Contract Usage Agreement for Public Benefit Nonprofits

Nonprofit organizations that receive government funding and have 501(c)(3) status are eligible to use our statewide contracts.

Use statewide contracts as a public benefit nonprofit

All public benefit nonprofits must sign a new contract usage agreement in 2023. You can verify your status on our list of entities with signed contract usage agreements.

Follow these steps to submit a new agreement:

Apply with the Washington Secretary of State for status as a Public Benefit Nonprofit (PBNP) corporation. If you’ve already done this, you can go to step 2.
- Designated PBNPs are listed in the Secretary of State’s Corporations and Charities Filing System.
- PBNPs must annually renew their status with the Secretary of State.
- Find information and forms for nonprofits on the Secretary of State’s website.
View step-by-step instructions for submitting a PBNP Contract Usage Agreement.
Email the following documents to DES at cua@des.wa.gov:
- A signed contract usage agreement for PBNPs (PDF, 405KB). Please sign this agreement electronically or it may delay processing.
- IRS confirmation of 501(c)(3) status.
- A copy of your filing with the Secretary of State Corporations and Charities System. Use the "Corporation Search" field to find your organization.
- Statement of funding source(s): Show the local, state, or federal agency that provides you funds, the term dates, and dollar amounts. More details are available on page 2 of the contract usage agreement.

We will review your contract usage agreement and supporting documentation to confirm your eligibility. We will contact you if we need more information.
After we finish our review, we will email you a copy of the completed agreement and your organization will appear in our list of entities with signed contracts usage agreements. At that time, you will be able to start using statewide contracts.
Your contract usage agreement will remain in force for five years if you continue to meet the criteria for being a PBNP.
Find information about how to use statewide contracts.