Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corp(WWBIC )
WWBIC is a Wisconsin-based 501(c)(3) CDFI and SBA Women's Business Center, founded in 1987, operating six regional offices plus a tri-state Veterans Business Outreach Center to deliver microlending ($1K–$350K), entrepreneurship training, financial wellness coaching, and SBA-backed programs to underserved small business owners, women entrepreneurs, and veterans.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1987
- HeadquartersMilwaukee, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corp(WWBIC ) does
Wisconsin Women's Business Initiative Corporation (WWBIC) is a Milwaukee-headquartered 501(c)(3) nonprofit economic development corporation founded in 1987, organized as a U.S. Department of the Treasury-certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and an SBA-funded Women's Business Center. It operates six regional offices across Wisconsin (Greater Milwaukee, North Central in Hayward, Northeast in Appleton, South Central in Madison, Southeast in Racine/Kenosha, and Southwest in La Crosse) and a Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC) spanning Wisconsin, Illinois, and Minnesota. Its mission-focused service portfolio is organized around a 'Four Cs' framework: Credit/Financial Wellness, Classes/Trainings, Capital/Lending, and Connections/Coaching, supporting entrepreneurs seeking to start, strengthen, or expand small businesses, including dedicated segments for women-owned businesses, veterans, and Wisconsin residents pursuing personal financial wellness.
WWBIC's product surface includes microlending from $1,000 to $350,000 through direct WWBIC loans and a Kiva crowdfunding partnership; a year-round catalog of in-person and Zoom-delivered classes including a $225, 9-week 'Building Out a Business Plan' series with need-based scholarships; free financial-capability programming under the 'Make Your Money Talk' brand; individualized technical-assistance coaching; and sponsor-backed accelerators such as the U.S. Bank Journey to Growth 8-week program, the WDVA Wisconsin Veteran Business Owners pitch competition, and the 'Digital Growth Navigator' digital-marketing series. Underlying technology is conventional: Zoom for virtual delivery, Formsite for client intake, and standard loan-servicing platforms, with no proprietary technology or AI/ML infrastructure identified.
WWBIC is funded through a diversified mix disclosed in its federal funding statement: earned program/training revenue of $2,940,277 (~37% of the disclosed mix), federal grants from SBA, U.S. Treasury, USDA, and HUD totaling $2,281,870 (~29%), donations and contributions of $2,289,127 (~28%), and state funding of approximately $475,000 (~6%) from WEDC and WDVA. Cumulative impact since inception includes $130 million loaned, 78,743+ individuals served, 11,336+ businesses, and 16,895 jobs created or retained. Distribution is hybrid and community-led: direct in-office service, virtual classrooms via Zoom, partner venues (libraries, chambers, incubators), and digital channels spanning Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and YouTube. Aeris-rated A-*** since 2022 and the recipient of the 2026 SBA National, Regional, and Wisconsin Women's Business Center of Excellence Award, WWBIC operates with ~40+ staff under President/Chief Visionary Officer Kathryn Dunn, who succeeded founder Wendy K. Baumann in May 2025.
Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corp(WWBIC ) firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corp(WWBIC )
- Legal name
- Wisconsin Women's Business Initiative Corporation
- Website
- https://wwbic.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1987
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- WWBIC is a Wisconsin-based 501(c)(3) CDFI and SBA Women's Business Center, founded in 1987, operating six regional offices plus a tri-state Veterans Business Outreach Center to deliver microlending ($1K–$350K), entrepreneurship training, financial wellness coaching, and SBA-backed programs to underserved small business owners, women entrepreneurs, and veterans.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corp(WWBIC ) industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Development Financial Services
- NAICS
- Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Business Support Services (5614)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Internships, Externships & Work-Based Learning Placement (EDAMAKAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK)
Keywords
Where Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corp(WWBIC ) is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Milwaukee
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices7 records
Markets served
Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corp(WWBIC ) business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Federal Government Grants: WWBIC receives federal funding from U.S. Small Business Administration, U.S. Department of the Treasury, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development as a CDFI and economic development organization.
- State Government Funding: Funding from Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) and Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA) for statewide economic development programs.
