Be Bold for Change USA

What Be Bold for Change USA does

Be Bold for Change USA is a US 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in Seattle in 2015 by Nickie Smith (Co-Founder & President) and Kate Isler (Co-Founder). Its mission is to activate changemakers to close the gender gap by connecting diverse, multigenerational women and girls through workshops, events, coaching, and mentoring. The organization's program portfolio centers on three pillars: the Be Bold Now flagship annual summit (launched in Seattle in 2015, expanded to London in 2023 and Paris in 2025), the Be Bold Girls leadership program for middle and high school girls, and Intergenerational Gatherings that bridge age cohorts. Supporting offerings include the Bold Stories blog, the Bold Actions resource center, the Be Bold for Change Giving Circle (a collaborative philanthropy program operated via the Grapevine platform), and Bold Education, an entrepreneurship training track delivered in partnership with the WMarketplace Accelerator.

The underlying technology stack is intentionally low-friction and entirely composed of off-the-shelf consumer and small-business tools: the organization runs on a Wix-hosted website (with hosting by GoDaddy), processes donations through Givebutter, operates its Giving Circle on Grapevine, and maintains social channels across Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, and Twitter/X. There is no proprietary software, no AI/ML capability, no mobile app, and no API surface. Programmatic reach into women-owned small businesses (over 160 cumulative participants in the WMarketplace Accelerator, spanning Seattle to Kiev, Ukraine) is delivered entirely through partner curriculum rather than internal technology.

The business model is donation-funded and event-anchored. Revenue derives from three streams: (1) individual donations via the Givebutter-powered website and the recurring Giving Circle, (2) tiered corporate sponsorships of the Be Bold Now summits (presenting, global, silver, bronze, editorial, production, and supporter tiers, including a 2026 presenting sponsorship by Taboola and global sponsorship by Microsoft Alumni Network), and (3) in-kind contributions from production, editorial, and photography partners. The organization does not charge for programs. Board members commit to two-year terms and are required to personally raise a minimum of $5,000 annually, embedding fundraising into governance. Financial figures (revenue, donations, Form 990 data) are not publicly disclosed in the available sources.

Name

Be Bold for Change USA

Legal name

Be Bold for Change

Website

https://beboldforchange.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Be Bold for Change USA is a US 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2015 that runs the Be Bold Now summit series (Seattle, London, Paris), the Be Bold Girls youth leadership program, and a Giving Circle, serving women, girls, and allies through events, mentorship, and entrepreneurship partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Gender Equality Programs

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Civic and Social Organizations (81341), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132)

akta.pro primary industry

Gender Equality & Women’s Empowerment (BPAGABAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Gender Equality & Women’s Rights (BPADAGAF), International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH)

Keywords

• Women's empowerment programs
• Gender equality nonprofit
• Girls leadership development
• Community philanthropy circle
• Annual women's summit

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Be Bold for Change operates as a US 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The primary revenue stream is donations from individuals, corporate sponsors, and supporters. Donations are solicited through the website via Givebutter platform.
2. Giving Circle Membership: The Be Bold for Change Giving Circle is a collaborative philanthropic tool where members commit to regularly donating funds to support the organization's programs. Members can also engage in additional activities including volunteering, leading local events, and participating in committees.
3. Corporate Sponsorship: Be Bold Now events are funded through corporate sponsorships at various tiers (presenting sponsor, global sponsor, silver sponsors, bronze sponsors, editorial partners, event production partners, and supporters). Sponsors gain visibility and association with the organization's mission.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Be Bold for Change is a US 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs programs to motivate women and girls to become advocates for gender equality. Its offerings include the annual Be Bold Now summit series held in Seattle, London, and Paris; the Be Bold Girls leadership program for middle and high school girls; the Giving Circle collaborative philanthropy program; and Bold Education entrepreneurship training delivered in partnership with WMarketplace. All programs and events are offered free to participants and supporters, with operations funded through donations, corporate event sponsorships, and giving circle contributions.

Product overview

Be Bold for Change USA is a nonprofit organization operating as a platform of interconnected programs rather than a unified software product. The core organization (Be Bold For Change) serves as the parent entity, with three main programmatic pillars: (1) Be Bold Girls Program - a leadership and empowerment initiative for middle and high school girls featuring workshops, mentoring, and projects; (2) Be Bold Now Summit - the flagship annual event founded in 2015 in Seattle, now expanded to London and Paris; and (3) Intergenerational Gatherings - events connecting women across generations. Supporting offerings include Bold Education (partnered with WMarketplace for entrepreneurship training), Bold Stories (a blog/content platform), and the Giving Circle (a collaborative philanthropy program). The organization does not offer a software product with technical integrations or AI capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Be Bold Girls: A three-part leadership and empowerment program created for and by middle and high school girls, designed to amplify their powerful voices.
• Be Bold Now Summit
• Giving Circle

Products and services

• Be Bold Now Summit Annual in-person summit series held in Seattle, London, and Paris where women and girls share stories of courage, motivation, and support to advance gender equity globally; participants include women, girls, and allies, with events featuring speakers, performers, and tiered corporate sponsorships.
• Be Bold Girls Program Three-part leadership and empowerment program created for and by middle and high school girls, designed to amplify their voices through engaging workshops, projects, challenges, and mentoring.
• Giving Circle Collaborative philanthropy program accessible via the Grapevine platform that enables supporters to commit regular donations and pool contributions to make a more substantial cumulative impact in funding women and girls' programs.
• Bold Education (WMarketplace Partnership) Entrepreneurship education program delivered in partnership with WMarketplace, providing women-owned businesses with ecommerce curriculum, digital marketing training, channel analysis tools, funding access, and coaching to launch, grow, and scale online.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 160 women-owned businesses have completed the WMarketplace Accelerator program
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core, major, supporting and minor.

• TaboolaflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 29 April 2026Taboola served as the presenting sponsor and host venue for Be Bold Now London 2026 at their London office. The event theme was 'Give to Gain' with nearly 250 attendees.
• WMarketplacecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBe Bold for Change partners with WMarketplace to deliver entrepreneurship training to women-owned businesses in the U.S. and globally through an accelerator program. This partnership extends the organization's mission to reach women entrepreneurs with technical skills training for online business growth.
• GrapevinecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGrapevine provides the Giving Circle platform that powers Be Bold for Change's collaborative philanthropy model. Members can join the Be Bold for Change Giving Circle through Grapevine's network to connect, pool donations, and make a bigger difference together.
• Microsoft Alumni NetworkmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMicrosoft Alumni Network is a global sponsor of Be Bold Now events, supporting the organization's mission to advance gender parity.
• PubMaticsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerPubMatic is a silver sponsor of Be Bold Now events.
• LoopMesupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerLoopMe is a silver sponsor of Be Bold Now events.
• SureserveminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSureserve is a bronze sponsor supporting Be Bold Now events.
• Astrid and miyuminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAstrid and miyu is a bronze sponsor supporting Be Bold Now events.
• GingerMayminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGingerMay is an editorial partner for Be Bold Now events.
• MPG (Metro Production Group)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerMPG (Metro Production Group) is an event production partner for Be Bold Now events.
• UTIQminorGTM or Marketing PartnerUTIQ is a supporter of Be Bold Now events.
• DoubleVerifyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDoubleVerify is a supporter of Be Bold Now events.
• broadlabminorGTM or Marketing Partnerbroadlab is a supporter of Be Bold Now events.
• JAA (JAA Media)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerJAA Media is a supporter of Be Bold Now events.
• Index ExchangeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIndex Exchange is a supporter of Be Bold Now events.
• MiQminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMiQ is a supporter of Be Bold Now events.
• DailymotionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDailymotion is a supporter of Be Bold Now events.
• Noah Da Costa PhotographyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNoah Da Costa Photography provides photography services for Be Bold Now London events.
• Emily Packman PhotographyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEmily Packman Photography provides photography services for Be Bold Now London events.
• Cecile Miller PhotographyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCecile Miller Photography provides photography services for Be Bold Now London events.
• Mo Baig ImagesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMo Baig Images provides photography services for Be Bold Now London events.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Girls Who Code: Nonprofit working to close the gender gap in technology by teaching girls computer science and providing career pathways. Comparable youth-girls empowerment focus similar to Be Bold Girls, though operating in the specific STEM vertical rather than general leadership.

Direct peers

• International Women's Forum: Global organization of preeminent women leaders dedicated to advancing women's leadership across all sectors through peer networks, programs, and events. Comparable as a membership-based organization with chapter/affiliate structure and annual flagship gatherings focused on women leaders.
• Dress for Success Worldwide: Global nonprofit that empowers women to achieve economic independence through career development, job placement, and entrepreneurship support. Comparable in supporting women's economic empowerment via partnership models and operating chapters across multiple cities internationally.
• WMarketplace: Accredited ecommerce business accelerator that delivers training programs to women entrepreneurs. Already a strategic partner of Be Bold for Change; directly comparable in mission of advancing women-owned small businesses through education, coaching, and digital commerce enablement.
• Lean In Foundation: Nonprofit founded by Sheryl Sandberg focused on empowering women to achieve their ambitions through circles, education, and community-building programs. Closely comparable as a US-based nonprofit running peer community models, women's leadership programs, and corporate partnerships in the gender equality space.

Broad incumbents

• National Women's Law Center: US-based nonprofit that advocates for women's legal rights and equality through policy, litigation, and education. Comparable as a US-headquartered gender equality nonprofit with donor-supported operations and public advocacy focus, though more policy-oriented than event-driven.
• Global Fund for Women: International nonprofit foundation that funds gender justice movements worldwide through grants to women-led organizations. Comparable in mission to advance women's rights globally, with a comparable model of donor-supported grantmaking (Giving Circle vs. foundation grants) targeting women and girls.
• Women for Women International: Nonprofit serving women survivors of war and conflict through economic empowerment, education, and advocacy programs. Comparable in its donor-supported model focused on women's empowerment and economic participation across multiple countries.
• UN Women: UN entity dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women, operating globally with programs in economic empowerment, leadership, and advocacy. Directly comparable mission to close the gender gap, but operates at a vastly larger institutional scale and with government backing rather than grassroots events.
• Catalyst: Global nonprofit working to accelerate progress for women through workplace inclusion, with corporate partnerships and research. Comparable as a US-headquartered gender parity nonprofit with corporate sponsor relationships, but focused specifically on workplace equity rather than multigenerational community.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/beboldnow0308
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCIcoMp5xTMY3rUO7ESMQZ1A
• Facebookfacebook.com/beboldforchangenonprofit
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/beboldforchange
• Instagraminstagram.com/beboldforchangenonprofit
• TikToktiktok.com/@beboldnow0308

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Be Bold for Change USA