Issaquah Resources for Nonprofits

HCA: Help us raise awareness that Apple Health is Medicaid

Nearly 2 million Washingtonians rely on Apple Health, our state's Medicaid program, for essential health care. But many don’t know that Apple Health is Medicaid. We’ve created the Apple Health is Medicaid Communications Toolkit to help our partners, community leaders, and advocates share clear, consistent messages about Apple Health. More information HERE

2025 Human Services Bus Ticket Program (HSBTP) Rolling Request for Proposal (RFP) Application is now LIVE.

This program, offered by King County’s Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) and King County Metro, provides discounted bus tickets to agencies supporting individuals experiencing homelessness and low-income populations. A total of $949,945 in allotment value ($94,994.50 in face value) is available, with applications reviewed monthly on a first-come, first-served basis until funds are expended. The submission deadline is September 2, 2025, at 5:00 PM. Full details, including eligibility requirements and application guidelines, are available in the RFP Guidelines. Apply now through ZoomGrants! Contact HS.BusTicketProgram@kingcounty.gov

WA Dept of Financial Institutions DEI: Join us for upcoming virtual co-learning opportunities

  • Webinar: Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program May 29, 2025 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. Zoom What You'll Learn: Learn about how to help your clients access WIC resources. * Learn about the new tool that supports language access needs. * Learn about who qualifies, data privacy, and answers to other questions you may have. This event structured for service providers.

  • Webinar: Washington Health Benefit Exchange Programs July 10, 2025 11:00 am – 12:00 p.m. Zoom Join us for a free online session designed for community leaders and service providers. Learn from the Washington Health Benefit Exchange about programs on the state’s health insurance marketplace for individuals, families, non-profits, and small businesses of all income levels.

8th edition of the Emerald City Resource Guide! Please Provide Input By June 1, 2025

We are making some changes to how the print edition of the guide is formatted and organized to better support the people using it. We are adding categories, changing the ways some existing categories are listed, and shifting to a model that will be organized by overarching sections that we anticipate to be built out as follows:  1. Basic Needs (Shelter, Day Centers, Food, Clothing, Encampments, Hotlines, Transportation/RVs, etc) 2. Health and Disability (Health, dental, vision services; mental health, insurance assistance, harm reduction, pet and service animals, etc) 3. Financial, Legal & Employment (Free phones/internet, rent/utilities support, DV & survivor services, legal services, job training/placements, eviction support, etc) 4. Identity Based (Youth/Young Adults, Family & Parents, Immigrant & Refugees, LGBTQIA+, Seniors, Veterans, Formerly Incarcerated People, BIPOC & Culturally Significant Services, etc) Please REVIEW your agency's current listings on our website and fill out this form to make any updates or additions by JUNE 1.  

Our volunteers and staff will be following up with organizations and agencies listed in the guide on our online database. We understand that conditions of operating as service providers means that some information may not be accurate for very long. Please fill out the form with the most accurate and up to date information you have available. We will be able to update the online database after the print edition is published, if necessary.  Once we have these updates underway, additional information will follow with regards to sponsorships, ordering guides, and so on. We appreciate your patience as we go through these stages and thank you for your support in making this resource possible!

Communities Rise: Getting Ready: Legal Basics for Small Businesses and Preparing for Workplace Raids Tuesday, June 3, 2025 12:00-1:30PM

Communities Rise is presenting a virtual legal training for small business owners to help them be ready for the current moment. While this training is geared toward small business owners regarding compliance, the immigration enforcement information will be equally useful to nonprofits as well.  Getting Ready: Legal Basics for Small Businesses and Preparing for Workplace Raids will combine essential small business compliance information on what to do in the case of a workplace raid by immigration enforcement. Compliance topics will include meeting LLC recordkeeping requirements, handling key tax filings, and more. The workplace raids section will help employers and workers be prepared for potential immigration enforcement. It will cover what to look for in warrants, understanding private vs public spaces, and do's and don’ts during such a raid. Our trainers will be Talya West, Small Business Attorney at Communities Rise, and Kripa Upadhyay, Seattle-area immigration attorney at Buchalter law firm. Click here to register!

Communities Rise: June Grantwriting Clinic Mon, June 16, 2025 3:30 - 6:00PM Online  Free

Communities Rise is hosting a grantwriting clinic for nonprofits that are located in Washington state. Qualifying clients are able to have up to 2 members bring a request for proposal (RFP), application guidelines, draft proposal, a proposal not funded, or questions about grant searching, and an experienced grant writer will give you individualized guidance. Preference is given to orgs led by communities of color or other communities impacted by systemic oppression. If you are interested in attending the grantwriting clinic, please email cbclinics@communities-rise.org to determine eligibility and register. 

