Articles by Julia Hunter

About Julia Hunter
Julia Hunter is the Membership & Learning Coordinator at Washington Nonprofits.
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Member Spotlight: West Seattle Timebank – Going Beyond Volunteering

November 16, 2018 Julia Hunter

Would you be willing to drive a neighbor to the airport? What if you could exchange that hour of driving with an hour of guitar lessons, or help fixing up your bicycle, or for a neighbor to feed your chickens while you’re out of town? Nonprofits depend on volunteers to provide services and promote their mission. But it can be difficult to recruit potential volunteers who feel like they don’t have enough time to contribute to the cause. In West Seattle, a nonprofit organization is re-writing this dynamic, honoring the value of volunteer time in a community culture that exchanges […]

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Member Spotlight: Bellingham Bay Community Boating Center – Capsizing Assumptions and Removing Barriers

October 17, 2018 Julia Hunter

   This summer the Bellingham Bay Community Boating Center challenged the status quo of how they offer services and risked disrupting their revenue stream. And it was a huge success. Their Free Tuesday Night Paddle Series offered a no-cost, one-hour paddle on Bellingham Bay. They decided to remove financial barriers to outdoor recreation and wanted to see who would come if they offered access to paddling for free. They were amazed to see more than 1,500 people who came for family-friendly, safe experience on the water, expanding the Boating Center’s understanding of the community they serve. What made the Free […]

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Member Spotlight: Mid-Columbia Arts Fundraiser – Collaboration Lifts All

September 19, 2018 Julia Hunter

If you live in the Mid-Columbia area, you might be looking forward to buying your tickets for the 4th Annual Mid-Columbia Arts Fundraiser. What a great way to support four organizations with one ticket: the Mid-Columbia Mastersingers, Mid-Columbia Musical Theatre, Mid-Columbia Symphony, and Mid-Columbia Ballet. At a time when organizations suffer from event fatigue and express concern about donor competition, these four organizations have come together to create one fundraiser: a multi-talented, arts-packed evening of entertainment around a theme. The 3rd Annual Mid-Columbia Arts Fundraiser brought the “fab four” together for a Beatles themed night, to great acclaim. They raised […]

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Member Spotlight: Volunteer Methow – Volunteer Innovation & the Elusive Generation Gap

August 16, 2018 Julia Hunter

There’s got to be a way that we can do this on a smart phone, someone thought. “This” was the connection of community members with nonprofits needing help: specifically, the millennial generation. The Methow Conservancy took a strong interest in engaging this age group in work across their community through the GenNxt project. They convened a volunteer fair to bridge the passion for community that this generation brings with concrete ways to “plug in.” Yet connecting people the old-fashioned way, face to face, brings inefficiencies that come with events requiring the attendance of geographically-dispersed people. Smart phone to the rescue. […]

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Member Spotlight: Washington State CAP – The Beginning of Our Boldness

July 17, 2018 Julia Hunter

Have you recently asked a policy maker for something that would make a positive difference in your community? The Washington State Community Action Partnership (WSCAP) did just that when they decided to be bold in advocating for a rural home rehabilitation fund. In return they were granted millions of dollars and Senate Bill 5647 received incredible bi-partisan support. Merritt Mount, Executive Director of WSCAP, explains how historically their organization had flown under the radar in the advocacy arena. Community Action Agencies, which make up the partnership’s network, work to reduce poverty and provide emergency services. Like many nonprofits, they were […]

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Member Spotlight: The Wishing Star Foundation – Mission Meets World (and baby goats)

June 12, 2018 Julia Hunter

How did baby goats get involved with the oldest wish granting organization in Washington State? Dan Curley, Executive Director of the Wishing Star Foundation, tells the story of how baby goats raised almost $40,000 for the foundation with the help of 110 volunteers. His advice to nonprofits: bring in the community as much as humanly possible. The Wishing Star Foundation grants wishes for children with life threatening illnesses through the help of volunteers, donors, businesses, and the joyfully given support of the local community. Curley explains how inviting the public in as participants of your work, with real investment in […]

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Watch for Fraudulent Letter: Announcement from WA Secretary of State

May 24, 2018 Julia Hunter

Nonprofits Beware: misleading letter calls for annual registration renewals Secretary of State Kim Wyman is cautioning Washington business owners to be aware of a misleading and potentially fraudulent mailing that purports to be an official bill related to business registration requirements. Unfortunately, nonprofits are also targets of this phishing scheme and we caution all nonprofits to be on the look out for this letter.  “We’re working with the Attorney General’s Office – the agency that investigates and prosecutes consumer fraud – to see if further action should be taken to protect businesses in Washington,” said Wyman, whose office includes the […]