The Society for Women’s Health Research

What The Society for Women’s Health Research does

The Society for Women's Health Research (SWHR) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1990 and headquartered in Washington, DC. Its mission is to advance women's health through research, policy advocacy, and education, with a particular focus on biological sex differences in disease and conditions that disproportionately, differently, or exclusively affect women. SWHR operates as a convening and advocacy body rather than a product company; its core offerings include 28 health focus area programs (spanning menopause, endometriosis, PCOS, migraine, heart health, autoimmune diseases, Alzheimer's, and more), the Women's Health Dashboard data platform, the Women's Health Equity Initiative, the Women's Health Research Agenda, a Policy Advisory Council with quarterly closed-door meetings, educational fact sheets, the Women's Health Perspectives patient storytelling initiative, and events such as the Annual Awards Gala.

SWHR serves four primary audiences: healthcare providers and researchers seeking sex-specific clinical data, federal and state policymakers, patients and caregivers, and industry partners including pharmaceutical and medical device companies. Its revenue is generated through donations, grants, corporate sponsorships (with SWHR retaining editorial independence), event revenue, and partnerships. Named corporate supporters include Abbott (PCOS program) and Novo Nordisk (obesity program). Recent strategic moves include a 2026 national partnership with The Fuchsia Tent on "Menopause at Work," a 2026 Yale co-hosted symposium on accelerating women's health research, joint advocacy with the Organization for the Study of Sex Differences for FDA updates to menopausal hormone therapy drug labels, and supporter status in the Women's Health Fund founded by former Bayer CDO Jessica Federer. The organization is led by President and CEO Kathryn G. Schubert, who has held the role since April 2020, alongside a Chief Science Officer (Dr. Irene Aninye) and a small staff of 11-50 employees.

Name

The Society for Women’s Health Research

Legal name

Society for Women's Health Research

Website

https://swhr.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Society for Women's Health Research is a 35-year-old Washington, DC-based nonprofit that advances women's health through research, policy advocacy, and education across 28 health focus areas, serving healthcare providers, policymakers, patients and caregivers, and industry partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Women's Health Research and Advocacy

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Disease-Specific Research & Support (e.g., Cancer, Diabetes, ALS) (BPAGACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Menopause & Midlife Women’s Health (HLAKAJAH), Health Equity, SDOH & Disparities Measurement (HLAJANAJ), Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) & Equity Measurement (HLAJAJAI), Real-World Data (RWD) / Real-World Evidence (RWE) & Observational Research Platforms (HLACAOAM)

Keywords

• Women's health research
• Sex differences research
• Health policy advocacy
• Women's health education
• Health equity programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, SWHR relies on donations, contributions, and sponsorships from supporters, partners, and the public to fund its programs, research initiatives, and advocacy efforts.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Society for Women's Health Research (SWHR) is a nonprofit organization that advances women's health through science, policy, and education, with a focus on biological sex differences in disease. It delivers research-driven programs across 28 health focus areas, produces educational resources and fact sheets, convenes stakeholders through its Policy Advisory Council, and runs policy advocacy and patient storytelling initiatives. Resources and programs are provided free of charge to healthcare providers, researchers, policymakers, patients, and industry partners.

Product overview

The Society for Women's Health Research (SWHR) operates as a non-profit advocacy organization rather than a traditional product company. Its offerings consist of research programs, educational resources, and advocacy tools organized around women's health. The core portfolio includes the Women's Health Dashboard platform for data exploration, the Women's Health Equity Initiative for health statistics, and a comprehensive Health Focus Areas program covering 28 condition areas. Supporting offerings include the Women's Health Perspectives storytelling initiative, policy advisory services through the Policy Advisory Council, educational fact sheets on conditions like PCOS/PMOS and obesity, and the Menopause Workplace Resource Guides. The organization also hosts the annual SWHR Awards Gala and quarterly Policy Advisory Council meetings. The Women's Health Dashboard serves as the primary data exploration platform, complemented by 28 specialized health focus area programs addressing conditions from Alopecia to Vaccines, while educational resources and advocacy programs provide the supporting framework for the organization's mission to close the gender health gap.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Menopause at Work: From Echo Chamber to Mainstream Practice: A national research partnership between SWHR and The Fuchsia Tent to study menopause's impact on the U.S. workforce.

Products and services

• Women's Health Dashboard Interactive platform that enables users to explore the latest national and state data on diseases and health conditions that have significant impacts on women's health across the lifespan. Intended for healthcare providers, researchers, policymakers, and the public.
• Women's Health Equity Initiative Initiative that highlights statistics on women's health in the United States and engages communities on solutions to improve health equity across multiple disease states, conditions, and life stages.
• Women's Health Research Agenda Strategic research agenda that identifies and prioritizes scientific knowledge and policy gaps to advance women's health care and research.
• Health Focus Areas Program Comprehensive program covering 28 health focus areas including Alzheimer's Disease, Autoimmune Diseases, Bone Health, Endometriosis, Fertility, Heart Health, Menopause, Migraine, Obesity, PCOS, Sleep Health, Uterine Fibroids, and more, addressing diseases and conditions that differently, disproportionately, or exclusively affect women.
• Policy Advisory Council Forum for industry, nonprofit, and other healthcare stakeholders to partner with SWHR to support emerging scientific research and public policy that improves women's health, with quarterly closed-door meetings to develop policy positions and promote research.
• Women's Health Perspectives Storytelling initiative that collects firsthand accounts from patients and caregivers about their personal healthcare experiences to educate and inform other women and healthcare decision makers.
• SWHR Annual Awards Gala Annual event recognizing individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to advancing women's health research and advocacy.

