Women's Debate Institute

What Women's Debate Institute does

The Women's Debate Institute (WDI) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1999 by Jeff Shaw, Kari Mar, and Leah Castella, headquartered in San Francisco with a mailing address in Denver and an operational summer camp venue at the Tamarack Adventure & Retreat Center near Detroit, Michigan. Its core mission is to advocate for and facilitate a more gender-inclusive environment in competitive debate, advancing educational and professional opportunities for women, transgender, and gender non-conforming students. WDI's flagship offerings are two tuition-free residential programs: a five-day, four-night High School Student Program focused on policy and Lincoln-Douglas debate, and a Collegiate Scholars Program operating in a lab-format for college debaters. Supporting products include the WDI Mobile Programs (including a summer Policy Lecture Series), Anti-Harassment Training distributed to high school and college debate camps, the Debate Diaries educational blog, and a University Sponsorship Program.

WDI's business model is donation-driven, with approximately 80% of annual revenue sourced from individuals, universities, and foundations. Programs are delivered tuition-free, and the organization admits roughly 30 students annually, with 50% of admits drawn from Urban Debate League schools. Travel stipends (up to a $6,000 total pool for 2026) are available for students 15 and older demonstrating financial need. University sponsorship is structured at $500 annually and provides promotion, targeted collegiate scholar support, and partnership recognition. Distribution is direct-to-student via Google Forms applications (open February 1-March 31) with admissions by end of April. The organization has no proprietary technology platform; its technical footprint consists of a WordPress-based website, social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, YouTube), and Google Forms for applications. Governance is provided by a Board of Directors with a Chair (Ava Vargason, PhD since 2023) and includes nationally recognized debate coaches and former competitive debaters from universities across the country.

Name

Women's Debate Institute

Legal name

Women's Debate Institute

Website

https://womensdebateinstitute.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Women's Debate Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 1999 that runs tuition-free summer debate camps and anti-harassment training for high school and college students who identify as women, transgender, or gender non-conforming, funded primarily by donations and university sponsorships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Debate Education

NAICS

All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Speech & Debate Camps, Intensives & Bootcamps (EDAMAOAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Leadership, Debate & Model UN Camps (EDAMALAK)

Keywords

• Debate education programs
• Youth leadership training
• Nonprofit educational services
• Gender inclusive debate
• Summer debate camp

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Sponsorships: The WDI is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Approximately 80% of annual revenue comes from donations by individuals, universities, and foundations. University sponsorship programs offer annual sponsorships at $500, providing promotion through the WDI website and camp materials, and targeted support for collegiate scholars.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Women's Debate Institute (WDI) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that runs tuition-free, residential summer debate camps and related educational programming for high school and college students who identify as women, transgender, or gender non-conforming. Programming includes a five-day, four-night High School Student Program, a Collegiate Scholars Program operating in a lab-format retreat, mobile debate programming including the summer Policy Lecture Series, and anti-harassment training offered to college debate camps.

Product overview

The Women's Debate Institute (WDI) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization operating primarily as a tuition-free summer debate camp provider with two core programs: the High School Student Program (a five-day, four-night residential camp teaching debate strategy and community building) and the Collegiate Scholars Program (a college student retreat using a lab-format discussion model). Supporting offerings include WDI Mobile Programs, Anti-Harassment Training for the debate community, the Debate Diaries educational blog, and a University Sponsorship Program. All programming is focused on empowering women and gender minorities in competitive debate.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• High School Student Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 50% of admitted students come from Urban Debate League schools, demonstrating commitment to accessibility for underrepresented communities
• +2 more outcomes

