2025–2026 Annual Report

A year of Growth

Over the past year, Pathways to Agency has grown from an emerging nonprofit with one developing community media program into an organization with stronger community partnerships, an expanding volunteer team, a dedicated office space, and a clearer understanding of the role we can play within our community.

Our mission is to support the community by empowering individuals with information and actionable processes to foster forward movement and strengthen the broader community.

This year has been about building the foundation to do that work well: strengthening Resource Report, expanding access to information, developing relationships with community organizations, creating opportunities for volunteers and students to learn through hands-on experience, and listening closely to where gaps still exist.

Resource Report

Resource Report continues to be Pathways to Agency's primary program.

Through interviews with local nonprofit and resource organizations, Resource Report provides an opportunity to take a deeper look at what resources are available, who they serve, how to access them, and what people should know before reaching out.

Each interview is shared in multiple formats to make the information as accessible as possible:

  • Broadcast on KAOS 89.3 FM

  • Available as an online podcast on multiple streaming platforms

  • Transformed into free printed zine transcripts, with PDFs available to read online

  • Distributed directly into community spaces throughout Thurston and Lewis Counties

By bringing the same information into radio, digital, and physical formats, we hope to reduce barriers and give people multiple ways to find and use information when they need it.

Growing Our Community Reach

Resource Report's zine distribution network has continued to grow throughout the South Sound.

Printed Resource Report zines are available at community distribution locations throughout Thurston and Lewis Counties, putting detailed resource information directly into places people already visit.

This year we also began developing the Zine Distro Subscriber program as a way for businesses and community members to help sustain this work. Sponsors can help cover the production cost of zines distributed at a participating location, allowing Resource Report to remain free to the people picking it up.

The first participating locations are already being supported through this model, giving us an early example of how community participation can help make free access to local information more sustainable. Shout out to Thurston County Housing Authority, Thurston County Food Bank, and Franklin Street Harm Reduction!

Building Partnerships

One of the most important parts of our growth has been building relationships with organizations already doing meaningful work throughout our region.

Our partnerships and community relationships have included KAOS Community Radio, YWCA of Olympia, Thurston County Resource Hub, POWER, The Evergreen State College, Resource Report distribution locations, and the many organizations and community members who have participated in interviews, outreach, events, internships, and collaborative conversations.

These relationships have also helped us better understand who is already providing resource navigation, how organizations approach that work, and where gaps still exist.

Rather than duplicating services, Pathways to Agency hopes to continue learning from and collaborating with organizations to better understand those gaps, brainstorm solutions together, and determine where we can best contribute.

Growing Organizational Capacity

This year has also brought significant growth behind the scenes.

Pathways to Agency moved from home-based operations into dedicated office space at YWCA's Kearney House. Having a physical workspace has given us room for production, volunteer training, meetings, planning, and the day-to-day work required to keep Resource Report moving.

Our volunteer capacity has also grown. Team members are learning multiple parts of the Resource Report production process, including interviewing, audio production, transcript and zine creation, printing, distribution, and community outreach.

Cross-training is an important part of how we hope to grow: creating opportunities for people to develop practical skills while making the program less dependent on any one person to keep moving.

Learning Through Community Media

As our work develops, we are learning more about the role community media can play in making local information easier to access.

Pathways to Agency, with Resource Report, is not simply about creating media. It is about creating connections between information, organizations, and the people those organizations are trying to reach.

We are also exploring educational partnerships that can give students and community members hands-on experience in community media. One of our long-term visions include developing locally based Resource Report production teams in additional counties throughout Washington, allowing communities to highlight their own resources while creating meaningful learning opportunities.

Building Toward Sustainability

Keeping Resource Report freely accessible is important to us, which means we are beginning to strategically explore ways Pathways to Agency can generate revenue to offset ongoing production costs.

The Zine Distro Subscriber program is one step toward this. We are also developing a mail-order option for people who would like Resource Report zines sent directly to them, with fees covering postage, and exploring merchandise such as Pathways to Agency T-shirts, tote bags, bumpers stickers, and buttons as a potential source of unrestricted revenue.

Our goal is to develop a diverse and sustainable funding model rather than relying on any single source of support.

Looking Ahead

In the coming year, Pathways to Agency plans to continue:

  • Expanding the Resource Report Zine distribution network

  • Deepening relationships with community organizations

  • Developing educational and internship partnerships

  • Building volunteer skills through cross-training

  • Increasing community outreach and participation

  • Testing sustainable ways to support the cost of keeping Resource Report free

  • Exploring opportunities for locally based Resource Report production teams in additional communities

We are still learning, building, and refining what Pathways to Agency can become. That process is intentional.

The more connected we become with the organizations and people around us, the better we can understand where our work is useful, where collaboration makes more sense than creating something new, and how Pathways to Agency can contribute to a stronger and better-connected community.

Thank You

None of this work happens in isolation.

We are grateful to our volunteers, interview guests, community partners, distribution locations, supporters, donors, funders, and everyone who has shared information, offered advice, made an introduction, picked up a zine, listened to Resource Report, or helped us reach someone new.

Thank you for helping Pathways to Agency continue growing.