Global Washington

Global Washington was a nonprofit membership association based in Seattle that brought together philanthropic foundations, research institutions, businesses, universities, and other organizations involved in international development. Its role was primarily convening, advocacy, networking, and sector coordination rather than selling consumer products or operating as a conventional commercial brand. The organization presented Washington State as a significant center of global development expertise and sought to strengthen collaboration among locally based institutions working on international health, poverty reduction, humanitarian assistance, education, and related fields. The association was founded in December 2008 by the Seattle International Foundation, the University of Washington, and Washington State University. Its formation reflected the concentration of globally oriented nonprofit, academic, philanthropic, and business activity in Washington State, particularly in the Seattle region. Global Washington provided a platform through which those organizations could exchange information, develop partnerships, and communicate a shared perspective on international development. Advocacy was an important part of its identity. The organization criticized aspects of United States foreign-aid budgeting, including what it viewed as insufficient attention to broader development needs in comparison with health-related spending. It organized public conferences and discussions on the direction, effectiveness, and delivery of U.S. foreign assistance. These events examined issues such as collective action, innovation, partnerships, global leadership, and changing approaches to development. Conference themes included the relationship between development organizations and the wider global system, and the need to move beyond isolated or siloed interventions. Global Washington also operated through a membership and partner network. Its members and implementing partners included nonprofit organizations, universities, companies, foundations, and other institutions. The network included organizations such as the University of Washington, Washington State University, and a range of international development and humanitarian groups. Former members included Alaska Airlines, the American Cancer Society, the American Red Cross, JPMorgan Chase, World Relief Seattle, and other organizations from the nonprofit, academic, corporate, and public-interest sectors. Kristen Dailey, previously associated with the Initiative for Global Development, became executive director in May 2014. During her tenure, Global Washington continued to use conferences and cross-sector engagement as mechanisms for promoting collaboration and policy discussion. Its annual or periodic conference program included events titled Goalmakers, Next 10 Global, Renewing Global Leadership, Allies for Action, Disruptive Development, Smarter Approaches to a Changing World, and Catalyzing Collective Impact. The organization closed in June 2026, ending its operations as an independent association. Because Global Washington was a nonprofit network rather than a product company, its principal legacy was its convening role, its Washington-based membership community, and its contribution to debate over international development and foreign-aid policy.

Global Washington emerged in December 2008 as a Washington State-wide platform for organizations engaged in international development. It was established by the Seattle International Foundation, the University of Washington, and Washington State University. The founding institutions reflected the organization’s intended character: it was designed not as a conventional standalone aid implementer, but as a coordinating and membership body connecting philanthropic, academic, research, corporate, and nonprofit capabilities. The organization was based in Seattle, a region with substantial activity in global health, philanthropy, technology, research, humanitarian work, and international development. Its central purpose was to help globally minded institutions in Washington State collaborate, exchange knowledge, and present a stronger collective voice. Through its membership and implementing-partner relationships, Global Washington linked organizations with differing roles in development, including universities, foundations, businesses, advocacy groups, and service organizations. Policy advocacy formed a second major part of its history. In discussions of United States foreign aid, Global Washington argued that federal budget priorities did not adequately address the wider requirements of international development. It drew attention to the distinction between health spending and broader development objectives and sought a more considered approach to the allocation and effectiveness of U.S. assistance. The organization used conferences and public conversations to explore how aid could be distributed and implemented more effectively. From 2009 onward, its conference program provided a recurring framework for sector discussion. The 2009 event, titled A Blueprint for Action, was followed by Bridges to Breakthroughs: How Partnerships and Innovation Are Changing the World in 2010 and Opportunities and Obstacles in Turbulent Times in 2011. Later themes focused increasingly on collaboration and systems change, including Redefining Development: From Silos to Collective Impact in 2012 and Catalyzing Collective Impact in 2013. Smarter Approaches to a Changing World followed in 2014, with subsequent conferences addressing disruptive approaches, collective leadership, and international development partnerships. Kristen Dailey became executive director in May 2014 after working with the Initiative for Global Development. Her appointment was a documented leadership transition in the association’s history. Under the organization’s broader model, Global Washington continued to serve as a convener for Washington-based stakeholders rather than as a direct provider of a single branded development product. Its value lay in relationship building, agenda setting, advocacy, and visibility for the region’s international development community. The membership network included organizations from the nonprofit, academic, corporate, and humanitarian sectors. Listed members and partners included major Washington-based institutions as well as organizations working in global health, education, refugee assistance, poverty reduction, and international service. Some organizations were later identified as former members, demonstrating that the network’s composition changed over time. Global Washington closed in June 2026. Its closure marked the end of an independent nonprofit association that had spent nearly two decades promoting cooperation among Washington State organizations with international development interests. The organization’s documented legacy rests on its founding coalition, its advocacy concerning U.S. foreign aid, its recurring conference series, and its effort to coordinate a diverse regional development ecosystem.