- Earned Revenue: Program fees and training revenue ($2,940,277 - 37% of total funding as per federal funding disclosure).
- Donations and Contributions: Individual donations, foundation grants, and corporate contributions ($2,289,127 - 28% of total funding).
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Building Out a Business Plan (9-Week Series) |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Training Sessions |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Financial Capability Programs |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels9 records
Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corp(WWBIC ) product offering
Product offeringCore offering
WWBIC is a nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) that supports individuals starting, strengthening, or expanding small businesses in Wisconsin through a four-pillar framework: microlending ($1,000 to $350,000), entrepreneurship training (including a 9-week business plan course), credit and financial wellness education (such as the Make Your Money Talk series), and one-on-one business coaching. It also operates the SBA-funded Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC) for Wisconsin, Illinois, and Minnesota and runs specialized programs such as Journey to Growth with U.S. Bank.
Product overview
WWBIC is a statewide economic development organization that offers a comprehensive suite of services organized around four core pillars: Capital/Lending (microlending from $1,000 to $350,000 through its CDFI status), Credit/Financial Wellness (training for credit recovery and savings), Classes/Trainings (entrepreneurship education including a 9-week business plan course), and Connections/Coaching (technical assistance). The organization also operates specialized programs including the Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC), Kiva Crowdfunding partnership, Make Your Money Talk financial empowerment series, and the Digital Growth Navigator digital marketing training. Partnerships with U.S. Bank and the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs enable additional equity injection and training programs for small business owners.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC): A program providing business development services to veterans and active duty service members in Wisconsin, Illinois, and Minnesota, including Boots to Business, business training, and counseling.
- Make Your Money Talk
Products and services
- WWBIC Loans (Capital/Lending) Access to capital for business start-ups and expansions ranging from $1,000 to $350,000, provided through WWBIC's CDFI lending platform. Among Wisconsin's largest microlenders, WWBIC offers responsible financial products tailored to underserved entrepreneurs.
- Credit/Financial Wellness Training sessions providing credit recovery assistance and savings tips for small business owners and Wisconsin residents, including the Make Your Money Talk series on household budgeting, credit score improvement, SMART goals, and identifying spending leaks.
- Classes/Trainings Entrepreneurship training sessions statewide including a 9-week course on building a business plan. Sessions are available in person or online, offered year-round, and many are free of charge; need-based scholarships are available for select programs.
- Connections/Coaching Individualized feedback through technical assistance and sustained relationships to ensure clients have access to tools and skills needed to grow profitable, sustainable businesses.
- Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC) SBA-funded program providing business development services in Wisconsin, Illinois and Minnesota to active duty service members, veterans, and their families. Includes Boots to Business, Boots to Business Reboot, business training and counseling, and assistance with business loans and veteran business certification.
- Kiva Crowdfunding Crowdfunding platform partnership providing access to microloans through peer-to-peer lending for entrepreneurs via the Kiva platform.
- Make Your Money Talk Financial empowerment series teaching household budgeting, credit score improvement, SMART goal planning, and identifying spending leaks for Wisconsin residents.
- Digital Growth Navigator Digital marketing series combining classroom teaching with hands-on labs covering social media strategy (Socially Driven) and website/SEO optimization (Website and SEO Essentials) for small business owners.
- Journey to Growth Program Partnership with U.S. Bank providing an 8-week accelerator program, pitch competition, and equity injections of $5,000 to Wisconsin small businesses.
- Wisconsin Veteran Business Owners Training Program & Pitch Competition Partnership with WDVA providing free training to veterans with chances to win laptops loaded with QuickBooks software (valued at $1,200) and/or $5,000 equity injections through a pitch competition.
- Building Out a Business Plan (9-Week Series) Nine-week course teaching the basics of developing and completing a business plan, with $225 per-participant pricing; pre-requisite is Introduction to Building Out a Business Plan and need-based scholarships are available by contacting WWBIC.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 78,743 individuals served since 1987
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corp(WWBIC )
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corp(WWBIC ) technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corp(WWBIC ) partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered supporting.
- SCORE Mentors Southeast WisconsinsupportingCollaboration with SCORE for speed coaching events where entrepreneurs receive 25-minute sessions with entrepreneurial experts in accounting, lending, marketing and more.
