A Bolder Way Forward

What A Bolder Way Forward does

A Bolder Way Forward (BWF) is a research-based initiative housed within the Utah Women & Leadership Project (UWLP) at Utah State University Extension, a designated 501(c)(3) organization headquartered in Logan, Utah. Launched to address Utah's persistent ranking as the worst U.S. state for women's equality and the associated high rates of domestic violence, sexual assault, child sexual abuse, and gender-based discrimination, the initiative pursues a 7-year movement timeline structured around 18 areas of focus ("spokes") organized into five categories: education, community engagement, safety and security, health and wellbeing, and workplace. Dr. Susan R. Madsen, a USU faculty member, leads the program with her team.

The initiative's core offerings include interactive data dashboards tracking spoke-level goals and progress, spoke resource kits, living room conversation guides, K-12 curriculum for girls ages 5-18, a quarterly newsletter, podcast series, and an annual summit. Distribution is delivered through five structural mechanisms: county coalitions covering all 29 Utah counties, five belonging teams (50+ thriving, disabilities, interfaith, LGBTQ+, race/ethnicity) integrated across spokes, a male allyship program, local government resolutions, and a community partners network. All resources are provided free of charge.

BWF operates as a donation- and institutional-support-funded nonprofit initiative with approximately 31 employees. There is no disclosed revenue figure, no pricing model, and no funding rounds. The 18 focus areas span childcare, gender pay gap, political and civic representation, STEM fields, workforce development, and other domains, each functioning as a movement with its own coalition intended to accelerate progress that the initiative estimates would otherwise take three to four decades.

Name

A Bolder Way Forward

Legal name

A Bolder Way Forward (BWF) Initiative

Website

https://abolderwayforward.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

A Bolder Way Forward is a research-based initiative within the Utah Women & Leadership Project at Utah State University Extension that pursues a 7-year movement to advance women's equality in Utah through 18 focus areas, 29 county coalitions, belonging teams, and male allyship programs, serving Utah girls, women, families, and local organizations via free resources.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Gender Equality Advocacy Initiative

NAICS

Human Rights Organizations (813311), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGABAF

Gender Equality & Women’s Empowerment

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/International Development & Poverty Alleviation

SECONDARYEDALABAJ

Student Engagement & Belonging Initiatives

Education/Student Services & Campus Operations/Academic Advising, Career Services & Student Success

Keywords

• Women's leadership research
• Gender equality advocacy
• Community coalition building
• Nonprofit social research
• Women empowerment programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Logan

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. Donations and Institutional Support: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit initiative housed within Utah State University Extension, BWF operates primarily through donations and institutional funding. The initiative receives support from investors and community partners who share commitment to strengthening impact for Utah girls, women, and families.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

A Bolder Way Forward is a research-based advocacy initiative that coordinates a multi-year movement to help Utah girls, women, and families thrive across 18 focus areas (spokes) including safety, security, health, education, and workplace equity. It delivers this mission through free community resources — county coalitions, belonging teams, male allyship programs, interactive data dashboards, spoke resource kits, a quarterly newsletter, podcast, and educational curriculum for girls ages 5-18 — all under the institutional framework of the Utah Women & Leadership Project at Utah State University.

