Center for Women & Enterprise

What Center for Women & Enterprise does

Center for Women & Enterprise (CWE) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1995 and headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, that operates a network of SBA-designated Women's Business Centers across New England. The organization serves women entrepreneurs and veteran business owners across the full business lifecycle — exploration, formation, startup, growth, and succession planning — through five regional centers located in Eastern Massachusetts, Central Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont, plus the Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC) of New England. CWE is an authorized certifier for both WBENC (corporate supplier diversity) and WOSB-Federal (federal contracting) certifications, and delivers business counseling, multi-week cohort courses (notably a 10-session Business Planning course and a 13-session Power Forward strategic planning course), live and on-demand workshops, and an online CWE Community Hub for peer engagement.

The revenue model blends four streams: federal SBA appropriations as a designated Women's Business Center, sliding-fee-scale program fees (participants choose what to pay), corporate sponsorships from named supporters including Santander, Eastern Bank Foundation, JPMorgan Chase, KKR, and PNC Foundation, and individual donations via a 30th Anniversary Founders Fund. Distribution is anchored in physical regional centers complemented by digital channels (online courses, social media, email) and annual flagship events, most prominently The Business Summit co-presented with VBOC and the Celebrating Women Who Lift Up the World Gala. The organization has earned the Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency and runs annual recognition programs including the Andrea C. Silbert 30 Stars Award.

Leadership comprises co-founders Susan Hammond and Andrea C. Silbert alongside President & CEO Gabrielle King Morse. CWE maintains referral partnerships with SCORE, SBDC, eForAll, Vermont Community Loan Fund, and Roger Williams University, and integrates with mainstream SaaS providers (GoFundMe, OrderMyGear, YouTube) rather than proprietary technology platforms. No equity, M&A, or investment transactions apply; the entity is a mission-driven, donation- and grant-supported nonprofit.

Name

Center for Women & Enterprise

Legal name

Center for Women & Enterprises Inc.

Website

https://cweonline.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Center for Women & Enterprise (CWE) is a Boston-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1995 that operates SBA-designated Women's Business Centers across Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont, serving women entrepreneurs and veteran business owners through counseling, certification, workshops, and annual events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Small Business Development Services

NAICS

Office Administrative Services (5611)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Small Business & Entrepreneurship Community Education (EDAAAFAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Remote Access, Virtual Workspaces & Digital HQ (BPAMAMAL)

Keywords

• Women business centers
• Entrepreneur education services
• Business certification programs
• Small business development
• Women entrepreneurship training

Headquarters

HQ city

Boston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Program Fees: CWE charges program fees for workshops, courses, and certification programs. A sliding fee scale allows participants to pay what feels right for them, enabling access regardless of financial situation.
2. Donations and Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors and individual donors support CWE's mission. The organization has a 30th Anniversary Founders Fund for donations and corporate sponsorship opportunities. Major sponsors include SBA, Santander, Eastern Bank Foundation, JPMorgan Chase, and others.
3. SBA Women's Business Center Funding: As a designated SBA Women's Business Center, CWE receives federal funding through the Small Business Administration to support its programs and operations across five regional centers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Center for Women & Enterprise provides business development services to women and veteran entrepreneurs through five SBA-designated Women's Business Centers across New England. Offerings include one-on-one business counseling and coaching, workshops, webinars, multi-session online courses (Business Planning and Power Forward Strategic Planning), certification support for WBENC and WOSB-Federal, and an online community hub. The Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC) extends services to veteran entrepreneurs, and a sliding fee scale is used to keep programs accessible.

