Women's Economic Development Council

What Women's Economic Development Council does

The Women's Economic Development Council (WEDC) is a private nonprofit membership organization founded in 1992 and headquartered in Huntsville, Alabama, that exists to champion women as leaders in business and the community. WEDC serves a regional membership of mid-to-senior level female executives, business professionals, and successful businesswomen who engage in mutual mentorship, leadership development, and economic development participation within the North Alabama market. The affiliated WEDC Foundation, established in 1998 as a separate 501(c)(3) charitable organization, provides scholarships, mentoring, and professional development to women pursuing higher education, and has cumulatively empowered over 200 women as of recent reporting (with over 190 scholars as of August 2021).

WEDC's product offering consists of community-based programming rather than technology products. Core offerings include the WEDC Membership Program, the Milestones Program (an 18-month structured mentorship for young professional women under 35), monthly Leadership Development Meetings, an Annual Retreat (2026 edition titled 'Steeped In Sisterhood & Strength'), and the Foundation's annual Women Honoring Women event. Technology infrastructure is limited to a third-party GrowthZone-powered Info Hub member portal providing access to resources, directories, and event registration, plus a public Active Member Directory. There are no proprietary software products, APIs, AI/ML capabilities, or integrations disclosed.

WEDC operates an invitation-only community-led go-to-market model: candidates must be sponsored by one existing member and co-sponsored by another, pay a $50 non-refundable application fee in June, and $250 in annual membership dues in August before induction in September. Revenue derives from these individual membership dues and application fees, supplemented by event sponsorships from a roster of 15+ local Huntsville-area businesses. The organization serves a single regional market (North Alabama / Huntsville-Madison County), has no parent company, no external funding, no M&A history, and is governed independently.

Name

Women's Economic Development Council

Legal name

Women's Economic Development Council

Website

https://wedchsv.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

WEDC is a Huntsville, Alabama-based nonprofit membership organization founded in 1992 that provides leadership development, mentorship, and networking opportunities to mid-to-senior level women business professionals in North Alabama through an invitation-only membership model and affiliated scholarship foundation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Huntsville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues of $250 are required for all members, with new members paying dues in August before induction in September.
2. Application Fees: A $50 non-refundable application fee is required when applying for membership in June.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Women's Economic Development Council (WEDC) is a private, membership-based nonprofit organization in Huntsville, Alabama that provides mid-to-senior level women business professionals with leadership development, mentorship, education, networking, and economic development opportunities. Its primary sellable offering is the WEDC Membership Program, with auxiliary programs including the WEDC Milestones Program for women under 35, the WEDC Foundation scholarship program for women pursuing higher education, monthly Leadership Development Meetings, and an Annual Retreat.

