What Dress for Success Oregon does

Dress for Success Oregon is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN 93-1250115) founded in 1999 in Portland, Oregon, operating as the Oregon affiliate of Dress for Success Worldwide. It exclusively serves women and gender-expansive individuals seeking employment — particularly those facing systemic barriers such as immigration, single parenthood, domestic violence, re-entry after incarceration, former foster youth, and disability — through a portfolio of interconnected programs: the Suiting Program (interview attire and styling), the Patricia Whiting Career Center (coaching, resume review, interview practice, and a virtual center at dfsocareercenter.org), the Employment Retention Program, the Professional Women's Group (PWG), the HOPE Program, and Fast Track Workshops. Services are delivered free of charge and accessed exclusively via referral through more than 130 partner social service agencies across Portland Metro and SW Washington, including homeless shelters, immigration services, job-training programs, educational institutions, and domestic violence shelters.

The organization employs 19 staff and serves over 2,000 women annually, generating roughly 3,500 units of service per year today. There is no proprietary technology product; core delivery is people-based (volunteer stylists, career coaches, peer mentors) augmented by a basic web portal for virtual coaching. Revenue is sourced from individual donations, foundation grants, corporate sponsorships (Bank of America, FedEx, Robert Half, Talbots, Capital One, Benefit Cosmetics, among others), an annual Celebrate Success Gala, and seasonal closet sales. The largest near-term strategic move is WorkWell — a first-of-its-kind coworking and community hub groundbreaking December 2025, opening spring 2026 — projected to scale service capacity from 3,500 to 36,000 units annually by introducing coworking space, childcare, digital access, and wellness resources on a low-cost sliding-scale public membership model that cross-subsidizes free services for women seeking employment.

Name

Dress for Success Oregon

Legal name

Dress for Success Oregon

Website

https://oregon.dressforsuccess.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Dress for Success Oregon is a Portland-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit affiliate that delivers free professional attire, career coaching, and wraparound employment support exclusively to women and gender-expansive individuals, accessed by referral through 130+ partner agencies across Oregon and SW Washington.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Workforce Development and Social Services

NAICS

Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243), Employment Services (5613)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

Special Occasion Styling (Weddings, Galas, Events) (HSACAJAC)

Keywords

• Workforce development services
• Professional clothing assistance
• Career coaching programs
• Employment retention support
• Women reentry services

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

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, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Financial Donations: Monetary contributions from individual donors, corporate sponsors, and foundation grants. Financial donations provide flexibility to meet emergent needs of clients and fund workforce development programs.
2. Closet Sale Fundraisers: Seasonal closet sales featuring vintage and second-hand professional clothing, shoes, handbags, and accessories. 100% of proceeds support the mission to help women find and keep jobs.
3. Gala Events: Annual Celebrate Success Gala featuring bold style, inspiring stories, and powerful impact. Tickets and sponsorships support workforce programs.
4. WorkWell Membership (upcoming): Low-cost, sliding scale coworking and community hub membership for the public. Members gain access to coworking spaces, workshops, and wellness resources while directly supporting free services for women seeking employment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Dress for Success Oregon provides free professional attire, personalized styling, career coaching, job-search assistance, resume and interview preparation, employment retention support, and wrap-around services (childcare, transportation, digital access) to women and gender-expansive individuals seeking employment. Services are delivered through a referral-only model via 130+ partner social service agencies, a Portland boutique, an online Virtual Career Center, and the upcoming WorkWell coworking and community hub opening spring 2026.

Product overview

Dress for Success Oregon is a nonprofit workforce development organization that exclusively supports women and gender-expansive individuals in Oregon and SW Washington. The organization operates as a portfolio of interconnected programs centered on career empowerment. Core offerings include the Suiting Program (providing professional attire for interviews), the Patricia Whiting Career Center (offering career coaching, job-search assistance, and resume review), the Employment Retention Program (helping women keep jobs), Professional Women's Group (PWG) meetings (peer support and networking), and the HOPE Program (professional development). Fast Track Workshops provide intensive job readiness training. The upcoming WorkWell Coworking and Resource Center (launching spring 2026) will expand capacity from 3,500 to 36,000 units of service annually, providing public coworking access, workshops, childcare, and wellness resources on a sliding scale while cross-subsidizing free services for women seeking employment. A network of 130+ referral agencies connects clients to these services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Patricia Whiting Career Center: Career coaching, job-search assistance, interview practice, and resume review services to help clients build professional skills, interview readiness, and self-confidence.
• WorkWell
• Professional Women's Group (PWG)
• HOPE Program

