Women on Board

What Women on Board does

Women On Boards Project (also operating as WOB Project and W Project) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in February 2020 by Sheryl O'Loughlin, Melissa Facchina, Kara Cissell-Roell, and Cassie Burr. The organization is dedicated to increasing the representation of women on the boards of private consumer companies. It operates as a human-capital matching service, connecting companies seeking diverse board members with qualified women candidates from its network, rather than as a technology platform. As of 2025, it has placed 71 women on for-profit consumer brand boards, with nearly 20% from underrepresented groups and over half serving as first-time board members. Placement destinations include Coca-Cola, Procter & Gamble, Amazon, Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams, Zevia, Sol de Janeiro, Beautycounter, Revlon, and Chomps.

The organization generates revenue through individual donations and corporate sponsorships rather than fees charged to candidates or companies. Donation tiers during Giving Tuesday campaigns range from $50 to $10,000 monthly or one-time, with matching donors tripling contributions. Corporate sponsors receive unlimited board placements, quarterly candidate roundups, and placement playbook support. The most significant disclosed contribution is a $100,000 grant from Madeline Haydon in March 2026 to launch the Madeline Haydon Board Access Initiative and Research Study. The organization operates under fiscal sponsorship from Philanthropic Ventures Foundation, a 501(c)(3) that processes tax-deductible donations at its Oakland, CA address.

The organization serves three interconnected segments: private consumer brands seeking board talent, private equity and venture capital firms with consumer portfolios, and experienced women executives and founders. Its go-to-market combines community-led engagement with direct sales to PE/VC sponsors. At launch in February 2020, it secured simultaneous partnerships with eight consumer-focused PE firms—VMG Partners, L Catterton, Siddhi Capital, Swander Pace Capital, Alliance Consumer Growth, TSG Consumer Partners, Encore Consumer Capital, and CircleUp—with NextWorld joining subsequently. Leadership transitioned in 2025 with Kierstin Rielly becoming CEO, succeeding the founders. The organization maintains earned media presence across Forbes, Fortune, Entrepreneur, the New York Times, and PitchBook, and has grown a LinkedIn following of 10,000+ with 720,521 organic impressions and a 13% engagement rate in 2025.

Name

Women on Board

Legal name

Women On Boards Project

Website

https://wobproject.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Women On Boards Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that places women on boards of private consumer companies, connecting PE/VC firms and consumer brands with qualified women leaders from its 5,000+ member network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: The organization operates as a nonprofit and receives donations from individuals and corporate sponsors. Notable contributions include Madeline Haydon's $100,000 donation to launch the Madeline Haydon Board Access Initiative.
2. Sponsorship Fees: Corporate sponsors provide financial support in exchange for unlimited board placements, quarterly candidate roundups, and placement playbook services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Women on Boards Project is a nonprofit that places qualified women leaders on private consumer company boards through a curated matching service. It serves as an intermediary connecting a vetted network of 5,000+ women executives with consumer brands and their PE/VC sponsors seeking board diversity, providing placement services free of charge to women candidates. The organization is funded primarily by corporate sponsorships and individual donations, operating under the fiscal sponsorship of Philanthropic Ventures Foundation.

Product overview

Women on Boards Project is a nonprofit organization that provides board placement services, connecting companies seeking diverse board members with qualified women candidates. The organization offers a matching platform, community building, coaching services for companies, and data-driven research to advance women in corporate governance. As a nonprofit service organization focused on human capital matching rather than a technology product, it does not operate a software platform with modules, integrations, or AI capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Board Placement Services A curated matching service that places qualified women leaders from the organization's network of 5,000+ executives onto private consumer company boards. Intended for PE/VC firms and consumer companies seeking to fill board seats with vetted, experienced female directors or advisors.
• Corporate Sponsorship Program A partnership offering for PE/VC firms and consumer companies that provides unlimited access to the candidate network, quarterly candidate roundups, and a placement playbook in exchange for financial sponsorship of the nonprofit's mission.
• Community Network Membership Free membership community of 5,000+ women executives, founders, and operators who gain visibility into private-company board opportunities, peer support, and access to the candidate pipeline. Free of charge to join.
• Madeline Haydon Board Access Initiative and Research Study A flagship placement and research initiative launched with anchor donor funding, aimed at placing at least five women as independent directors or advisors through a structured selection process while producing data-driven research on board access.

