Women's Business Development Center

What Women's Business Development Center does

The Women's Business Development Center (WBDC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit business development organization founded in 1986 in Chicago, Illinois, and operating seven offices across the Midwest (Chicago, Aurora, Peoria, Kansas City, Milwaukee, St. Louis, and Twin Cities) with WBE certification coverage spanning nine states (Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin). Its mission is to support business development and growth for women entrepreneurs and, more broadly, all business owners through three integrated service pillars: Coaching/Curricula (one-on-one advising, cohort-based programs such as Plan for Profit, ScaleUp, ScaleHigher, and Financial Bootcamp, plus on-demand courses on the Litmos LMS), Contracts/Certification (WBE certification via WBENC, Illinois APEX Accelerator for government contracting, and corporate procurement matchmaking), and Capital (financial education, debt and equity placement, a Direct Lending Program, and Kiva 0% interest microloans of $1,000–$15,000). WBDC is the largest WBENC Regional Partner Organization and operates an SBA-funded Women's Business Center and SBDC network.

WBDC does not sell a technology product; its core "technology" is its service delivery infrastructure, including the Litmos Learning Management System for digital learning, the WBENCLink certification portal, Zoom-based virtual programming, and integrations with Kiva's microlending platform. It does not hold patents or proprietary software, and AI capability is limited to teaching third-party generative AI tools (ChatGPT, Gemini, CoPilot) to small business owners.

WBDC is funded through a hybrid nonprofit model: government cooperative agreements (SBA, Illinois Department of Commerce, Cook County), corporate and foundation grants (Bank of America, BMO, CME Group Foundation, Polk Bros Foundation, Boundless Futures Foundation), individual donations, nominal cohort program fees (Plan for Profit at $99, RiseUp childcare cohort at $60), and WBE certification application fees tiered from $350 to $1,250 based on applicant revenue. Most services are offered at no cost. FY2025 operating metrics include 4,936 clients served, 7,753 advising hours delivered, 2,586 WBE certifications issued, $7.4 million in debt and equity placed, $37.1 million in contracts awarded to client businesses, and 586 jobs created or retained. Leadership transitioned in 2025 to Erica Kuhlmann, a 30-year BMO Financial Group veteran, succeeding Emilia DiMenco (2013–2025) and founders Hedy Ratner and Carol Dougal (1986–2013).

Name

Women's Business Development Center

Legal name

Women's Business Development Center

Website

https://wbdc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Women's Business Development Center is a Chicago-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides coaching, WBE certification, capital access, and government contracting assistance to women entrepreneurs across a seven-office, nine-state Midwest footprint.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Small Business Development Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392), Business and Secretarial Schools (61141)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Apprenticeships, Pre-Apprenticeships & Work-Based Learning (EDAAAOAC)

Keywords

• Women business development
• Small business training
• WBE certification services
• Government contracting assistance
• Entrepreneur coaching programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Individual and corporate donations support WBDC's mission to empower women entrepreneurs. The organization maintains Platinum rating from Candid and 4-star Charity Navigator rating, indicating strong donor support.
2. Government Grants and Funding: WBDC receives funding from SBA (Small Business Administration), Illinois Department of Commerce, Cook County, and other government entities to operate Women's Business Centers and SBDC programs.
3. Certification Application Fees: WBDC charges fees for WBE (Women Business Enterprise) certification processing ranging from $350 to $1,250 based on company revenue size, with scholarship options available for smaller businesses.
4. Program Fees: Some cohort programs charge nominal fees: Plan for Profit ($99), RiseUp childcare program ($60), while many programs like ScaleUp, Financial Bootcamp, and eCommerce are offered at no fee.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Women's Business Development Center (WBDC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1986 that provides business development services to women entrepreneurs. Its offerings include one-on-one business coaching, Women Business Enterprise (WBE) certification, government contracting support via the Illinois APEX Accelerator, microlending access through the Kiva platform, and a portfolio of cohort learning programs for startup, established, and childcare business owners.

