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Washington Attorneys Assisting Community Organizations 

Description

WAACO connects business attorneys with nonprofit organizations that need assistance on business-related matters (e.g. corporate governance, formation, tax, intellectual property, real estate, contracts, employment). The attorneys provide their services pro bono to the organizations that would otherwise be unable to afford to pay for such services, but that deparately need legal assistance to ensure survival. WAACO's goal is to strengthen our communities by strengthening the infrastructure of the nonprofits that support them, and to also support the many community volunteers who give their time to serve on boards of nonprofits.

Mission Statement
WAACO's mission is to promote community development and organizational capacity-building in Washington State by assisting charitable and community-based nonprofit organizations and low-income microentrepreneurs to obtain free legal assistance on business-related matters.
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Washington Attorneys Assisting Community Organizations
PO Box 2134 
Seattle 
WA
98111-2134 
(866) 288-9695 

Ms. Jodi Nishioka 
Program Manager 

Programs

Washington Attorneys Assisting Community Organizations Programs

WAACO matches pro bono attorneys with needy nonprofit organizations that need assistance with business-related legal issues.

WAACO provides educational resources on legal issues affecting nonprofits through workshops, seminars, and publications. The publicatons include the useful manual "How to Form and Maintain a Nonprofit in Washington State," and the Legal Self-Assesment Checklist, both available on WAACO's website, www.waaco.org.

WAACO has a microenterprise program that connects attorneys with low-income microenterprise entrepreneurs at a monthly legal clinic in collaboration with Washington CASH.  The clinic provides microentrepreneurs free consultation with a business attorney.  WAACO is planning to expand the clinic to include clients from StartZone, a microenterprise organization in South King County.  WAACO's microenterprise program is also expanding to include trainings and workshops for business attorneys to prepare them to assist microenterprise clients.

Recent Successes and Current Challenges

Washington attorneys have donated over 3,000 hours to help over 200 Washington nonprofit organizations. WAACO's Legal Self-Assessment Checklist has been widely lauded, with comments such as this: "A 'must read and consider' for ALL smaller/newer not-for-profits and a good reminder for even well-developed organizations."

Greater funding is needed to support the development of a program to assist low-income microentrepreneurs and low-income serving nonprofit organizations.

Evaluation

Current evaluation not available.

Grant History with The Seattle Foundation:

Grants Awarded through The Seattle Foundation Grantmaking Program:

DateAmountPurpose
10/18/2007 $10,000.00support general operating expenses.
3/16/2005 $10,000.00support general operating expenses and the purchase of equipment.

Financials

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