Community
3
2026
Networks Help Communities Move Forward Together
Tacoma Tree Foundation - 2025 Native Stewards Training
- Tacoma Tree Foundation - 2025 Native Stewards Training
Networks—groups of people and organizations connected by shared values, vision, and actions—are proving to be one of the most powerful tools communities have to stay resilient in challenging times.
When good things happen in Pierce County, it’s often the result of partnership and collaboration. Seth Kirby, GTCF Chief Impact Officer, sees this thread of people working together as part of our community’s DNA. “From Buckley to Lakewood to Fife, one thing that sticks out to me is that we really value relationships here. There is an understanding that together we can do something that no one organization or person can do on their own.”
While relationships have long been a strength in Pierce County, what has often been missing are the resources to support the networks that hold these relationships together. This reality has become even more apparent in the past year due to the rapidly shifting landscape for local nonprofits. Since January 2025, funding changes have impacted many local nonprofits. While some organizations have experienced direct reductions in federal funding, many more are feeling the ripple effects. As federal dollars decrease, state and local governments have been forced to adjust their budgets, often resulting in local funding cuts.
At GTCF, Seth explained that “We’ve heard from a lot of nonprofit leaders that it’s hard to know what’s going on because the shifts are happening so quickly, and the funding is interconnected with every source of funding, not just federal dollars. So, it’s been difficult for nonprofits to plan or know what to count on or know how to move forward. This has led to some nonprofits feeling like they may be in a spot where they need to close, merge, sunset, or transition.”
At the same time funding is decreasing, the pressure to meet emerging needs in the community continues to rise, and “many of the organizations facing the greatest uncertainty are the same ones that have been under-resourced already.” Seth described additional challenges organizations are also navigating such as growing legal and compliance demands, changes to contracts, evolving restrictions on how dollars can be used, and new reporting requirements. “These things that people are navigating, they are just too confusing and complicated to navigate alone. People are saying they need more time together and they need the resources to be able to come together.”
In 2025, GTCF directed $780,502 from several of its Field of Interest funds to 24 Pierce County organizations that support people coming together through networks and “network approaches” to their work. “We see the value and potential of what’s happening when people come together,” Seth explained. “Networks can use these unrestricted dollars for their greatest need or opportunity. What we are hearing back is that being able to come together can help the shift from being reactive – having to figure out what’s going on all the time – to actually making plans together as sectors or groups with a shared interest so we can plan locally for what we need or want’.”
Among the networks funded are a variety of interests and perspectives from across the county including:
- Community is the Recovery Plan – a group of organizations providing social, human and behavioral health services, that center or intersect with children and youth impacted by child welfare
- Arts & Culture Coalition of Pierce County – a coalition of arts, culture science, and heritage organizations that aims to support and enhance cultural organizations and experiences in the South Sound.
- Making A Difference Foundation BIPOC Farm Fresh Hub – a collective of BIPOC farmers and ranchers focusing on shared infrastructure, peer learning, and market access.
In addition to these formalized network structures there were also several organizations that use a collaborative “network approach” to fulfilling their mission.
- Tacoma Tree Foundation – uses tree planting, care and education as point of connection where people gather to share their different interests, cultures, and goals for our city through their shared love for our region’s environment.
- Emergency Food Network – works with more than 75 food pantries, meal sites, and shelters to support access to diverse nutritious food in locations across the county.
- Key Peninsula Civic Center – a community space that provides a home to local faith communities, youth programs, pre-school and home school groups, as well as offering playgrounds, sport courts, and other recreational resources.
(See a full list of networks that received funding below)
While some of these groups may not necessarily define themselves as “networks” Seth explained that GTCF sees the impact these groups are having across the county because they are “bringing people, groups, and organizations together to identify shared values, interests, and actions moving forward.”
“They don’t have to do the same thing and it’s not like they all have to have the same goal even. But they are building relationships and working with others in ways that are mutually beneficial or collaborative.”
GTCF plans to continue prioritizing investments in networks for 2026 as well. “We want to learn more about other local networks we don’t currently know about. Most of these groups are not separate stand-alone 501c3s. They often have a partner who can receive funding or resources on their behalf. There are lots of ways these networks can be resourced, so we want to continue to help make those networks visible and support their efforts in bringing people together to help create a more resilient, thriving Pierce County.”
Use this form to share information with GTCF about a Pierce County Network, Coalition or Group that you are a part of.
In 2025, GTCF directed $780,502 in unrestricted dollars from the following funds to catalyze relationships through Pierce County area networks:
Angelika Strunz Fund, Ann R. Wiborg Memorial Fund, Donald R. and Mary E. Williams Arts Fund, Donald R. and Mary E. Williams Horticulture Fund, Donald R. and Mary E. Williams Youth Fund, Earl W. Veverka Fund, Fund for Women & Girls, Georgianna Miller Endowment Fund, Golden Years and Hope Fund, Hayes Fund for Pierce County, Ruth Murphy Evans Charitable Trust,* Ryan Alan Hade Endowment Fund, Strategic Impact Discretionary Fund, and Sue D. Nilsson Endowment Fund.
* GTCF provides recommendations for the Ruth Evans Charitable Trust held with U.S. Bank.
2025 GTCF-Directed Investments for Pierce County Networks
Click on the names of the networks listed below to learn more about their work and insights on building successful networks in Pierce County.
Recipient Organization specifies the 501(c)(3) organization that received the funding on behalf of the Network.