Women for Economic and Leadership Development

What Women for Economic and Leadership Development does

Women for Economic and Leadership Development (WELD) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2003 in Columbus, Ohio and headquartered in Westerville, Ohio. Its mission is to develop and advance women's leadership to strengthen the economic prosperity of the communities it serves. WELD operates a national membership-based leadership development platform structured around a network of physical chapters — Columbus, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Charleston, and Southern Ohio — supplemented by a virtual e-Chapter for members outside a 50-mile radius of any physical chapter, and operates with a lean staff of 1-10 employees supplemented by a volunteer base.

The organization's product portfolio combines signature events, structured training programs, and ongoing member programming. Core products include the Tell It Like It Is Thursday® monthly webinar series, the National Leadership Conference held at Otterbein University, Corporate Board Training and Government Boards & Commissions Training programs, the Emerging Professionals' Series and Executive Women's Series, the WELD Pathway to Management Program (including a Women of Color cohort), the annual Women WELDing the Way® Calendar and Reception, and the Building Community Bridges scholarship initiative. The technology backbone is the YourMembership.com association management software platform, which powers website functionality, member registration, event ticketing, email communications, and member directories; webinars run on Zoom and feedback collection uses SurveyMonkey.

WELD's revenue model is diversified across five streams: tiered membership dues ($29 student to $10,000 Platinum corporate, with individual, business, e-membership, and corporate tiers), event registration fees ($25-$150 per attendee), corporate sponsorships at multiple levels, tax-deductible donations and foundation grants (including The Columbus Foundation), and unit sales of the annual calendar at $12 each. Customer segments span individual women professionals and executives, women entrepreneurs, emerging professionals, women pursuing government and corporate board positions, and corporate employers purchasing memberships for employee leadership development — with named enterprise members including PNC, OhioHealth, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, American Electric Power, Vorys Sater Seymour and Pease LLP, Appalachian Power, and Synthomer.

Name

Women for Economic and Leadership Development

Legal name

Women for Economic and Leadership Development

Website

https://weldusa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Women for Economic and Leadership Development is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating a national membership-based leadership development platform for women professionals, delivering webinars, corporate board training, and signature events through physical chapters and a virtual e-Chapter.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Westerville

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, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: WELD generates primary revenue from individual, business, and corporate membership dues at various price points ranging from $29 (student) to $10,000 (Platinum corporate e-chapter). Membership provides access to programs, events, and networking opportunities.
2. Event Registration Fees: Revenue from registration fees for signature events including Keynote events ($75-$150 per person), Leadership Series events ($25-$50), and Corporate Board Training programs ($50-$60). Chapter fundraiser events also generate registration revenue.
3. Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorships at various levels for events including Signature Event Sponsorships, Calendar Page Sponsorships, Table Level Sponsorships, and general chapter event sponsorships. Sponsors receive visibility and marketing benefits.
4. Donations and Grants: WELD accepts donations to fund scholarships through the Building Community Bridges program. The organization also receives grants from foundations such as The Columbus Foundation. Donations are tax-deductible as WELD is a 501(c)(3) organization.
5. Calendar Sales: Sale of the annual Women WELDing the Way Calendar at $12 each, featuring 12 honorees recognized for leadership contributions. This is both a revenue stream and awareness-building initiative.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

WELD is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization that develops and advances women's leadership through chapter-based programs, signature events, webinars, and corporate board training. It sells tiered memberships (Individual, Business, Corporate, and E-Chapter) and runs events such as the National Leadership Conference, Keynote events, and the Women WELDing the Way Calendar Reception. The organization operates across physical chapters in Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Oklahoma and a national virtual e-Chapter.

Product overview

WELD (Women for Economic and Leadership Development) is a 501(c)(3) national nonprofit organization that operates as a membership-based platform offering leadership development programs, signature events, and professional networking opportunities. The organization functions as a multi-tiered membership platform with chapter-based structure including Classic Chapters (in-person), E-Chapters (virtual), and Collegiate Chapters. Core offerings include the Tell It Like It Is Thursday® monthly webinar series, Corporate Board Training, Government Boards & Commissions Training, and Pathway to Management Programs. Signature events include the annual National Leadership Conference, WELD Keynote events, and the Women WELDing the Way® Calendar Reception. Membership tiers range from Individual ($150/year) to Corporate partnerships, with E-Chapter options ($75/year) for those outside physical chapter areas. The platform is powered by YourMembership.com association management software providing member portal, event registration, and communications capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Tell It Like It Is Thursday®: A national webinar series open to both members and non-members providing leadership skill building opportunities.
• Women WELDing the Way®
• Rosie's Roundtables
• WELD Pathway to Management Program
• WELD Riveter Donor Circles

