IN THIS ISSUE
- Introduction
- September Issue: Stories of Resilience in the Global Development Sector
- Member Blogs
- Resources for Resilience
- New Members
Dear GlobalWA Community,
As Washington State’s largest network of global development organizations, we love to highlight the impact of our 120+ partners who are working as a force for change across our state, country, and globe. We also know that the events of this year have reshaped the way our members operate. Many have reduced headcount, faced higher rates of burnout, or pivoted strategies in response to funding cliffs. In this issue, we’re highlighting stories of organizations that have carried on despite these shifts, mobilizing change locally to sustain their global impact.
At GlobalWA, we’ve been on a similar journey—adapting to uncertainty while charting a bold new path forward. Our new strategic direction focuses on three priorities: convening the community, strengthening collective capacity, and mobilizing coordinated action. A first step has been the launch of our individual membership program, expanding the network to include independent practitioners, individuals in career transition, and emerging professionals. We also launched Expert Insights, monthly sessions designed to connect members with seasoned professionals across Washington’s global development sector for informal, real-time support. Our goal is to provide the connections and tools needed for our members not only to withstand challenges, but to grow more resilient and amplify their impact—here in Washington State and around the world.
In this new era of global development, GlobalWA will continue to lead with resilience in the face of the setbacks and challenges that lay ahead. We hope you will join us.
September Issue: Stories of Resilience in the Global Development Sector
Image by Franz Bachinger from Pixabay
2025 has been a year defined by uncertainty and change. In fact, one of our members, APCO Worldwide, even predicted in an article earlier this summer that “uncertainty” will be among 2025’s top used words. Amidst the unpredictability of the past year, our members—like us here at GlobalWA—have had to pivot, reassessing their strategies and plans moving forward. We recognize that adapting to the changes of this year is an ongoing process, and many in our community are still navigating their path forward. At the same time, the successes among these challenges must be celebrated. Here are some of our members who have shared their stories:
Operation Snow Leopard
Operation Snow Leopard (OSL) is responding to a world where refugee pathways are rapidly closing. International resettlement options are shrinking, and U.S. policies leave few opportunities. Despite these challenges, OSL remains steadfast: completing the evacuation and resettlement of the high-risk Afghans we committed to supporting in 2021.
As fewer countries accept new Afghan cases—whether for those still inside Afghanistan or displaced to Pakistan—OSLs continue to walk alongside a number of remaining cases. These are Afghans whose courage and visibility have made them targets specifically women leaders, interpreters, prosecutors, educators, and their families.
Many remain in hiding; others face daily threats while struggling for housing, food, education, and legal documentation. Yet their promise is unchanged: these are not just names on a list, but people they know and have supported for years.
They are actively seeking partners—governments, organizations, and individuals—who can help them fulfill these commitments with dignity. Support can take many forms: funding direct aid, covering relocation costs, or advocating for safe third-country solutions.
Please join them in ensuring that they keep their promises.
VillageReach
Global health funding cuts in 2025 are already undermining women’s health and support across low- and middle-income countries. Reduced donor support has disrupted essential services such as maternal health, HIV treatment, family planning and immunization. Women make up the majority of community health workers and are disproportionately affected by salary suspensions, furloughs and job losses. These setbacks threaten decades of progress in gender equality and health.
At VillageReach, they view this as a moment to pivot and not to pause. They are doubling down on our Gender Strategy, which embeds gender considerations across the program cycle: from design to monitoring and staffing. This includes training teams on gender sensitivity, integrating gender analyses into program design and ensuring services reflect the needs of women, girls and marginalized groups.
They are also deepening localization by sharing their Gender Guidelines with partners and governments to strengthen inclusive, gender-responsive health systems. By equipping others with practical tools such as gender-informed hiring practices and participatory program design, they help safeguard women’s health and rights even in volatile funding environments.
Their message is clear: gender and health are non-negotiable. Funding shortfalls must not sideline women and girls; they must inspire stronger commitments to equity.
Learn more on how they are supporting women’s health rights here.
Linksbridge
Like their counterparts across the global health ecosystem, Linksbridge has navigated the shocking and brutal termination of U.S. foreign aid commitments with resolve intermixed with despair. Conscious of the human cost—as of August, an estimated 435,000 deaths from HIV, malaria, pneumonia, tuberculosis and other diseases are already attributable to the funding rollbacks—they have taken what modest steps they can to help. The Linksbridge Foundation, their grantmaking arm, has consulted with grantees and expedited previously planned giving. In the first quarter of 2025, they introduced paid volunteer days for all staff, supporting their team’s desire to lend a hand, and they launched a series of public discussions at their Seattle headquarters to bring together partners who share their concerns.
Amid the instability, Linksbridge has continued to balance business sustainability with their values as a social purpose corporation. They have welcomed three new team members since January (a 9% headcount increase), energized by the extraordinary talent that’s filled their recruitment lines since the crisis began. They have also employed a novel structure for a new initiative, drawing on industry funding (a first for Linksbridge) for a project to increase equitable access to insulin in low- and lower-middle-income countries: significant, values-driven work for which a nonprofit funding model is unavailable. While much remains unknown—and much of what’s known remains profoundly challenging—they believe that mission-centered enterprises like theirs are increasingly essential in the present moment, and that creativity rooted in values is the best path forward toward a better world.
Member Blogs
Save the Children: The CEO of Save the Children U.S. on Navigating a Sudden Funding Crisis
Resources for Resilience
Several of our members have faced uncertain times before and successfully pivoted to reach their goals. Here are a couple examples of such that resonate with today’s challenges:
- Upaya Social Ventures (2021): In Spite of Adversity, Social Ventures Have Found Ways to More Effectively Operate and Deliver More Meaningful Impact
- Opportunity International (2022): After 51 Years, Opportunity International Defines Their Own Innovation
We have also collected resources that provide insights on how to address funding and strategy shifts in your organization:
- Lessons from Mercy Corps’ fundraising playbook
- Data supporting nonprofit resilience from Giving Tuesday Data Commons
- Impact Investing: Bridging the Gap to Meet Global Needs, a dive into what impact investing is and how it can bridge the gap when global needs are increasing and traditional funding opportunities are shrinking.
- Beyond Profit: Corporate Philanthropy and the Evolving Culture of Giving, describing how corporations can use strategic, impact-driven approaches to philanthropy, aligning profit with purpose and supporting communities around the globe.
New Members
Please welcome our newest Global Washington members. Take a moment to familiarize yourself with their work and consider opportunities for support and collaboration!
Washington State University – Paul G. Allen School for Global Health
Paul G. Allen School for Global Health’s mission is to improve the health and well-being of people and animals both locally and globally by providing innovative solutions to infectious disease challenges through research, education, global outreach, and disease control. wsu.edu
Our Wave
Our Wave is a survivor-centered nonprofit building trauma-informed digital spaces for healing. Through a secure community platform, survivors of sexual harm, domestic violence, and childhood abuse can anonymously share their stories, ask questions answered by trauma-informed experts, and access curated resources. ourwave.org
UNESCO Washington
UNESCO is the United Nations organization that promotes cooperation in education, science, culture and communication to foster peace worldwide. unesco.org
Women in Global Health Seattle
WGH is a movement of professional women and their allies working in global health in the Pacific Northwest, to build professional and personal networks, accelerate career advancement, and champion inclusive leadership in global health. womeningh.org
Join us in welcoming our newest individual members!