A lot is happening in the United States right now that has significant implications for the nonprofit sector. While NAWA is committed to keeping you informed about developments in our field, we also want to share resources to help you stay informed—especially about issues that may directly impact your organization or sub-sector.
In this blog post, we’ll cover:
- Ways you can keep up with NAWA
- National Council of Nonprofits
- How to set up alerts
- Finding local sources for news in your county
Keep Up With NAWA
Join NAWA on Social Media to stay updated on monthly webinar offerings and other important news impacting our sector:
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/nonprofitwa.org
NAWA Policy Bluesky is live! Follow us here to keep up with laws, bill alerts, and other timely legislative news impacting nonprofits in Washington State. https://bsky.app/profile/policy.nonprofitwa.org
You can also follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook
If social media is not your thing, you can add yourself to our email distribution list
Join our policy newsletter for action alerts and other policy and advocacy-related news as it happens.
Join our Learning newsletter to stay informed on upcoming events
Join The Connector Newsletter, our monthly long-form newsletter to keep a pulse on the Washington State nonprofit sector.
National Council of Nonprofits
The National Council of Nonprofits is North America’s largest network of nonprofits. They champion, inform, and connect organizations across the country to score big wins for our sector
NCN is on the frontlines in keeping up with Executive Orders impacting the charitable nonprofit sector. They have created a chart for nonprofits to keep track of the status of these EOs and new ones that may be added in the future. Feel free to bookmark the Executive Orders Affecting Charitable Nonprofits chart for easy reference and sharing on what is happening at the federal level in our sector.
As a NAWA Member, you receive a complimentary membership to the National Council of Nonprofits. To take advantage of this member benefit, head to the Member Resources Page for instructions on how to sign up.
How To Set-up Alerts:
Google Alerts
Enter Your Search Topic
- In the search bar, type the keyword or topic you want alerts for (e.g., “Washington State nonprofit legislation”).
Customize Your Alert Settings
- Click “Show options” to adjust:
- Frequency (As-it-happens, At most once a day, At most once a week)
- Sources (News, Blogs, Web, etc.)
- Region (Select specific countries if needed)
- Language
- How Many (All results or only the best ones)
- Deliver To (Choose your email or RSS feed)
Create the Alert
- Click the “Create Alert” button. You’ll start receiving email notifications when relevant news appears.
Managing Alerts
- To edit or delete an alert, go back to Google Alerts, find your alert, and click the pencil icon (edit) or the trash can icon (delete).
DuckDuckGo
DuckDuckGo does not have a built-in news alert system like Google Alerts. However, you can try these alternatives:
- Use RSS Feeds
- Visit DuckDuckGo News and search for your topic.
- Use an RSS reader like Feedly or Inoreader to track updates.
- Use Email Subscription Services
- Use third-party tools like Talkwalker Alerts to get email updates similar to Google Alerts.
Apple Safari
Safari doesn’t have a built-in alert system, but you can use:
Apple News Notifications (Mac & iOS)
- Open the Apple News app.
- Search for a topic or publication.
- Tap the heart icon to follow it.
- Go to Settings > Notifications and enable alerts for Apple News.
RSS Feeds in Safari
- Find an RSS feed for your topic (many news sites provide them).
- Copy the RSS feed URL.
- Use an RSS reader like Reeder (Mac) or NetNewsWire to receive updates.
Microsoft Edge – Microsoft Start (formerly MSN News)
- Go to Microsoft Start.
- Sign in with your Microsoft account.
- Click Personalize and follow topics for tailored news updates.
Enable Website Notifications
- Visit a news site (like Bing News).
- If a pop-up asks for notifications, click Allow.
- Manage notifications in Edge Settings > Cookies and Site Permissions > Notifications.
To find local news sources:
Check Trusted Local Newspapers & Stations
- Look for established newspapers, TV stations, and radio broadcasters in your area.
- Major local outlets often have websites and social media pages.
Use Google News & Bing News
- Search for your city or region in Google News or Bing News.
- Click on “Local” to see region-specific stories.
Try News Aggregators
- Apple News (iOS) and Microsoft Start (Windows) allow you to follow local news topics.
- Ground News compares coverage from different sources to spot bias.
Follow Public Media & NPR Affiliates
- Many PBS/NPR stations provide high-quality local news.
- Example: KUOW (Seattle), KNKX (Tacoma), KFAE ( Richland), KSFC & KPBZ (Spokane)
Check Local Government & Community Websites
- City/county websites and official social media often post local updates.
- Examples: Health advisories, city council news, and public safety alerts.
Subscribe to Newsletters
Many local papers and journalists offer email newsletters for daily or weekly updates.