Products and services

• Individual Membership Annual $150 membership (with senior and student discounts) for individual women providing access to in-person chapter events, free Tell It Like It Is Thursday webinars, members-only programs, and chapter directory access.
• Business Membership Annual $199 membership providing membership privileges for 2 individuals from the same company, including free webinar registration for both named members.
• Corporate Membership Program Corporate membership program with Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum tiers ranging from $2,000 to $10,000 annually, providing 5-30 individual memberships, Executive Women's Series invitations, webinar access, job postings, and website logo placement.
• E-Chapter Membership Annual $75 virtual membership for individuals outside the 50-mile radius of classic chapters, providing free monthly E-Chapter webinars, discounted regular webinars, virtual networking events, and free July TILI Thursday access.
• Tell It Like It Is Thursday Webinar Series National monthly webinar program open to both members and non-members, providing leadership skill-building while connecting women across the country. Corporate members receive free access for named employees.
• WELD National Leadership Conference Annual signature conference hosted at Otterbein University in June, offering breakout sessions and networking for emerging professionals, mid-career leaders, executives, and entrepreneurs.
• Corporate Board Training Program Training program equipping executive women with information and connections needed to secure corporate board seats, including the C-Suite Corporate Board Training webinar series.
• Government Boards & Commissions Training Training program providing women with information and guidance on how to apply for government boards and commissions positions to advance women to leadership tables.
• Emerging Professionals' Series Career acceleration programming for emerging professionals offering access to industry disruptors, mentorship from seasoned leaders, and peer community, including Rosie's Roundtables mentoring circles in the Columbus market.
• Executive Women's Series Invitation-only forum for senior leaders including corporate executives, professional services partners, and governmental leaders, focused on the unique development needs of women at the summit of their careers.
• WELD Keynote Events Chapter-level premier events bringing nationally known speakers and leaders to advance dialogue around women's issues, attracting 700+ attendees annually in larger chapters.
• Women WELDing the Way Calendar and Reception Annual calendar program honoring 12 women making a positive impact on economic and leadership development of women, showcased in a calendar and unveiled at elegant reception events.
• WELD Pathway to Management Program Six-part member and corporate-member-only program taking cohorts through core areas building leadership efficacy for manager roles, including a specific program for Women of Color.
• Building Community Bridges Scholarship Program Scholarship program donating access to WELD programs to women striving toward economic independence, partnering with local non-profit organizations to remove financial barriers to participation.

Quantifiable outcome

• 53% increase in return on equity when 3 or more women are on a corporate board
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 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

Four partnerships are on record, tiered significant and core.

• The Columbus FoundationsignificantStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Columbus Foundation has renewed and doubled its grant to support WELD's leadership program. This foundation grant supports the organization's programming and scholarship initiatives in the Columbus region.
• Otterbein UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOtterbein University hosts WELD's annual National Leadership Conference at its campus. The partnership provides a venue for the organization's flagship annual event and academic collaboration.
• YourMembership.comcoreTechnology or IntegrationYourMembership.com provides association management software powering the WELD website, membership management, event registration, email marketing, and member communications. This is the core technology platform for operations.
• YourMembership.comcoreTechnology or IntegrationYourMembership.com has been a provider of online community software, membership software, and association management software since 1998, powering WELD's digital infrastructure.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Forté Foundation: Nonprofit consortium launching women into business leadership via MBA programs and corporate partners—comparable to WELD on corporate partnerships and women-leader pipeline focus.
• Lean In: Nonprofit running Lean In Circles, communities, and corporate partnerships to support women's leadership—an analogous peer in audience, peer-led education, and corporate engagement.
• International Women's Forum (IWF): Global membership organization of accomplished women leaders with chapters, leadership forums, and corporate board initiatives—comparable in mission, structure, and target executive audience.
• Catalyst: Global nonprofit that works with companies to advance women into leadership through research, corporate advisory, and MARC-style programs—closely aligned with WELD's corporate board training and Executive Women's Series.
• National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO): National 501(c)(6) nonprofit advancing women business owners through chapters, networking, and leadership programming—directly comparable to WELD's women-leader membership model.
• American Association of University Women (AAUW): Long-standing nonprofit advancing women through education, leadership programs, and advocacy—analogous in nonprofit mission, programming breadth, and member/donor revenue mix.

Others

• Women's Funding Network: Network of women's foundations and gender-equity funders—relevant as a peer through foundation grant flows similar to WELD's Columbus Foundation relationship, rather than direct programming competition.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/weld_national
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/weldoh
• Facebookfacebook.com/WELDNational
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/weld-national

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 for Economic and Leadership Development