- KivasupportingKiva crowdfunding partnership providing access to microloans for entrepreneurs through the Kiva platform.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corp(WWBIC ) competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Accion Opportunity Fund: National CDFI providing micro and small business loans ($2,500-$100,000) plus business coaching to underserved entrepreneurs. Direct comparable on lending, target market (women and minority entrepreneurs), and CDFI business model.
- DreamSpring: CDFI providing microloans ($500-$100,000) and small business lending nationwide to underserved entrepreneurs, including women, minorities, and veterans. Closely comparable on microlending focus and CDFI mission.
- Grameen America: National CDFI microlender focused on women entrepreneurs in low-income communities, providing small business loans plus financial education. Comparable on lending-plus-education model and women-focused mission.
- LiftFund: Texas-based CDFI providing micro and small business loans to underserved entrepreneurs, including women, minorities, and veterans. Comparable on microlending-plus-coaching model and SBA resource partner status.
- Pacific Community Ventures: CDFI providing capital, coaching, and connections to small businesses in California and beyond. Highly comparable on the integrated 'capital + coaching' model and CDFI structure.
Regional players
- Coastal Enterprises Inc (CEI): Maine-based CDFI providing small business loans, consulting, and rural economic development. Comparable on CDFI model and rural/small business focus, but operates in a different geography.
- Just Community (formerly Colorado Enterprise Fund): Colorado-based CDFI providing microloans and small business loans to underserved entrepreneurs. Comparable on microlending and CDFI structure, with regional rather than statewide focus.
Broad incumbents
- SCORE: National SBA resource partner providing free business mentoring, workshops, and education to entrepreneurs. Overlaps with WWBIC's coaching/training offerings as an SBA-aligned peer, though operates at much larger scale without lending.
- Small Business Development Centers (SBDC): Nationwide SBA-funded network providing free business advising, training, and resources to small businesses. Overlaps with WWBIC's training and coaching services; broader scope but does not provide direct lending.
- Women's Business Centers (SBA network): Nationwide SBA-funded network of Women's Business Centers providing training, mentoring, and resources to women entrepreneurs. WWBIC is itself a WBC, and the broader network includes direct peer organizations with similar programs.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corp(WWBIC ) social profiles
Digital presenceWisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corp(WWBIC ) compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corp(WWBIC ) financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corp(WWBIC ) leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corp(WWBIC ) funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds4 records
Investors3 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corp(WWBIC ) M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corp(WWBIC )
What does Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corp(WWBIC ) do?
WWBIC is a nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) that supports individuals starting, strengthening, or expanding small businesses in Wisconsin through a four-pillar framework: microlending ($1,000 to $350,000), entrepreneurship training (including a 9-week business plan course), credit and financial wellness education (such as the Make Your Money Talk series), and one-on-one business coaching. It also operates the SBA-funded Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC) for Wisconsin, Illinois, and Minnesota and runs specialized programs such as Journey to Growth with U.S. Bank.
Is Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corp(WWBIC ) a public or private company?
Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corp(WWBIC ) is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corp(WWBIC ) founded?
Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corp(WWBIC ) was founded in 1987. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corp(WWBIC ) based?
Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corp(WWBIC ) is headquartered in Milwaukee, United States, in the North America region.
How does Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corp(WWBIC ) make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Federal Government Grants are the primary driver. The others are state Government Funding, earned Revenue and donations and Contributions.
Who are Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corp(WWBIC )'s main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Accion Opportunity Fund, DreamSpring, Grameen America, LiftFund and Pacific Community Ventures. Regional players are Coastal Enterprises Inc (CEI) and Just Community (formerly Colorado Enterprise Fund). Broad incumbents are SCORE, Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) and Women's Business Centers (SBA network).
Does Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corp(WWBIC ) have an API?
No public API is recorded for Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corp(WWBIC ).
What industry is Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corp(WWBIC ) in?
Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corp(WWBIC )'s product category is Community Development Financial Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMAKAB, Internships, Externships & Work-Based Learning Placement, with a secondary code of BPAGADAK, Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits. Its NAICS code is 813410 and its SIC code is 8200.