Product overview

The Women's Business Development Center (WBDC) operates as a multi-service business development platform offering a comprehensive suite of programs for women entrepreneurs. The organization provides three interconnected service pillars: Coaching/Curricula (including cohort-based learning), Contracts/Certification (WBE certification and government/corporate contracting), and Capital access services. The core product portfolio includes Startup & Emerging Business Services, Established Business Services, Childcare Business Program, Government Contracting Services via the Illinois APEX Accelerator, WBE Certification through WBENC, Corporate Contracting support, and Access to Capital including direct lending and Kiva microlending. Supporting educational offerings include Digital Learning via Litmos LMS, The Growth Lab advisory series, and various podcasts. The organization also hosts signature events and the WBENCPitch competition. The WBDC serves a nine-state region across the Midwest with seven offices.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Startup & Emerging Business Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 118,000+ entrepreneurs helped achieve economic self-sufficiency since 1986
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

AI capability2 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (University of Chicago)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 January 2026Partnership with University of Chicago's Polsky Center delivers the Small Business Financial Fundamentals program as part of the Capital College initiative. The 10-week program provides entrepreneurs with training in financial reporting, projections, and lender-ready documentation at no cost to participants.
• South East Chicago CommissionsupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 January 2026Partner in the Capital College initiative delivering Small Business Financial Fundamentals program to Chicago entrepreneurs.
• LISC (Local Initiatives Support Corporation)supportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 January 2026Community development financial institution partner in Capital College initiative supporting small business financial education.
• Illinois APEX AcceleratorcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWBDC houses the Illinois APEX Accelerator (formerly PTAC), providing free counseling and assistance to small businesses seeking government contracts at city, county, state, and federal levels.
• WBENC (Women's Business Enterprise National Council)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWBDC is WBENC's largest Regional Partner Organization (RPO), certifying women-owned businesses across nine states. WBENC is the nation's largest third-party certifier of women-owned businesses.
• Cook County Small Business SourcesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Cook County government to provide advising sessions through the Small Business Assistance Program.
• Allina HealthsupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCorporate partner participating in WBDC procurement events and sourcing women-owned businesses for supplier diversity.
• EcolabsupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCorporate partner in WBDC Virtual Corporate Connections events, seeking women-owned suppliers.
• TargetsupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCorporate partner participating in procurement events and supplier diversity programs with WBDC.
• Ulta BeautysupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCorporate partner in WBDC procurement programs seeking women-owned business suppliers.
• US BanksupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCorporate partner participating in WBDC Virtual Corporate Connections and supplier diversity initiatives.
• KivacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKiva is a social lending platform providing 0% interest microloans from $1,000 to $15,000. WBDC serves as a Kiva trustee, helping entrepreneurs access this first rung on the capital ladder.
• Chicago Minority Supplier Development CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWBDC board member Debra Jennings-Johnson serves as President/CEO. Organizations collaborate on minority and women business enterprise development.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• SCORE: SCORE is a nonprofit network providing free business mentoring, education, and resources to small business owners across the U.S., funded by the SBA. Direct peer to WBDC's coaching and advising services for entrepreneurs, though SCORE serves all demographics while WBDC focuses on women.
• Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses: Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses is a no-cost business education and capital access program for small business owners. Directly comparable to WBDC's cohort-based learning and access to capital programs, with deeper corporate funding but no certification or geographic specialization.
• National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO): NAWBO is the largest membership organization for women business owners in the U.S., advocating for women entrepreneurs and providing networking, education, and resources. Comparable to WBDC's women-focused mission and advocacy, though NAWBO is membership-driven while WBDC delivers direct program services.
• AEO (Association for Enterprise Opportunity): AEO is a national nonprofit association of mission-driven micro- and small-business lenders, developers, and educators serving underserved entrepreneurs. Comparable to WBDC's mission of supporting under-resourced entrepreneurs with capital access and capacity-building programming.

Emerging players

• Springboard Enterprises: Springboard Enterprises accelerates high-growth companies led by women through advisory, networking, and capital access. Comparable women-entrepreneur focus, though it targets scalable ventures rather than the small/mainstreet business segment WBDC primarily serves.
• Tory Burch Foundation: Tory Burch Foundation supports women entrepreneurs through education (including a Codeathon-style Fellows program at Babson) and capital access. Comparable women-focused mission and capital programming, with smaller scale and narrower geographic focus than WBDC.
• Bunker Labs: Bunker Labs is a nonprofit supporting military veteran entrepreneurs through education, mentorship, and capital access. Comparable mission-driven small business development model to WBDC, though focused on a different demographic (veterans vs. women).

Regional players

• Accion Serving Chicago & the Upper Midwest: Accion is a CDFI providing small business loans, advisory, and education to underserved entrepreneurs in Chicago and surrounding regions. Comparable regional small business development and capital access programming, overlapping WBDC's Chicago/Midwest footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/wbdc1
• Facebookfacebook.com/wbdc.chicago
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/women's-business-development-center-chicago
• Xx.com/wbdc

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 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 Women's Business Development Center