AWIS

What AWIS does

AWIS (Association for Women in Science) is a Washington, DC-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1971, operating as a national membership association advancing women across all STEM disciplines and employment sectors. The organization serves a community of 7,000+ members through four membership tiers — Student ($35/yr), Early Career ($59/yr), Full Industry ($149/yr), and Academia — with identical benefits regardless of tier, including access to a Career Center featuring a skills-based matching technology called Skills Locker, an online member community with forums and private messaging, monthly professional development webinars (What's Next series), an award-winning quarterly AWIS Magazine, and 27 volunteer-led local chapters across more than 20 US states. Beyond membership, AWIS operates a portfolio of scholarship programs (undergraduate, doctoral research, career re-entry, first-generation college student, Bridge Grant, and Caregiver Advancement), an annual awards program (Spark, Meridian, Zenith), advocacy initiatives spanning anti-harassment, anti-racism, caregiving, Title IX, federal science funding, and DEI curricula, plus a Speaker's Bureau and content hub (The Nucleus).

Revenue is generated through four streams: annual membership dues, corporate partnerships and sponsorships (with named partners including AstraZeneca, Bristol Myers Squibb, Merck, Genentech, BioMarin, Battelle, Lockheed Martin, Salesforce, Shimadzu, Allen Institute, and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute), individual donations and planned giving (including stock gifts and donor-advised funds), and advertising/sponsorship in AWIS Magazine and events. Distribution is primarily self-serve via the website and member portal (memberclicks.net platform) supplemented by local chapters and direct enterprise sales for corporate partnership packages. Headcount is reported as 1–10, indicating a lean national staff supported by a volunteer-led chapter infrastructure, with governance via a board of directors chaired by Isabel Escobar, PhD, and operational leadership including a Chief Business Development Officer (Cindy/Cynthia Simpson), Chief Operations Officer (Meredith Gibson), and President (Meike Herget, with Bahija Jallal as President of the Board of Directors).

Name

AWIS

Legal name

Association for Women in Science

Website

https://awis.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

AWIS (Association for Women in Science) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1971 that operates a national membership association of 7,000+ members across all STEM disciplines, offering tiered memberships, scholarships, awards, advocacy programs, and 27 volunteer-led US chapters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Membership Association (STEM Advocacy)

NAICS

Professional Organizations (813920), Business Associations (813910), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits (BPAGADAE)

Keywords

• Women in STEM
• STEM professional network
• Membership association
• STEM scholarship program
• STEM career resources

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

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, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership subscriptions at tiered pricing based on career stage: Student ($35), Early Career ($59), and Full Membership ($149). All members receive the same benefits.
2. Corporate Partnerships and Sponsorships: Corporate partners provide financial support in exchange for access to talent pipeline, recruitment services, and association with AWIS brand for DEI positioning
3. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Individual donations, planned giving, stock gifts, and donor-advised fund contributions supporting the mission of advancing women in STEM
4. Advertising and Sponsorship: Organizations can advertise in AWIS Magazine and sponsor events, webinars, and programs

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

AWIS is a national nonprofit membership association that sells tiered annual memberships (Student $35, Early Career $59, Full/Industry $149) to women in STEM, granting access to an online community, career center, scholarships, advocacy programs, awards, and a network of 27 local chapters. The organization supplements membership dues with corporate partnerships, donations, and advertising to fund STEM equity programs including scholarships, the Spark/Meridian/Zenith awards, and policy advocacy.