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

23 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Harvard UniversitycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCurrent university sponsor of WDI. Provides funding that helps continue WDI programming and creates bonds between students and the university. Receives promotion through WDI website and camp materials.
• Michigan State UniversitycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCurrent university sponsor of WDI. Supports WDI mission to empower young people through debate education. Receives promotion through WDI website and camp materials.
• University of KentuckycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCurrent university sponsor of WDI. Supports WDI mission and receives promotion through WDI website and camp materials.
• University of TexasminorGTM or Marketing PartnerUniversity sponsor providing funding and support for WDI programming. Listed as a supporter on WDI partnerships page.
• University of WyomingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerUniversity sponsor providing funding and support for WDI programming.
• Wayne State UniversityminorGTM or Marketing PartnerUniversity sponsor providing funding and support for WDI programming. Located in Detroit area near WDI camp location.
• Idaho State UniversityminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFormer university sponsor no longer actively supporting WDI.
• James Madison UniversityminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFormer university sponsor no longer actively supporting WDI.
• Kansas State UniversityminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFormer university sponsor no longer actively supporting WDI.
• Northwestern UniversityminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFormer university sponsor no longer actively supporting WDI.
• Penn State UniversityminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFormer university sponsor no longer actively supporting WDI.
• Rutgers UniversityminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFormer university sponsor no longer actively supporting WDI.
• University of California, BerkeleyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFormer university sponsor no longer actively supporting WDI.
• University of IowaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFormer university sponsor no longer actively supporting WDI.
• University of OregonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFormer university sponsor no longer actively supporting WDI.
• University of West GeorgiaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFormer university sponsor no longer actively supporting WDI.
• University of Southern CaliforniaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFormer university sponsor no longer actively supporting WDI.
• University of Texas at San AntoniominorGTM or Marketing PartnerFormer university sponsor no longer actively supporting WDI.
• Wake Forest UniversityminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFormer university sponsor no longer actively supporting WDI.
• Arizona State UniversityminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFormer university sponsor no longer actively supporting WDI.
• Baylor UniversityminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFormer university sponsor no longer actively supporting WDI.
• College of St. BenedictminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFormer university sponsor no longer actively supporting WDI.
• Tamarack Adventure & Retreat CentercoreOthersVenue host for WDI summer camps. Located outside Detroit, Michigan. Provides facilities including guest houses at Butzel Retreat Center, dining hall, and outdoor spaces for camp activities.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• National Debate Institute (formerly at Northwestern, now Dartmouth): Long-running university-hosted debate camp for high school students, providing high-level instruction in multiple debate formats. Directly comparable to WDI's summer institute as a residential debate training experience, though not gender-focused.
• Victory Briefs: A long-running provider of debate camps and instructional content for high school and college debaters. Victory Briefs is one of the most direct commercial competitors to WDI in delivering multi-day residential debate instruction, differing mainly by being tuition-paid and gender-inclusive rather than gender-focused.
• Northwestern Debate Society: Northwestern is one of the most established university debate programs in the U.S. and previously sponsored WDI. Overlaps with WDI in training elite debaters and connecting with university-affiliated debate communities.
• Emory University Barkley Forum: Hosts one of the most prestigious high school debate tournaments in the U.S. (the Barkley Forum) and supports debate instructional programs at Emory University. Overlaps with WDI in competitive high school and college debate programming and shares the same pool of nationally competitive debaters and coaches.
• Capitol Debate: A national debate and public-speaking summer camp provider serving high school students across multiple U.S. locations. Operates the same core business model as WDI's flagship camp (multi-day residential debate instruction) but as a paid program and without WDI's gender-minority focus.
• National Association for Urban Debate Leagues (NAUDL): A national nonprofit that expands access to debate for students from under-resourced urban schools — the same population from which 50% of WDI admits are drawn. Both organizations focus on equity in debate access, and WDI explicitly recruits Urban Debate League students, making NAUDL a closely aligned access-mission peer.
• Stanford Debate Society / Stanford Debate Institute: Operates debate camps and workshops drawing top high school and college debaters. Comparable to WDI as a provider of high-level, instructor-led debate training experiences, though typically tuition-paid and not gender-focused.

Broad incumbents

• National Speech & Debate Association: The largest U.S. national organization for high school speech and debate, serving the broader student population. WDI's tuition-free residential debate camp for women and gender minorities complements NSDA's year-round programming and shares the same target activity and student demographic, but NSDA operates at much broader scale as an umbrella body.

Emerging players

• iDebate: A global debate education nonprofit that promotes debate as a tool for youth empowerment and critical thinking. Shares WDI's mission of using debate to develop voice and civic skills, but operates internationally and emphasizes accessibility across broader demographics.
• Project Soapbox: A youth public-speaking and civic voice program focused on elevating underrepresented student voices in public discourse. Closely aligned with WDI's mission of empowering women and gender minorities to find and use their voice through debate and speech.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/thewdi
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC21_TKQlR_zwxuhBdjS1kyA
• Facebookfacebook.com/womensdebateinstitute
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/women-s-debate-institute
• Instagraminstagram.com/wdidb8

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 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's Debate Institute