Communities in Schools of Washington State

“The board shall maintain the following standing committees: executive, finance, board development and resource development. Additional ad hoc committees may be created by resolution of a majority of the directors in office to assist in the work of the agency. All committees shall have and exercise the authority prescribed by the board of directors, except that no committee shall supersede the board of director's authority prescribed in the articles of incorporation or bylaws.”

“All committees shall have and exercise the authority prescribed by the board of directors, but minutes of meetings are not maintained.”

“The 990 is prepared by the organization's accounting firm, and the board of directors reviews and approves the form 990 before it is filed.”

“Members of the communities in schools of washington state board of directors are charged with the responsibility of being a trustee for the community. In meeting that responsibility and the fiduciary requirements of the position, the board members individually and as a group must subject themselves and itself to rigorous self-examination whenever taking action in which they may have any vested actual or potential interest.”

“The executive committee determines compensation of the executive director on an annual basis based on annual salary surveys within the nonprofit sector for washington state. I.e. Archbright, 501 commons. Our executive director along with the executive committee determines compensation and uses nonprofit salary surveys to guide their decisions. The process described here was last completed in 2024.”

“The governing documents and conflict of interest policy are available upon request. Financial statements are avaliable upon request. Form 990 is available at www.guidestar.org or upon request.”

“Affiliate capacity building - communities in schools of washington is dedicated to advancing educational equity through affiliate capacity building. This transformative project is designed to strengthen communities by providing affiliate executive directors and network resource development/communications professionals with essential messaging, tools, training, and unwavering support. The program takes a comprehensive approach, serving as a statewide voice for educational equity. Ciswa is committed to scaling its impact by extending its reach into more schools through this initiative. The project facilitates executive director convenings, program manager convenings, and site coordinator convenings, fostering collaboration and sharing of best practices among the cis wa network. The program's training component addresses critical topics such as youth mental health and trauma-informed care. By equipping the cis wa network with the knowledge and skills needed to address these challenges, the initiative ensures a more supportive and inclusive learning environment for students. Additionally, the project focuses on nurturing emerging affiliates and creating and incubating initiatives in new communities. This forward-thinking approach aims to expand the organization's footprint, bringing the benefits of educational equity to previously underserved communities. Affiliate capacity building is a commitment to empowering communities, fostering collaboration, and creating lasting change in the education landscape.”

“Partnership development - partnership development is responsible for building and maintaining collaborative relationships with various entities such as organizations, government agencies, the community, and other non-profits, as well as the cis wa network. Policy and advocacy are at the core of our mission, where we actively address the root causes of educational disparities. By collaborating with other entities, we pool our resources to amplify our voices, influence decision-makers, and advocate effectively for social and policy changes. This approach enables us to raise awareness and contribute to a more supportive and equitable educational landscape. Through our various initiatives, we strive to create a more supportive and inclusive community that empowers individuals to reach their full potential.”

“Public relations and marketing - the public relations and marketing programs of ciswa provide management functions for various marketing and pr efforts that generate awareness for the organization. This results in increased visibility and continuity across the cis wa network, fundraising and brand visibility. The departments lead initiatives for planning, creating, developing, and implementing both internal and external communications and marketing strategies. This program is instrumental in ensuring the effectiveness and consistency of ciswa's communications and marketing efforts. The materials that will be developed and managed include brand identity elements, website content, annual reports, mission videos, marketing collateral, and coordination of external contract work.”

“Communities in schools of washington serves as the strategic backbone of the ciswa network, mobilizing resources, fostering collaboration among affiliates, and advocating for impactful policies to ensure educational equity and support student success.”

“Our mission is to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life. Communities in schools surrounds students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life. The washington state office empowers the state wide network by providing local affiliates and interested communities the training, technical assistance and best practice strategies to provide highly impactful programs that support student academic and life success.”