Product overview

AWIS (Association for Women in Science) is a membership-based organization offering a comprehensive ecosystem of programs and services to advance women in STEM. The core offering is its multi-tiered membership program (Student, Early Career, Industry, and Academia) providing networking, professional development, career resources, and advocacy. Supporting products include the AWIS Magazine (award-winning quarterly publication), the AWIS Career Center (skills-based job matching platform), What's Next Webinar Series (monthly professional development), and the Online Member Community. The organization also operates a Scholarship Program (undergraduate, doctoral, and career re-entry), Annual Awards (Spark, Meridian, and Zenith), a network of 27 local Chapters, Advocacy Programs on key STEM equity issues, a Speaker's Bureau, and The Nucleus content hub. The AWIS Loyalty Circle recognizes long-term members with 40+ years of membership.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• AWIS Membership Program Tiered annual membership program for women in STEM offering networking, professional development, career resources, advocacy, scholarships, awards eligibility, and community access across four career-stage tiers (Student, Early Career, Industry, Academia).
• AWIS Magazine Award-winning quarterly digital publication featuring editorial content about women's contributions to science, careers, and society; available to AWIS members and advertisers.
• AWIS Career Center Online career center and job board featuring Skills Locker skills-based matching technology that connects STEM job seekers with roles at organizations committed to inclusive workplaces; serves both job seekers and employer recruiters.
• What's Next Webinar Series Monthly professional development webinar series featuring thought leaders covering timely topics in STEM career advancement, leadership, and workplace issues; available to AWIS members.
• AWIS Chapters Network Network of 27 volunteer-led local chapters across 20+ U.S. states providing in-person regional networking, professional development events, and community engagement for AWIS members.
• Online Member Community Members-only digital community platform featuring discussion forums, member directory search, private messaging, and topic-based groups for peer networking and support.
• AWIS Advocacy Programs Policy and advocacy initiatives on anti-harassment, anti-racism, caregiving, DEI curricula, federal science funding, gender bias, and Title IX; delivered through position statements, public comments, and member mobilization.
• AWIS Speaker's Bureau Speaker referral program connecting event organizers and partner organizations with AWIS member experts for panels, keynotes, and presentations on STEM topics and gender equity.
• The Nucleus (Content Hub) Digital content hub aggregating articles, member spotlights, career advice, research updates, and advocacy resources on topics impacting women in STEM.
• AWIS Annual Awards Program Annual recognition program honoring Spark (early-career), Meridian (mid-career), and Zenith (senior-career) awardees for leadership and inclusion in STEM, plus Star Chapter and Shooting Star Chapter recognition.
• AWIS Scholarship Program Multi-track scholarship program for women in STEM, including doctoral research scholarships ($10,000), first-generation college student scholarships ($2,000), physics/geoscience undergraduate awards ($2,500), career re-entry scholarships ($2,500), bridge grants, and caregiver advancement scholarships.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 50 scholarships awarded in the past decade to support women in STEM education and careers
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• Allen InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndependent nonprofit bioscience research institute in Seattle aimed at unlocking mysteries of human biology through foundational science. Featured as partner spotlight showcasing collaboration for advancing women in STEM.
• AstraZenecamajorGTM or Marketing PartnerGlobal biopharmaceutical company providing corporate partnership support to AWIS for talent diversity initiatives.
• BattellemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerIndependent nonprofit scientific organization serving as corporate partner supporting AWIS mission.
• BioMarin Pharmaceutical IncmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerBiotechnology company focused on rare genetic diseases, corporate partner supporting AWIS.
• Bristol Myers SquibbmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerGlobal biopharmaceutical company corporate partner with AWIS for diversity and inclusion initiatives.
• Dana-Farber Cancer InstitutemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerPrincipal teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School, corporate partner supporting AWIS.
• GenentechmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMember of Roche Group, biotechnology pioneer and AWIS corporate partner.
• InsmedsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerBiopharmaceutical company focused on rare diseases, AWIS corporate partner.
• LytensupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerTechnology company and AWIS corporate partner supporting STEM diversity initiatives.
• MerckmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerGlobal healthcare company corporate partner with AWIS for diversity initiatives.
• Shimadzu Scientific InstrumentscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnalytical and measuring instrument company featured in partner spotlight, sharing details about the organization and importance of AWIS partnership for advancing women in science.
• Society of Physics Students (American Institute of Physics)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-administers the Kirsten R. Lorentzen Award for undergraduate physics, geophysics, and geoscience students who are AWIS members.
• Lockheed MartinmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerFortune 500 company recognized with Game Changer Award for workplace equity, diversity and inclusion, and advancement of women in leadership.
• SalesforcemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerGlobal CRM leader recognized with Game Changer Award for commitment to equality, named world's best workplace, and championing diversity.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• American Association of University Women (AAUW): Long-standing nonprofit advocating for women and girls in education and the workforce, with member chapters, scholarships, fellowships, and policy advocacy. Comparable as a multi-decade women's advancement organization with similar dues/advocacy model.
• Society of Women Engineers (SWE): National membership organization advancing women in engineering, with student/professional chapters, scholarships, awards, and corporate partnerships. Directly comparable in mission, structure, and revenue model to AWIS, though focused on engineering rather than all STEM disciplines.
• National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT): Nonprofit coalition increasing women's participation in computing, with corporate and academic partnerships, awards, and workforce programs. Directly comparable as a STEM-equity nonprofit that sells talent pipeline and inclusion services to corporate partners.
• Women in Technology International (WITI): Global membership organization supporting women in technology through networking, events, and career resources. Comparable in membership tiers, corporate sponsorship, and professional development focus, with a more tech-centric member base.
• AnitaB.org: Nonprofit advancing women in computing, known for the Grace Hopper Celebration. Comparable as a STEM-equity organization leveraging major events, corporate sponsorships, and a community of women technologists.
• Association for Women in Mathematics (AWM): Discipline-specific professional society for women in mathematics, offering membership, awards, mentoring, and advocacy. Comparable in mission and structure, though narrower in STEM coverage.

Emerging players

• Million Women Mentors: National initiative supporting girls and women in STEM through mentoring relationships with corporate partners. Comparable mission alignment, though structured as a mentoring campaign rather than a full membership association.
• National Girls Collaborative Project (NGCP): National nonprofit working to increase girls' interest in STEM through collaborative programs and partnerships. Comparable mission focus on women/girls in STEM, with a stronger emphasis on K-12 outreach and program delivery rather than adult professional membership.

Regional players

• Society of Physics Students (American Institute of Physics): Already a formal partner of AWIS (co-administers the Lorentzen Award), serving physics students. Comparable as a discipline-specific STEM student membership community with overlapping member demographics.

Broad incumbents

• American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS): Large general scientific society with membership, publications, and policy advocacy. Comparable as a science membership organization, though broader in scope and not women-focused; represents a potential partnership or talent-pool overlap.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AWISnational
• Facebookfacebook.com/AssociationforWomeninScience
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/association-for-women-in-science
• Instagraminstagram.com/awisnational

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 AWIS