Communities Rise: June Legal Clinic Wed, June 18, 2025 5:00PM - 7:15PM Online  Free

Communities Rise is hosting a legal clinic for nonprofits that are located in Washington state. Qualifying clients are paired with 1-2 attorneys for a free 1-hour legal consultation (at either 5:00 or 6:15) to discuss legal questions related to your nonprofit such as: start-up questions, intellectual property, nonprofit governance, choice of legal entity, etc. Please note that Communities Rise is not able to assist with matters involving litigation or active disputes. If you are interested in attending the legal clinic, please email legalclinic@communities-rise.org to determine eligibility and register. 

WorkSource & NAMI Seattle: De-Escalation & Communication Workshop Wed., June 18, 2025 2-4PM

Enhance your client interaction skills at this essential workshop for direct service providers and community staff. Taking place at YWCA Greenbridge, this training will equip you with practical strategies to identify, assess, and defuse emotionally escalated situations. Learn valuable techniques to maintain everyone's health and safety during challenging interactions. Hybrid format available via Microsoft Teams for flexible attendance. Scan the QR code to register and invest in skills that will benefit both you and the community members you serve.

King County Perinatal Providers Gathering: A Self Care Event June 27, 2025 

Join us for the next King County Perinatal Providers Gathering. This gathering is for King County birthworkers to focus on self care. We’re excited to welcome Dr. Sabine Thomas, Executive Director of JSOL Studios, to lead us in a wellness activity focused on healing and connection to nature.   This will be a fun and interactive family-friendly outdoor event with relationship building activities and delicious food. Babies and school-aged children are welcome! We will have kids activities and snacks available. 

Communities in Schools: Annual Block Party Sunday, Aug 17, 2025 1pm - 3pm

CIS is looking for Community Partners that are interested in tabling at the Communities In Schools Annual Block Party. CIS is currently in the Issaquah, Renton and Lake Washington School Disricts. There is no cost for tabling we just ask the organization bring their own table, chairs, canopy and whatever swag they would like to hand out to the kiddos and families. There is just a vendor form that would need to be completed. Please contact Alba Cisneros at alba@cisgkc.org or call/text 915-861-4334. Location: Liberty Park In Renton

501 Commons: Stay updated on executive orders affecting nonprofits

In recent weeks, a series of executive orders has been signed, addressing a broad range of issues, including DEI initiatives, federal funding, civic engagement, immigration, and others. Since this is a quickly-moving news story, we recommend you bookmark this PDF created by the National Council of Nonprofits that provides frequent updates of how these EOs affect nonprofits. Please note some of these orders haven't gone into affect yet, or are being challenged in the courts. NCN is also inviting organizations to share their stories of how these executive actions may affect their work.

Disability Empowerment Center is offering an increasing array of Consulting Services to businesses, government agencies and organizations. If your company has a goal of increasing accessibility in 2025, consider one of our services

Seattle/King County Coalition on Homelessness: Public Benefit Trainings

In partnership with Solid Ground’s Benefits Legal Assistance and REACH, we are pleased to host the Public Benefits Are Key! training series. This series is geared towards case managers working with people experiencing homelessness – both new case managers as well as experienced providers who have questions and would like additional support in navigating these resources. You will learn what you can do as a case manager to help your client navigate the benefits process, hear key tips for avoiding barriers, and learn when to contact an attorney. This will be a practical, hands-on training.

BSK: Culturally Responsive Measurement Tool – Protective Factors Information Session 

The Culturally Responsive Measurement Tool – Protective Factors (CRMT-PF) is a survey with 22 questions measuring five protective factors: family resilience, knowledge of parenting & child development, social supports, concrete support, and caregiver/practitioner relationships. Watch the videos below to learn about the tool and visit the CRMT-PF blog post to learn more.  Use the links below to access each training video: 