Product overview

The Women's Economic Development Council (WEDC) is a membership-based organization, not a technology product company. Its offerings consist of membership programs, educational initiatives, and events rather than software products. The core offerings include the WEDC Membership Program providing leadership development and networking opportunities, the WEDC Foundation scholarship initiative, and the WEDC Milestones Program for young professionals. Additional offerings include monthly Leadership Development Meetings, an Annual Retreat, the Info Hub member portal, and an Active Member Directory. These programs work together to fulfill WEDC's mission of providing women with opportunities for leadership and economic development through education, mentorship, and strategic connections.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• WEDC Membership Program Invitation-only annual membership for mid-to-senior level female executives, business professionals, and successful businesswomen in North Alabama, providing leadership development, mentorship, education, strategic networking, and economic development engagement.
• WEDC Milestones Program Structured 18-month mentorship and leadership development program for women under 35 in early-to-mid career stages, including monthly sessions, peer-to-peer mentoring, and community service, serving as a pipeline to full WEDC membership eligibility.
• Leadership Development Meetings Monthly in-person educational meetings for WEDC members covering leadership development, networking, and professional growth topics.
• Annual WEDC Retreat Annual multi-day member retreat featuring leadership development, networking, and community building activities.
• WEDC Foundation Scholarship Program Charitable scholarship program offering financial assistance, mentoring, and professional development to women pursuing higher education in North Alabama, administered through the affiliated WEDC Foundation 501(c)(3).
• Women Honoring Women Event Annual Foundation-hosted event honoring women who have made significant contributions to the North Alabama community.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 200 women empowered since 1998 through the WEDC Foundation
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• WEDC FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe WEDC Foundation was established in 1998 by the Women's Economic Development Council as a separate 501(c)(3) charitable organization. WEDC is a vital supporter of the WEDC Foundation through mentoring scholars and providing financial and volunteer support of Foundation programs. The Foundation's mission is to empower women in North Alabama to achieve their dreams through investing in higher education via mentoring, financial assistance, and professional development.
• Huntsville Madison County Chamber of CommerceminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWEDC maintains active membership in the Huntsville Madison County Chamber of Commerce as a member organization.
• Leadership Greater HuntsvilleminorOthersEvent sponsor for WEDC programs and gatherings.
• Gone For Good HuntsvilleminorOthersEvent sponsor for WEDC programs and gatherings.
• Flourish Consulting HuntsvilleminorOthersEvent sponsor for WEDC programs and gatherings.
• The Square Foot Huntsville Group at KW CommercialminorOthersEvent sponsor for WEDC programs and gatherings.
• Windham Luxury TravelminorOthersEvent sponsor for WEDC programs and gatherings.
• V. Renee ConsultingminorOthersEvent sponsor for WEDC programs and gatherings.
• Rocket City HRminorOthersEvent sponsor for WEDC programs and gatherings.
• The Cove Telehealth for WomenminorOthersEvent sponsor for WEDC programs and gatherings.
• Insight Strategic SolutionsminorOthersEvent sponsor for WEDC programs and gatherings.
• Huntsville HubminorOthersEvent sponsor for WEDC programs and gatherings.
• Huntsville UtilitiesminorOthersEvent sponsor for WEDC programs and gatherings.
• Drake StateminorOthersEvent sponsor for WEDC programs and gatherings.
• Essential Wellness InstituteminorOthersEvent sponsor for WEDC programs and gatherings.
• First BankminorOthersEvent sponsor for WEDC programs and gatherings.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Women's Presidents Organization (WPO): Peer-to-peer membership organization for women business owners and presidents generating $2M+ in revenue. Comparable as a curated, membership-based women's leadership organization with structured chapter meetings and peer accountability.
• American Business Women's Association (ABWA): National membership association for working women focused on professional development, leadership, and networking through local chapters. Most directly comparable to WEDC in mission, structure (chapter-based), and member-driven programming.
• Chief: Private membership network for senior women executives and C-suite leaders offering peer groups, events, and content. Comparable to WEDC's mid-to-senior level executive focus, though serving a more senior national cohort at a higher price point.
• Ellevate Network: Global professional women's network offering membership, mentorship circles, and events. Closely comparable to WEDC in member value proposition (mentorship, networking, leadership) though at much larger scale and digital-first.

Emerging players

• Female Founder Collective: Non-profit network of women business owners and entrepreneurs focused on community and resources. Comparable as a membership-oriented women's professional/entrepreneurial community, though more digitally native and less geographically anchored than WEDC.
• Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP): National nonpartisan organization advocating for women business owners through collective action, education, and mentorship. Comparable in mission alignment with women's economic empowerment, though with a stronger policy-advocacy tilt than WEDC.

Broad incumbents

• Junior League: National women's volunteer and leadership development nonprofit with local chapters focused on community impact and training. Comparable as a women's membership-based leadership and community service organization with local chapters and member-driven programming.
• National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO): National dues-paying membership organization for women business owners with local chapters across the U.S. Comparable in mission (women's economic development and business leadership) and chapter-based delivery, though operating at significantly larger national scale.

Regional players

• Leadership Greater Huntsville: Huntsville-area nonprofit developing community leaders through cohort programs. Comparable as a regional leadership-development nonprofit serving the same Huntsville/North Alabama geography and overlapping in member/donor pools with WEDC.

Others

• Huntsville Madison County Chamber of Commerce: Regional chamber of commerce of which WEDC is a member. Comparable as a Huntsville-based professional/business community organization, though broader in scope (all businesses, not specifically women) and not a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/wedchsv
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wedchuntsville
• Instagraminstagram.com/wedchsv
• Xx.com/wedchsv

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

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's Economic Development Council