Product overview

A Bolder Way Forward (BWF) is a research-based initiative operated within the Utah Women & Leadership Project (UWLP) at Utah State University. It is not a unified software product but rather a comprehensive movement and coordination framework consisting of 18 areas of focus (spokes) organized across five categories: education, community engagement, safety and security, health and wellbeing, and workplace. The initiative provides various tools and resources including Interactive Dashboards for tracking metrics, County Coalitions for local implementation, Belonging Teams, Male Allyship Programs, Living Room Conversations, Spoke Resource Kits, a Podcast Series, and Quarterly Newsletters. The framework uses a wheel metaphor where each spoke represents a key area where change needs to occur, with coalitions functioning to make the whole greater than the sum of its parts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• A Bolder Way Forward Initiative A free, research-based advocacy movement organized around 18 spokes in five categories (education, community engagement, safety and security, health and wellbeing, and workplace) that helps Utah girls, women, and families thrive. Delivered through the Utah Women & Leadership Project at Utah State University for individuals, families, organizations, and local governments in Utah.
• BWF Interactive Dashboards Free web-based data visualization tools that display BWF spoke goals, current metrics, and progress toward intended outcomes within the 7-year movement timeframe. Available to the public via the UWLP website.
• County Coalitions Free local coalition programs with leaders or representatives in each of Utah's 29 counties who engage individuals and partners to advance BWF's work locally and help girls, women, and families thrive in their communities.
• Belonging Teams Free inclusion-focused programs (five teams covering 50+ thriving, disabilities, interfaith, LGBTQ+, and race/ethnicity communities) integrated across all BWF spoke areas to ensure belonging and recognize differences among Utah women and girls.
• Male Allyship Program Free program engaging male allies to positively impact the lives of Utah women and girls by increasing opportunities and support, with allyship integrated across all 18 BWF spokes.
• Spoke Resource Kits Free curated resource collections and materials for each of the 18 BWF areas of focus to support implementation, awareness, and advocacy efforts. Available as downloadable resources on the UWLP website.
• Living Room Conversations Free community dialogue guides that help Utah residents facilitate conversations about BWF focus areas in informal home and community settings.
• Curriculum and Learning Programs Free educational curriculum and learning programs for girls ages 5-18 focused on leadership development and skill building, delivered through the UWLP K-12 programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• Goal to help more Utah girls, women, and families thrive across safety, security, health, and wellbeing dimensions
• +1 more outcomes

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

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Utah State University ExtensioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBWF is housed within Extension at Utah State University (a 501(c)(3) designated organization). USU Extension provides institutional backing, administrative support, and legitimacy to the initiative. Dr. Susan R. Madsen serves as faculty lead overseeing and supporting BWF.
• County Coalition Leaders (Utah)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeaders or representatives in each of Utah's 29 counties engage individuals and partners locally to advance BWF work. Each county coalition functions to make the whole greater than the sum of its parts.
• Community PartnersflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerUWLP partners with organizations who share a commitment to strengthen the impact of Utah girls, women, and families and support BWF efforts. Partners page exists at /uwlp/about/community-partners.php.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Equality Now: International human rights organization working to end violence and discrimination against women and girls through legal advocacy and coalition building. Comparable research-driven, multi-issue approach to advancing women's rights.
• Ms. Foundation for Women: National women's foundation funding and convening movements at the intersection of gender, race, and class. Comparable grantmaking and movement-building model with multi-issue women's empowerment scope.
• National Organization for Women (NOW): Largest U.S. grassroots feminist advocacy organization working on gender equality across intersecting issues including violence against women, economic justice, and reproductive rights. Comparable as a multi-issue women's rights advocacy organization, though national rather than state-level in scope.
• National Women's Law Center: Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit advancing gender justice through policy advocacy, research, and public education. Comparable as a research- and policy-driven women's rights organization tackling economic security, education, and workplace equity.
• Texas Women's Foundation: Statewide women's foundation operating in Texas with research, advocacy, grantmaking, and coalition-building across economic security, leadership, and gender equity issues. Closely comparable operating model to BWF as a state-level women's movement with multi-issue focus.
• Women's Foundation of Colorado: Colorado-based foundation investing in women and girls through research, advocacy, and place-based coalitions. Comparable model of statewide research-driven women's empowerment movement with multi-county and community activation.

Broad incumbents

• UN Women: United Nations entity dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women, with global programming across policy, data, and advocacy. Comparable as a large, established gender equality institution, though operating globally rather than at the state level.

Others

• Women's Funding Network: Global philanthropic network of women's funds and foundations. Comparable as an ecosystem peer — the same umbrella category of state and regional women's funds BWF effectively operates within.

Regional players

• Washington Area Women's Foundation: Regional foundation serving the Washington, D.C. area, investing in economic self-sufficiency and leadership for women and girls. Comparable regional women's fund model with research and coalition-building.
• Maine Women's Foundation: Maine-based foundation investing in women and girls through grantmaking, research, and advocacy. Highly comparable model of statewide women's empowerment movement, scaled down to one less populous state.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/UTWomenLeaders
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCV3ytCS2OPTNM_BPnjzuS2w
• Facebookfacebook.com/utwomenleaders
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/a-bolder-way-forward
• Instagraminstagram.com/utwomenleaders/?hl=en
• Pinterestpinterest.com/utahwomenleaders/?etslf=4256&eq=utah%20women

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about A Bolder Way Forward