Product overview

Center for Women & Enterprise (CWE) is a nonprofit organization operating as a Women Business Center network serving Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. The organization offers a comprehensive suite of business development services organized around five regional centers plus a dedicated Veterans Business Outreach Center. The core product portfolio includes educational workshops and on-demand training courses (such as the 10-session Business Planning Course and 13-session Power Forward strategic planning course), individual business counseling and 1:1 consultations, WBENC and WOSB-Federal certification assistance, and an online CWE Community Hub for peer networking. CWE also hosts The Business Summit, an annual conference featuring matchmaking sessions connecting certified women-owned and veteran businesses with corporations. Additional offerings include a sliding fee scale program, regional center-specific services, client award programs (30 Stars Award), and a branded merchandise e-commerce store. The organization does not offer a traditional software product but rather service-based programs designed to support women entrepreneurs at every stage from exploration through succession planning.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Business Counseling & Coaching One-on-one business counseling and coaching for women and veteran entrepreneurs, delivered through CWE's regional centers and online. Pricing is on a sliding fee scale to keep access broad.
• Workshops, Webinars & On-Demand Training Live virtual workshops, webinars, and an on-demand training library on topics relevant to starting and growing a small business, offered to women and veteran entrepreneurs, including many free sessions.
• Business Planning Course A 10-session online course that walks entrepreneurs through building a complete business plan, offered on a pay-what-you-can basis to keep it accessible.
• Power Forward Strategic Planning Course A 13-session online course focused on strategic planning for established women-owned businesses, taking entrepreneurs deeper into growth strategy.
• Certification Programs (WBENC & WOSB-Federal) Structured assistance for women entrepreneurs seeking Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Federal Contracting certification and Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) certification, enabling access to corporate and government supply chain opportunities.
• Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC) Services Business development services delivered specifically to veteran entrepreneurs through CWE's Veterans Business Outreach Center, including counseling, training, and procurement support.
• Regional SBA-Designated Women's Business Centers Five regional centers across Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont that serve as the in-person and virtual service hubs for CWE's counseling, training, and certification programs, designated by the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Named customers14 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC) of New EnglandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCWE and VBOC co-present The Business Summit annually. VBOC extends CWE's reach to serve veteran entrepreneurs across all New England states.
• Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCWE is an authorized WBENC certifier, helping women-owned businesses obtain WBENC certification to access corporate contracting opportunities.
• SCOREminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSCORE mentors referred to CWE clients and vice versa. SCORE offices in MA, NH, RI, and VT partner with local CWE centers.
• Small Business Development Centers (SBDC)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSBDC offices in MA, NH, RI, and VT work with CWE to refer entrepreneurs and provide complementary business development services.
• eForAllminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributoreForAll business accelerator program referred to CWE Central MA as a community partner for entrepreneurs.
• Roger Williams UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Sin-cere Multiservice Inc. for financial literacy programs. CWE connects clients to university partnerships for education and credibility.
• UMass Memorial Health (Moms Do Care)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWSR & Wellness Coaching secured contract with UMass Memorial's Moms Do Care program through CWE's support for wellness and personal development classes.
• LISC/Verizon Digital ReadyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLISC/Verizon Digital Ready initiative provides digital skills training and resources to CWE clients through partnership with CWE.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• SCORE: SCORE is a national nonprofit network providing free mentoring, workshops, and resources to small business owners, directly comparable to CWE as a federally-supported SMB development organization with regional chapters and a referral-based partnership model.
• America's SBDC (Small Business Development Centers): America's SBDC is a nationwide network of Small Business Development Centers funded by the SBA to provide business consulting, training, and capital access to entrepreneurs—directly comparable to CWE's role as an SBA-affiliated provider in the same federal small-business support ecosystem.
• Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC): WBENC is the national certifier of Women's Business Enterprises and a key partner of CWE. While CWE is an authorized local certifier, WBENC sets the certification standard and operates the corporate supplier-diversity programs that CWE's certified clients access—making them tightly aligned in mission and customer base.
• NAWBO (National Association of Women Business Owners): NAWBO is a national membership organization advocating for and supporting women business owners through networking, education, and policy work. It serves a similar women-entrepreneur audience with comparable education and certification-adjacent programming, but at a national advocacy and membership scale.
• eForAll: eForAll is a Massachusetts-based nonprofit business accelerator that runs cohort-based programs for local entrepreneurs. It is a named CWE community partner and operates in overlapping geography (Central MA) with similar target customers and programming, making it a close direct peer.

Broad incumbents

• Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses: 10,000 Small Businesses is a Goldman Sachs Foundation program offering education, capital access, and networking to growth-oriented entrepreneurs. It operates at a broader national scale than CWE but serves an overlapping SMB and certification-ready segment, making it a relevant comparable for CWE's Power Forward-style growth programs.
• U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Women's Business Center Program: The SBA Women's Business Center Program is the federal umbrella under which CWE operates, with ~150 WBCs nationwide. While not a competitor in the traditional sense, it is the broader incumbent ecosystem that defines the standards, funding model, and competitive set CWE operates within.

Emerging players

• Tory Burch Foundation: The Tory Burch Foundation provides capital, education, and community for women entrepreneurs through its Fellows Program and Builder Blog. It targets a more growth-oriented founder segment than CWE but competes for the same women-entrepreneur mind-share, donor dollars, and corporate partnerships.
• Astia: Astia is a nonprofit organization that connects high-growth women-led startups with capital, advisors, and networks. It is comparable to CWE in serving women entrepreneurs through structured programs but focuses on venture-scalable ventures rather than SMBs, making it an adjacent rather than directly competing peer.
• Babson College Center for Women's Entrepreneurial Leadership (CWEL): CWEL at Babson College focuses on research and education to advance women entrepreneurial leadership. It is comparable to CWE in its women-entrepreneurship mission but operates from an academic/research platform rather than a service-delivery model, making it an emerging/complementary player.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/CWETalk
• Facebookfacebook.com/218627
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/center-for-women-&-enterprise
• Instagraminstagram.com/cwetalk
• Xx.com/CWEtalk

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors4 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 Center for Women & Enterprise