  1. Introduction to the CRMT-PF

  2. How to Administer the CRMT-PF

  3. How to Score the CRMT-PF

  4. How to Understand + Use CRMT-PF Scores

501 Commons: A Compliance Notice from the 501 Commons Human Resources Program

Starting on January 1, 2025, Washington State’s minimum wage will rise to $16.66 per hour, a 2.35% increase from 2024. The pay threshold for an employee to be exempt also increases. In Washington, this is a factor of the minimum wage and will increase to $1,332.80/week (or $69,305.60/year) for small employers (1-50 employees) and $1,499.40/week ($77,968.80/year) for large employers (51+ employees). Anyone paid below these thresholds must be nonexempt and paid overtime regardless of their title or job duties. Check out the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) website for a salary threshold implementation schedule. As always, in addition to meeting the pay threshold, an exempt employee must meet a duties test and be paid the same amount weekly regardless of hours worked. Seattle, SeaTac, Tukwila, Renton, Bellingham, and Burien have (or will have) higher minimum wages than the state requires. 
If you need guidance, tap our HR Quick Consults service by sending an email to hrconsults@501commons.org. You can receive assistance for only $25 per 15-minute increment. We can generally respond within 72 hours. Need HR assistance on a deeper level? 501 Commons team of HR experts worked with more than 150 organizations in 2024. We provide HR Consulting Services and an HR Partners program. The partners program provides ongoing support for hiring, employee relations, HR policies, compensation, performance management, and more. The program starts at $1200/month and is much less expensive than hiring internal HR staff. Begin a conversation with us today.

501 Commons: OMB makes updates to federal grantmaking rules Effective Oct 1, 2024

The federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) recently published revisions to rules governing federal grantmaking to charitable nonprofits (as well as state, local, and Tribal governments) that will go into effect on October 1, 2024. The goal is to make the process of nonprofits receiving federal funding easier and more straightforward to manage. See these slides from a presentation delivered by the National Council of Nonprofits for more details. These changes should make it easier for smaller organizations and projects to receive federal funding, ensure the funds reach communities most in need, and reduce burdens on requirements and reporting for organizations seeking federal funding, as well as those already receiving federal grants. Under the current rules, organizations of all sizes have the same or similar requirements.

Find a Ride: New Trip Planner and Engagement Opportunities!

Our focus over the coming months is engaging with organizations who support King County travelers in their mobility and trip planning decisions. We are particularly interested in connecting with organizations and agencies who provide phone support and referrals for transportation. Using Find a Ride's trip planner in your day-to-day operations will provide a more accurate referral experience for your clients. As part of our "no wrong door" approach, we want to facilitate thoughtful handoffs between organizations and agencies. To arrange a demonstration and presentation of Find a Ride for your organization, please contact Laura Loe, Program Manager. Please email FindARide@hopelink.org or call 425-943-6760 and press 3. Find a Ride's service discovery website and trip planner contain transportation services across Pierce, King, and Snohomish counties.  Visit www.FindARide.org for more information.  Learn about our multi-phase roadmap and project updates at https://www.kcmobility.org/ococ. 

Washington State Regional Outreach Representatives

Regional Outreach Representatives serve as the primary liaison between the Office of the Governor, local communities, and tribal governments statewide. They develop strategic relationships with and provide assistance to community organizations, elected officials and residents on regional and statewide issues. For King County, contact Jennifer Wood jennifer.wood@gov.wa.gov

Department of Health FREE Test-&-Go 24/7 Accessible Kiosks

NEW Kiosks across the state will offer free COVID-19, flu tests, and healthcare supplies, 24/7. Accessible kiosks are in food banks, transit stations, churches, schools, and libraries. GENERAL INFORMATION for kiosks in your community/non-profit.  REQUEST FORM for kiosks in your community/non-profit. Tests include COVID-19 rapid antigen tests, multiplex rapid antigen tests (detect flu types A and B and COVID-19), and self-swab PCR tests. Learn more: DOH COVID-19 Testing.  DOH website.  Public Health Connection Blog Sign-up. 

Good Food Exchange

Good Food Exchange is an online marketplace dedicated to keeping good food on plates and out of the landfill. This platform creates a space for farms, distributors, and other organizations with surplus or recovered food to find recipients who can use it to its highest value. Food businesses and food security organizations alike can use this resource to find and share offers for edible, free or low-cost food which may have otherwise gone to waste.

BSK: Home-Based Services strategy Community Meetings

We’re launching community meetings across the county to help us create a continuum of services for our Home-based Services strategy.  Our Home-based Services strategy focuses on creating systems that provide parents with resources that support healthy births, parents’ knowledge and confidence, parent-child attachment, positive childhood development, and school readiness. Learn more about our Home-based services strategy by reading our one-pager here.   Starting in October we will host meetings with community organizations in different King County regions to support cultivating a collaborative and coordinated approach prior to the release of the Home-Based Services Funding Opportunity. We hope to invest in ways that inspires organizational cross-collaboration, rather than competition so families across our communities benefit and organizations have a strong referral system with one another.   Register here for upcoming community meetings! Providers located and serving children and families in North and East King County will meet beginning October 14. Providers in Seattle and South King County will meet beginning October 21.   

