Author: Megan Sukys
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“Fill Out the D@?? Form”, and Other Ways Pierce County Groups are Raising Awareness of the 2020 Census
The Tacoma Urban League website offers T-shirts and sweatshirts with the phrase “Fill Out the D@?? Form” emblazoned on the front. It’s one of the many ways the Black Caucus is raising awareness about the importance of responding to the U.S. census by April 1, 2020. The catch-phrase, “Fill Out the D@?? Form”, came out of > Continue Reading
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Local Organizations Go Beyond the Gala for Deeper Donor Engagement
When she arrived at her post as president and CEO of Goodwill of the Olympics and Rainier Region in 2017, Lori Forte Harnick wanted to engage donors more deeply in the organization’s transformational work. She had a vision: “More people should be invited to our beautiful work opportunity center so they can see us in > Continue Reading
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2018 Giving Numbers Point to the Importance of Donor Relationships
Charitable giving in 2018 set another overall record, reaching $427.71 billion nationally. Although that is an increase of nearly $3 billion in current dollars from 2017, adjusting for inflation, total giving decreased by $7.4 billion. Those numbers came from Giving USA’s annual report on philanthropy, offering research into the who, what, and where of giving in 2018. “Many donors are becoming more sophisticated in the way they want to give and the > Continue Reading
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Tacoma’s Special Energy Makes It a Great Place for Impact Investing
Toby Levey recognized a special kind of energy at work in Tacoma not long after he moved to the region two years ago, “When you come to the Pacific Northwest, you forget very quickly that in other parts of the country, social innovation is considered an impediment to a free market; that greed in large > Continue Reading
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Child Care Costs In Pierce County Threaten Families’ Financial Security
Getting promoted cost local mother Kelly Blucher more than $1,200 a month. The raise that came with her promotion made her ineligible for the state child care benefits that helped her support her family. “I didn’t just fall off the benefits cliff, I jumped off,” Blucher said. “I lost food benefits, WIC, and the > Continue Reading
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Endowment Funds Help L’Arche Tahoma Hope’s Community for the Long-Term
L’Arche Tahoma Hope is a familiar sight at local farmers markets, offering flower baskets, plants, and vegetables. That produce is grown on six acres in rural Pierce County by members of the L’Arche community, people with and without developmental disabilities. Although the market booths are the most visible part of L’Arche’s work, the 43-year old organization also supports and enriches the lives of its community > Continue Reading
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Don’t Let The Fear Of “No” Get In The Way Of Giving
When Jan Jacobs led fundraising efforts for the Seattle-based international health innovation nonprofit, PATH, a high-tech sticker helped engage donors with the organization’s mission. Donors were invited to tour the facilities where a PATH product designer, who Jan compared to Bill Nye the Science Guy, “with his apron and ear protectors slung around his neck”, demonstrated > Continue Reading
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Making a Difference Starts with Making Connections
Chris Harvey and Kate Larsen moved to Tacoma a little over a year ago from King and Snohomish counties. They brought with them a deep commitment to supporting their community. This is a community we can personally subscribe ourselves to and invest ourselves in as we take the time to learn about it. It’s extremely > Continue Reading
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Last Chance to Give (in 2018)
Any time of the year is a great time to support good work in the community, but December is the most popular. About 30% of all contributions are made in December, and the last three days of the month account for 12% annually. The holiday season is a major factor in people’s generosity but meeting > Continue Reading
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Rising Rates, Flat Funding: What’s at Stake?
The good news is that Tacoma is being recognized for its quality of life. Sunset Magazine named Tacoma a “Game-Changing Place to Live” earlier this year saying, “though roasteries and vegan restaurants are popping up to serve the fresh blood, housing remains startlingly affordable”. The bad news is Tacoma’s unprecedented growth is undermining that affordability even > Continue Reading