Mission

Our vision is of strong and livable communities guided by informed citizens. Our mission is to help shape a vibrant Washington through effective and informed community planning. We do this by providing an inclusive forum for sharing problems and solutions, developing planning knowledge and putting this knowledge into the hands of the public and their elected officials. Our goals are to provide education, develop a sustainable infrastructure that will build organizational capacity and grow awareness of the purpose and value of PAW.

“Good planning doesn’t just happen…”

PAW is a grassroots educational organization serving the needs of planning commissioners, elected officials, tribes, special purpose districts, private sector firms, state agencies, students, and interested citizens.

Unbiased planning education is the reason PAW was formed over fifty years ago, and it is still the mission of PAW today. Working collaboratively with the state’s Department of Commerce, we provide basic planning training to local communities through the three-hour Short Course on Local Planning. Additionally, PAW sponsors daylong Regional Short Courses on specific topics and organizes special training sessions at major planning conferences.

The Short Course training is done at no charge. Professionals in the law, planning, and related fields generously contribute their time and expertise as course instructors.