• 2026

  Organization closes

  [1]Global Washingtonen.wikipedia.org

  Global Washington closes in June 2026 and ceases operating as an independent nonprofit association.

• 2019

  Goalmakers conference

  [1]Global Washingtonen.wikipedia.org

  Global Washington holds the Goalmakers conference as part of its continuing program of international development convenings.

• 2014

  Kristen Dailey becomes executive director

  [1]Global Washingtonen.wikipedia.org

  Kristen Dailey, formerly of the Initiative for Global Development, takes over as executive director in May.

• 2009

  First documented development conference

  [1]Global Washingtonen.wikipedia.org

  Global Washington organizes A Blueprint for Action, the first conference listed in the organization’s development-focused conference series.

• 2008

  Global Washington is founded

  [1]Global Washingtonen.wikipedia.org

  The Seattle International Foundation, the University of Washington, and Washington State University establish Global Washington in December as a nonprofit membership association focused on international development coordination and advocacy.

A Washington State-based nonprofit convener and advocate for international development, positioned at the intersection of philanthropy, academia, business, research, and global health and development organizations.

• Membership association · 2008

  Global Washington membership network

  The organization’s principal offering was a membership and partner network for Washington State institutions involved in international development. It connected nonprofit organizations, universities, foundations, businesses, research groups, and humanitarian actors, enabling them to share information, identify potential collaborators, and participate in a common regional development community. The network included both current and former members and was not limited to one development subsector.

• Conference and convening program · 2009

  International development conferences

  Global Washington organized conferences addressing international development policy, aid effectiveness, partnerships, innovation, collective impact, and global leadership. The events provided a public forum for organizations and individuals to discuss how U.S. foreign assistance and broader development work could be structured more effectively. Conference titles evolved over time, reflecting changing emphasis from action planning and partnerships to systems-level collaboration and renewed global leadership.

• Policy advocacy · 2008

  Foreign-aid and development advocacy

  Advocacy was a core activity rather than a physical product. Global Washington commented on United States foreign-aid priorities and argued that development needs should not be treated as secondary to narrower budget categories. Its advocacy and discussion work focused on how aid could be distributed, coordinated, and evaluated, with particular attention to collaboration among public, private, academic, and nonprofit actors.

• 2019Goalmakers

  United States · Washington State

  Goalmakers was the latest conference named in the reference material and continued Global Washington’s role as a convener for the international development sector.

  Source
• 2018Next 10 Global

  United States · Washington State

  The event considered future-oriented issues for the next phase of global development work.

  Source
• 2017Renewing Global Leadership

  United States · Washington State

  Global Washington convened discussion around the renewal of leadership in international development and global cooperation.

  Source
• 2016Allies for Action

  United States · Washington State

  The conference emphasized alliances and coordinated action among organizations working on global development.

  Source
• 2015Disruptive Development

  United States · Washington State

  This event explored disruptive ideas and approaches in international development.

  Source
• 2014Smarter Approaches to a Changing World

  United States · Washington State

  The conference examined how development organizations could adapt their approaches to changing global conditions.

  Source
• 2013Catalyzing Collective Impact

  United States · Washington State

  Global Washington continued its focus on coordinated action and collective impact in international development.

  Source
• 2012Redefining Development: From Silos to Collective Impact

  United States · Washington State

  The event promoted cooperation across organizational and sector boundaries, emphasizing collective impact over isolated initiatives.

  Source
• 2011Opportunities and Obstacles in Turbulent Times

  United States · Washington State

  The conference addressed the opportunities and constraints affecting development work during a period described by the event as turbulent.

  Source
• 2010Bridges to Breakthroughs: How Partnerships and Innovation Are Changing the World

  United States · Washington State

  This conference highlighted partnerships and innovation as mechanisms for improving international development outcomes.

  Source

Showing the 10 most recent.

• 2026

  Closure of Global WashingtonOther

  Background

  The organization operated as a nonprofit membership association serving the Washington State international development community.

  Action taken

  Global Washington closed in June 2026.

  Aftermath

  The association ceased operations as an independent organization.

  Source

• 2014

  Leadership transition to Kristen DaileyOther

  Background

  Global Washington sought executive leadership for its membership, advocacy, and convening activities.

  Action taken

  Kristen Dailey, formerly of the Initiative for Global Development, became executive director in May 2014.

  Source

• 2008

  Establishment of a cross-sector development associationStrategy

  Background

  Washington State had a concentration of organizations working in global health, philanthropy, research, business, and international development, but the reference material does not describe a single coordinating body created to connect them.

  Action taken

  The Seattle International Foundation, the University of Washington, and Washington State University founded Global Washington as a nonprofit membership association.

  Aftermath

  The association developed a membership network, advocacy program, and conference series before closing in June 2026.

  Source

1. 1Global Washingtonen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Global Washington official websiteglobalwa.org