After serving for 16 years, Global Washington, a Seattle-based nonprofit organization, revealed on Friday that it will be shutting down its operations. The organization has been a key supporter of technology, philanthropy, business, and academic efforts focused on international development work.
With a membership base exceeding 160 organizations and individual members, GlobalWA has been instrumental in hosting various annual gatherings, including conferences and educational workshops, while also conducting research and engaging in policy initiatives.
Elizabeth Stokely, who serves as the organization’s executive director, explained the decision in an official announcement. She noted that the international development field is facing unprecedented and enduring disruption. According to Stokely, substantial reductions in funding from USAID, combined with broader changes in philanthropic priorities elsewhere, have created ripple effects throughout the entire sector.
She further elaborated that these transformations have limited organizations’ capacity to maintain their own operations, making it even more difficult for them to meaningfully contribute to networks and capacity-building efforts.
The current administration under President Trump has been actively working to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development, an organization responsible for delivering foreign aid and development support to nations worldwide. Late last year, the Gates Foundation issued warnings about the potentially fatal consequences of reduced international funding for global health initiatives, noting decreased support from major donor countries including the United States, United Kingdom, France, and Germany.
The impact of these funding challenges has been felt across multiple organizations in the region. PATH, a global health nonprofit, implemented significant workforce reductions last summer, eliminating approximately 45 percent of its international staff. Similarly, the Gates Foundation revealed in January its plans to reduce its workforce by 500 positions before 2030.
Washington state is home to numerous other significant organizations working in global health and development. These include the University of Washington, the Infectious Disease Research Institute, the World Affairs Council, and Panorama Global, among others. Major corporations headquartered in the Seattle area, including Amazon, Microsoft, and Starbucks, have also been active participants in global philanthropic efforts and have previously taken part in GlobalWA’s programming and events.
The organization has announced a gradual closure process that will take place over the next several months, with the official cessation of operations scheduled for June 30, 2026. This timeline will allow the organization to wind down its activities in an orderly fashion while serving its member organizations through the transition period.
The closure of Global Washington represents a significant loss for the Pacific Northwest’s global development community, which has long been a hub for international aid and development work. The organization served as a crucial convening space and resource for entities working to address global challenges in health, development, and humanitarian assistance.
As the organization prepares for its final months of operation, it marks the end of an era for Washington state’s coordinated approach to supporting global development initiatives and the collaborative networks that have been built over nearly two decades of service.