Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corp(WWBIC )

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.

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

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

• Community development financial services
• Small business microlending
• Entrepreneurship training programs
• Financial wellness education
• Veteran business outreach

Headquarters

HQ city

Milwaukee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. 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.
2. State Government Funding: Funding from Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) and Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA) for statewide economic development programs.
3. Earned Revenue: Program fees and training revenue ($2,940,277 - 37% of total funding as per federal funding disclosure).
4. Donations and Contributions: Individual donations, foundation grants, and corporate contributions ($2,289,127 - 28% of total funding).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core 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

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered supporting.

• SCORE Mentors Southeast WisconsinsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with SCORE for speed coaching events where entrepreneurs receive 25-minute sessions with entrepreneurial experts in accounting, lending, marketing and more.
• KivasupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKiva crowdfunding partnership providing access to microloans for entrepreneurs through the Kiva platform.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct 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

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCGN7oPQGiYnpIv2WgcCzR8A
• Facebookfacebook.com/WWBIC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wwbic
• Instagraminstagram.com/wwbic
• TikToktiktok.com/@wearewwbic
• Xx.com/WWBIC

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors3 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&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 )