Quantifiable outcome

• Research estimates that making midlife women's health visible in employer data could save U.S. companies $26.6 billion annually (in partnership with The Fuchsia Tent)

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Women's Health Research at YalecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 June 2026SWHR and Women's Health Research at Yale co-hosted the collaborative symposium 'From Discovery to Impact: Accelerating Women's Health Research Through Science, Policy, and Investment' on June 15, 2026 in New Haven, CT. The day-long event brought together researchers, policymakers, funders, and industry leaders to accelerate women's health research.
• The Fuchsia TentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 February 2026SWHR and The Fuchsia Tent announced a national research partnership called 'Menopause at Work: From Echo Chamber to Mainstream Practice' to study menopause's impact on the U.S. workforce. The initiative will survey working women experiencing menopause alongside CHROs, CFOs, benefits consultants, and policy stakeholders to produce actionable guidance for employers and policymakers. Research findings are expected to be released in fall 2026 during Menopause Awareness Month.
• Organization for the Study of Sex Differences (OSSD)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 January 2026OSSD and SWHR have jointly advocated for the FDA to update menopausal hormone therapy drug labels to reflect sex-specific data, arguing that current labeling practices inadequately address women's unique pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic responses. The advocacy groups published a landmark report urging broader application of sex-informed drug labeling across medications.
• AbbottminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 17 May 2024Abbott provided sponsorship support for SWHR's PCOS educational program. SWHR maintains independence and editorial control over program development and content.
• Novo NordiskminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 10 April 2024Novo Nordisk provided support for SWHR's obesity educational program. SWHR maintains independence and editorial control over program development and content.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• American Heart Association (Go Red for Women): The American Heart Association's Go Red for Women initiative is a flagship women's health advocacy and research platform focused on cardiovascular disease in women, which overlaps directly with SWHR's heart health focus area and women's health policy engagement. Both operate as national nonprofits convening researchers, clinicians, and industry around women's cardiovascular outcomes.
• Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine: SMFM is a nonprofit professional society focused on research, education, and advocacy in maternal-fetal medicine, closely aligned with SWHR's work on maternal and infant health disparities, clinical trials in pregnancy, and inclusion of pregnant populations in research. CEO Kathryn Schubert previously served as SMFM's chief advocacy officer, evidencing direct operational overlap.
• Black Women's Health Imperative: BWHI is a national nonprofit dedicated to advancing health equity and well-being for Black women, directly comparable to SWHR's Women's Health Equity Initiative and broader sex-differences research agenda. Both organizations address research gaps, policy advocacy, and community engagement in women's health.
• Susan G. Komen: Komen is one of the largest U.S. nonprofits funding breast cancer research and advocacy, serving as a peer model for disease-specific women's health fundraising, policy engagement, and community education. SWHR's research agenda on sex differences in cancer overlaps with Komen's mission to address women's cancer outcomes.
• Endometriosis Foundation of America: The Endometriosis Foundation of America is a leading nonprofit focused on endometriosis awareness, research, and education, one of SWHR's named 28 health focus areas. Both organizations convene researchers and advocate for policy change around underdiagnosed women's health conditions.
• Women's Health Research at Yale: Yale's Women's Health Research initiative conducts interdisciplinary research on sex differences in health and disease and is a current SWHR strategic partner (co-hosting the June 2026 symposium). It is directly comparable as an academic-convening peer with shared research agenda and policy ambitions.
• National Breast Cancer Foundation: NBCF is a national nonprofit providing education, early detection, and patient navigation for breast cancer, serving a comparable audience of patients, researchers, and policymakers. Both organizations combine educational resources, research advocacy, and awareness campaigns targeting women's health outcomes.

Peers

• Women's Health Access Matters (WHAM): WHAM is a nonprofit focused on accelerating research and investment in women's health, with a portfolio model for funding women's health research and a strong data and policy arm. Both organizations publish research agendas, produce data-driven women's health reports, and engage funders, making WHAM a directly comparable peer in advocacy-and-data-led women's health work.

Broad incumbents

• Planned Parenthood Federation of America: Planned Parenthood is a much larger, established women's health nonprofit with a broad service-and-advocacy portfolio that includes reproductive and sexual health. While SWHR focuses on research and policy rather than clinical services, both compete for donor mindshare in the women's health advocacy space.

Others

• Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM): SAEM is a professional society advancing emergency medicine research and education, recognized in 2026 for its Advancement of Women in Academic Emergency Medicine award tied to SWHR-affiliated research. It is adjacent rather than directly competing, but its women's health research overlaps with SWHR's clinical trials and sex-differences agenda.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/swhr
• Facebookfacebook.com/swhr2013
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/society-for-women's-health-research-swhr
• Instagraminstagram.com/swhr_official

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The Society for Women’s Health Research