surrounding areas, funding equity and community programs. Comparable as a regional nonprofit sector participant operating in the same geography.

Direct peers

• YWCA Clark County: Regional YWCA chapter in Washington State offering domestic violence services, advocacy, and empowerment programming. Comparable chapter operating under the same statewide YWCA association structure.
• YWCA Seattle | King | Snohomish: Another local YWCA chapter serving Washington State with anti-racism education, advocacy, and direct services including housing and workforce programs. Most directly comparable chapter in the same statewide YWCA association.
• American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Washington: Statewide advocacy and civil rights organization engaged in anti-discrimination work, policy advocacy, and community education. Comparable as a mission-aligned advocacy nonprofit in Washington State.
• NAACP Washington State Conference: State-level civil rights and anti-discrimination advocacy organization. Comparable mission in racial justice, advocacy, and community education, overlapping with YWCA Olympia's core anti-racism programming.

Broad incumbents

• YWCA USA: National umbrella organization for the YWCA network. Provides shared mission framework, advocacy, and brand standards that YWCA of Olympia operates under; serves as the broader incumbent across the same anti-racism and women-empowerment space.
• Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence: Statewide umbrella for domestic violence services, intersecting with YWCA Olympia's anti-oppression mission and referrals to the National Domestic Violence Hotline. Comparable as a broader statewide advocacy nonprofit.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/YWCA_Of_Olympia
• Facebookfacebook.com/YWCAOly
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ywca-of-olympia

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 YWCA of Olympia