ARTICLE - An Interview with David Bowling
Keeping the Eastside a Dynamic and Vibrant Community
To David Bowling, Woodinville resident and CEO of Eastside Foundation, East King County is a uniquely dynamic and vibrant region that is bursting with opportunity and cultural richness. Bowling highlights the welcoming neighborhoods, sustained economic growth, responsive local governments, and community engagement. That is coupled with an emerging social services infrastructure made up of an increasing number of nonprofit service providers. “The Eastside is special because we are a collection of thriving cities that come together as one community,” said Bowling. “The Eastside is just an amazing place to live, work, and play.”
Bowling notes that while the region is still relatively young, it is an economic powerhouse and offers a blend of urban, suburban, and rural living. That includes anything from high-energy work or leisure activities to plenty of opportunities to unwind and chill. Taking a weekend hike, attending a wine tasting or evening concert, having a shopping excursion, attending global business conferences, or even joining a local basset hound parade or art fair.
“The Eastside is also home to an innovative business community that other areas would love to have,” said Bowling. “It’s not just the global companies that are here but the incredible startup business and medium sized companies that drive the economy, and of course we have great local retail establishments.” And Bowling calls attention to the county and city governments that enable that environment and provide public services and public safety to an ever-increasing population. While the Eastside population is nearly 600,000, there is still a strong tie between local officials and the communities they serve. “There are always competing interests, but on the whole, Eastside governments do a good job reflecting the priorities of their residents,” said Bowling.
“The breakthrough was when we connected businesses, nonprofits, and government entities together to work toward a shared goal. That’s when we saw real impact and lives were transformed.”
Bowling has a strong connection to East King County, not just as a resident and as CEO of Eastside Foundation, but also from seventeen years working for and leading the only men’s homeless shelter on the Eastside, now known as Porchlight. Through his work in addressing homelessness, Bowling interacted with thousands of Eastside residents from all corners of the community. This included those dealing with homelessness, as well as local businesses, neighbors, government officials, and members of philanthropic organizations.
It was his experience with homelessness that inspired Bowling to take on the leadership of Eastside Foundation, a community development foundation focused on Eastside social challenges and opportunities.
His previous efforts getting the new shelter helped form his vision. “It took a lot of work and there were challenges,” Bowling said. “The breakthrough was when we connected businesses, nonprofits, and government entities together to work toward a shared goal. That’s when we saw real impact and lives were transformed.”
Bowling, however, also realized that the success at Porchlight, was not enough. Once the immediate needs were addressed, business leaders and community organizations often disengaged. “There was a gap,” he said. “I wanted to be part of an organization that could bridge that gap and bring the voices of business, philanthropy, and the government back to the table to proactively address the root causes of homelessness more effectively.”
Bowling’s move to Eastside Foundation allowed him to take a more upstream approach, tackling issues that contribute to homelessness, such as affordable housing, poverty, and access to healthcare.
Bowling believed that a proactive focus could be applied more broadly to solving a host of community challenges, not just homelessness. His commitment to transparency and community involvement also became a critical element in dispelling fear and mistrust. Bowling found that there were often silos of special interest that separated the nonprofit sector, the business sector, and the everyday bureaucracy of government. By ensuring that all stakeholders in the community have a say in projects and initiatives, and by bringing these groups together in the same room, there is a more collaborative environment that results in greater and more sustainable impact. “When people feel heard, they’re more likely to support solutions that benefit everyone,” he explained.
Eastside Foundation works with businesses and civic organizations to develop and fund initiatives that focus on making the community stronger. Specifically, the goal is to bring together businesses, nonprofit service providers, government, and philanthropy to engage, connect, and mobilize people, ideas, and resources. Bowling says their role is not to replace what others are doing, but it is to complement the work of community partners like nonprofit service providers, and to improve the social service infrastructure, as well as foster new opportunities for community development.
Eastside Foundation currently supports initiatives and organizations that improve homelessness, affordable housing, mental health & addiction treatment, expand educational and cultural development, and cultivate a positive environment for community development.
For more information on Eastside Foundation, visit eastside-foundation.org.