King County: Technical Assistance and Capacity Building Services Available for Nonprofits

King County and the Office of Equity and Social Justice are committed to investing in capacity building and infrastructure for community-based organizations awarded federal COVID-19 grants and contracts. To provide technical assistance and capacity building, King County has allocated $400,000 through 2022 to contract with organizations and businesses that have the expertise to provide services to potential applicants and grantees. If you’re interested in applying to receive services from one of our partners, please fill out the one page application form. Services include: • Grant-writing and grant budget development • Accounting • Grant Management • Designing data collection methods • Strategic planning • Long-term budget development • Governance structures • Standard operating policies and procedures • Staff structure • Technology solutions. For questions on eligibility, services provided, program timeline, and our partner organizations visit our website at kingcounty.gov. For further questions, contact us at oesjgrants@kingcounty.gov. I want to apply for technical assistance

ELAP: Recommended CLE for Pro Bono Attorneys: Trauma-Informed Advocacy

Many legal aid clients have experienced some form of trauma. We believe all pro bono attorneys should understand how trauma affects client-attorney interactions, which will make you a more effective advocate.  Practicing Law Institute’s 1-hour CLE program “Trauma-Informed Lawyering: Strategies and Best Practices” is a must-watch for attorneys providing pro bono legal aid. It addresses how trauma can manifest in client relations and offers best practices for building trust with your clients. Read more about how to access this CLE on our blog.

3E Behavior Solutions - Professional Workplace Violence Mitigation and De-Escalation Education for Your Entire Staff

We reframe your staff's experience about workplace violence and teach them how to navigate acutely stressful situations in order to provide your organization with the safest and most positive environment to serve your communities. Reach out for more information on customized trainings, pricing options, and more.

Tesfa Program’s Ethiopian Outreach Guide

The Tesfa Program, developed this web-based toolkit to increase the capacity of providers, organizations, and decision-makers to better connect and serve local Ethiopian communities.

  1. Share the guide with your colleagues, friends, and community!

  2. Share your feedback — we want to continue to build on this resource! Please email Selam Misgano at smisgan066@gmail.com to tell us what you think. Do you know of similar projects? Who should we reach out to get this toolkit more widely utilized?

  3. Invite us to present! To further spread the word of the resources and knowledge within the Outreach Guide, and our experiences serving community during the pandemic we are giving presentations to interested community members, public health and policy students, and health focused organizations, and coalitions, in and around Washington State. Email Selam Misgano at smisgan066@gmail.com to begin the conversation!

Sound Generations Geriatric Mental Health Specialist Workshops

Sound Generations has taken on the coordination of Geriatric Mental Health Specialist Workshops. These workshops have previously been coordinated by Karen Kent, LMHC, GMHS and more recently by Terri Haaga, MSW, LICSW, GMHS. These six-hour workshops held once a month provide licensed professionals with the opportunity to earn Continuing Education Units (CEU) and stay up-to-date on best practices in the geriatric mental health field. The classes offered qualify for the 100 hours of training required by the State of Washington for the Geriatric Mental Health Specialist certification.

Connect2Community Network Building the Foundation for a Healthier, More Equitable Community

We’re building a unified community information exchange (CIE) to enable care coordination between health, behavioral health, tribal, community and social service organizations in King County, WA. It will enable organizations to send, receive and follow up on electronic referrals, increase access to resources via a shared directory, and provide visibility of other organizations providing care. Find more information here. Check out our video!

InterConnection: Computer grants

are awarded to organizations that deliver necessary and valuable services to underserved communities like technology training, health care, education, and job training, but need upgraded computers to better manage their organization and improve their capacity to deliver those valuable services. Interconnection reviews nonprofit grant applications 4 times a year. Please read the eligibility information to make sure your organization is eligible.  APPLICATION DEADLINES:  February 28, May 31, August 31, and November 30

Communities Rise: Announcing a new Lease Amendment Toolkit for small businesses and nonprofits

Created in collaboration with the City of Seattle Office of Economic Development and Perkins Coie The Lease Amendment Toolkit is designed to give small businesses and nonprofits information and template documents so they can successfully negotiate payment plans with their landlords before the moratoriums are lifted.

WA State Surplus Program  State Program Flyer - Federal Program Flyer - Veteran Program Flyer

 Through the Dept of Enterprise Services (DES), all cities, counties, school districts, and most non-profits all qualify for the State Surplus Priority Program. These entities can take advantage of additional benefits available through Surplus Operations by requesting certain items before they become available for auction to the public. They also have a Federal Surplus Program as well. Small veteran owned business, educational nonprofits, nonprofit health institutions, nonprofit programs for the elderly, and veteran organizations are all eligible for the Federal program. Finally, for Veteran-Owned Small Business Programs they have a program where these small businesses can apply to receive federal surplus property through the Small Business Administration. For questions about these programs, you can reach out to agencysurpluspurch@des.wa.gov – a general mailbox that connects with the team at DES that supports this program.