Communities In Schools Washington

Communities in Schools surrounds students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life. CIS Washington supports all its local affiliates throughout the State.

CISWA LogoBy pairing critical, targeted assistance with relationship-based support, Communities in Schools Washington (CIS-WA) accomplishes true whole-child support. For their network of twelve affiliates they increase their capacity to serve by providing expertise which allows them to focus their energy on direct service to kids. Across Washington they advocate for struggling kids and families by informing policy-makers about their school-based model, encouraging businesses to invest in their future workforce, and inspiring citizens to volunteer on behalf of struggling children and families. SVP has funded CIS since 2009.

Total Giving: $140,000

Executive Director: Susan Richards (LinkedIn)
SVP Lead Partner: John Brown

Recent Highlight: "John Brown (Lead Partner) will challenge us where we need to be challenged, encourage us when we need to be encouraged, but also remind us of all of the things we have done. We’ve done a lot of foundational work that will last longer than the relationship." -- Susan Richards, Executive Director

Strengthening CIS Washington: Sample Capacity Building Projects


In partnership with SVP volunteers and paid consultants, Communities in Schools Washington tackles projects like:

  • Program Outcomes & Evaluation: SVP funded a consultant to identify state office outcomes in partnership with CIS National and local affiliates.
  • Leadership Development: With SVP funds CIS' exectutive director attended the Nonprofit Executive Leadership Institute, the board chair attended a peer learning group for board chairs.
  • Fund Development: SVP funded an assessment, evaluation and refinement of CIS' resource development activities.
  • Board Development & Governance: SVP covered the cost to develop a plan to strengthen board member engagement by clarifying committee structure and board/ED roles.


More About CIS Washington...

When the Teacher Becomes the Student

When the Teacher Becomes the Student

Pencil to paper, marker to dry erase board, finger to calculator. The medium changes constantly. Never the same in process but always the same in answer: math. I teach her how to add mixed numbers, divide decimals. She teaches me to love the life I have.

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