Planning for Washington’s
Future

Futurewise works throughout Washington state to encourage healthy, equitable and opportunity-rich communities, and to protect our most valuable farmlands, forests, and water resources through wise land use policies and practices.

Learn More

Your Voice for Washington's Future

From small towns of 5,000 to cities of 500,000 or anywhere in between, Futurewise believes that the elements of a strong, resilient community are the same. You should have a healthy home you can afford, You should be able to walk, bike, roll and take transit to get where you need to go. You should have access to food from local farms. You should enjoy stunning natural spaces and wildlife habitats.

35 years of working towards our vision, statewide

Washington state is renowned for its spectacular beauty – from the peaks of the Olympics to the rolling hills of the Palouse. But in the 1980s, more and more of our farmland, forests and open space were being gobbled up by car-centric suburban sprawl, threatening our natural resources, degrading our quality of life and laying the groundwork for decades of greenhouse gas pollution.

A group of concerned community members knew it didn’t have to be this way. In the late 1980s, they got organized to find a solution. As a result of their advocacy, Washington passed the groundbreaking Growth Management Act (GMA), a statewide land use framework for where and how Washingtonians live, work and play. These same activists founded Futurewise, to continue their passionate advocacy for livable, forward-looking land use policy in Washington.

For 35 years, Futurewise has been your steward of the GMA, helping rural and urban communities across Washington plan for a just, sustainable future. Futurewise is your voice for forward-looking land use policy across Washington, with offices in Seattle, Spokane and Port Angeles.


When the Growth Management Act passed the state legislature in 1990

 

Visit our living history + visual timeline

 

For three decades, Futurewise has been your steward of the GMA, helping rural and urban communities across Washington plan for a just, sustainable future. Futurewise is your voice for forward-looking land use policy across Washington, with offices in Seattle, Spokane and Port Angeles.

Concentrate Growth in Existing Cities

Ensure Clean Healthy Water and Protect Critical Fish and Wildlife Habitat

Protect Working Farms and Forests

Create Great Cities with Access to Housing, Transit, Jobs and Basic Services

Make it Easier for People To Get To Where They Need To Go

Encourage Economic Development

Upcoming Events

More Events

Invest in Washington’s Future

Your gift today powers our work across Washington to promote equitable livable communities, protect our farms, forests and wildlife habitat from sprawl, and ensure that Washington stays a great place to live for generations to come.

Contribute

Hear what our supporters and partners have to say about Futurewise

“As a legal partner, Futurewise is unparalleled, bringing land use planning expertise and a proven track record of helping communities navigate the regulatory landscape. They are in this for the long haul.”

– Lorah Super, Methow Valley Citizens Council

“When Futurewise told me that they were making HB 1110 [to legalize middle housing] one of their top two priorities, I almost cried. I said thank you, because not only would I love their help as a lawmaker, but it also represents to me a sea-change in how we’re talking about housing and land use, that gives me a lot of hope for the future.”

– Rep. Jessica Bateman

“The rate of growth has been exponential and unprecedented. We are grateful that Futurewise is working to protect water, agriculture and promote livable cities. It’s a David and Goliath situation.”

– Jim and Nancy Soriano, Okanogan County Futurewise supporters and donors since 2008

Stay up to date with the latest
dispatches from Futurewise

Futurewise on the steps of the Capitol Building in Olympia, Washington during Futurewise’s Connecting Communities 2024 lobby day. They are holding a banner featuring the Futurewise logo and another that says "Connecting Communities."

We’re Hiring: Campaign Events Intern

Want to help tackle the housing crisis?  Eager to get Washington to move away from fossil fuels?  Want to build walkable cities and protect Washington’s nature and farms? Now’s your chance to be a part of the change! Futurewise is … Continue reading →

Futurewise
September 1, 2026
Aftermath of the Old Trails Fire, one of the three devastating August Spokane wildfires

Spokane County’s Growth Pattern and the August 2026 Wildfires

In the first week of August 2026, three wildfires — Old Trails, Fairview, and Autumn Lane — tore through the unincorporated fringe of Spokane County, burning more than 11,000 acres, destroying or damaging an estimated 850 to 1,000-plus structures, and forcing nearly 67,000 people to evacuate. Continue reading →

Futurewise
August 31, 2026

The Board Has Ruled: Aspirational Is Not Enough

On August 17, the Growth Management Hearing ruled that Thurston County’s plan does not comply with the GMA: both the greenhouse gas emissions reduction subelement and the climate resiliency subelement failed. This decision will shape climate planning across the state for years to come. Continue reading →

Futurewise
August 28, 2026
View All