Quantifiable outcome

• 71 women placed on boards as of 2025
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers13 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

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• ChompscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2022Consumer brand that partnered with Women on Boards Project to fill an open board seat, resulting in placement of Liz who later became President and COO.
• VMG PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2020Leading consumer-focused private equity firm that partnered with Women on Boards Project at launch in 2020 to diversify boards of 20 portfolio brands.
• L CattertoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2020Leading private equity firm that partnered with Women on Boards Project at launch to increase gender diversity on consumer company boards.
• Siddhi CapitalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2020Private equity firm that partnered with Women on Boards Project at launch to diversify consumer brand boards.
• Swander Pace CapitalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2020Consumer-focused investment firm that partnered with Women on Boards Project at launch to diversify portfolio company boards.
• Alliance Consumer GrowthcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2020PE firm that partnered with Women on Boards Project at launch to place women on consumer brand boards.
• TSG Consumer PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2020Investment firm that partnered with Women on Boards Project at launch to increase board diversity in consumer companies.
• Encore Consumer CapitalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2020Consumer-focused investment firm that partnered with Women on Boards Project at launch to diversify boards.
• CircleUpcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2020Consumer investment platform that partnered with Women on Boards Project at launch to increase gender diversity on boards.
• NextWorldcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInvestment firm that has partnered with Women on Boards Project for multiple board placements. NextWorld values the deep network and strong relationships in the consumer space as well as the thoughtful approach to matching talent with opportunities.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• 50/50 Women on Boards: Nonprofit advocating for gender parity on corporate boards through education, research, and direct engagement with public-company boards. Directly comparable mission (women on boards) and nonprofit distribution model, though focused primarily on public-company boards rather than private consumer brands.
• Athena Alliance: Membership-based nonprofit that curates a network of senior women leaders and connects them to corporate board and advisory roles. Closest comparable on the membership-network-plus-board-matching model serving a similar women-executive persona.
• BoardReady (formerly Women in the Boardroom): Nonprofit focused on preparing and placing women on corporate boards via education programs and a curated network. Mirrors the Women on Boards Project mission and member-services approach, including peer workshops and placement support.

Broad incumbents

• Catalyst: Established global nonprofit working to advance women in the workplace through research, consulting, and corporate partnerships. Operates in the same DEI/gender-equity space but addresses workplace inclusion broadly rather than specializing in private-company board placements.
• International Women's Forum (IWF): Global membership organization of senior women leaders across industries and geographies, providing leadership development and networking that often leads to board placements. Comparable women-executive peer network at much broader geographic and industry scale.
• Women's Forum of New York: Invite-only nonprofit bringing together women leaders across sectors to advance gender parity, including board service. Similar high-touch membership-network model, though broader than consumer-specific board placement.

Emerging players

• Parity.org: Nonprofit that helps companies track and improve representation of women and underrepresented groups in leadership. Comparable DEI advocacy and corporate engagement focus, but oriented around measurement and pledges rather than direct board placement.
• Chief: Membership-based private network and community for senior women executives, with growing board and advisory services. Comparable women-executive peer community, positioned as a paid, for-profit model versus Women on Boards Project's nonprofit positioning.

Others

• Heidrick & Struggles: Global executive search firm with a dedicated Board of Directors and Diversity & Inclusion practice that places board members for consumer and other companies. Comparable end service (board placement) but operates as a paid commercial firm, not a nonprofit community.
• Spencer Stuart: Executive search firm with a dedicated Board Practice that recruits diverse directors for consumer and consumer-adjacent companies. Comparable board-placement activity, but as a fee-for-service search firm rather than a nonprofit matching service.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wob-project
• Instagraminstagram.com/womenonboardsproject

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 on Board