Products and services

• Suiting Program Provides professional attire and personalized styling assistance for women with scheduled job interviews or in their first weeks of employment. Volunteers help clients choose interview outfits and provide guidance and support for upcoming interviews.
• Patricia Whiting Career Center Provides career coaching, job-search assistance, interview practice, and resume review to help clients build professional skills, interview readiness, and self-confidence. Operates as a separate website (dfsocareercenter.org).
• Employment Retention Program Focuses on helping women remain employed by providing strategies for professional growth, ensuring career stability and skill development after initial job placement.
• Professional Women's Group (PWG) Monthly job retention and career advancement meetings where women support and encourage each other through building confidence, networking, and discussing workplace-related topics to stay motivated and optimistic.
• HOPE Program Professional development program covering workplace communication, unwritten rules of the workplace, approaching supervisors, and solving workplace issues to help women succeed in their careers.
• Fast Track Workshops Intensive job readiness workshops providing resume building, interview preparation, and job search strategies to help women secure employment.
• WorkWell Coworking and Resource Center First-of-its-kind coworking and community hub opening in spring 2026, designed to remove systemic barriers to career advancement. Membership open to public on sliding scale, providing coworking spaces, workshops, childcare, digital access, coaching, and wellness resources while supporting free services for women seeking employment.

Quantifiable outcome

• Serving over 2,000 women annually with workforce development support
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

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

16 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• AAA Oregon/IdahominorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor supporting Dress for Success Oregon's mission to empower women through workforce development and professional attire.
• Bank of AmericacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor corporate sponsor supporting DFSO's workforce development programs and mission to help women achieve economic independence.
• Benefit CosmeticscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSince 2015, Benefit Cosmetics has partnered through Bold is Beautiful initiative. During August, 100% of proceeds from brow wax services in Benefit BrowBars are donated to Dress for Success. Worldwide has raised over $21 million for charity.
• CBIZcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCBIZ Women's Advantage creates and delivers leadership development training to affiliates worldwide through Dress for Success Leadership University. Partner since 2008 with financial contributions, volunteer hours, clothing donations, and affiliate board service.
• Capital OnecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCapital One partners on Financial Empowerment and Sustainability Initiative, providing financial literacy education to women across 15 Network Members. Subject matter experts offer financial goal setting, peer support and mentorship.
• FedExcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFounding partner of Dress for Success online network community to enhance client experience. Provides technology-enabled and self-directed activities. Proud sponsor of Your Hour, Her Power Campaign and Virtual Power Walk.
• Robert HalfcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner since 2005, supporting Career Centers and Professional Women's Group, providing skills training through Skillsoft, and sponsoring Annual Affiliate Conference, Success Summit and Gala.
• TalbotscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSince 2015, Talbots partnership includes 'Give Confidence, Hope and Style' initiative across 500+ stores. Collaboration with O, The Oprah Magazine on limited-edition capsule collection with 30% of net proceeds benefiting Dress for Success.
• U.S. BankcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor supporting Dress for Success Oregon's workforce development mission.
• VernierminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor supporting DFSO programs.
• Cambia HealthminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor supporting workforce development for women.
• GreenbrierminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor supporting DFSO mission.
• Columbia Sportswear (CSC)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor supporting women workforce development programs.
• ULTA BeautyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner through Benefit Cosmetics Bold is Beautiful initiative, with brow wax proceeds donated to Dress for Success during August.
• StarbucksminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor and community partner supporting DFSO's mission.
• 130+ Referral AgenciescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of over 130 social service agencies throughout Portland Metro and SW Washington area referring women to DFSO for professional clothing and career development services, including homeless shelters, immigration services, job training programs, educational institutions, and domestic violence shelters.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Wardrobe for Opportunity: Twin Cities (Minneapolis–St. Paul) nonprofit providing professional clothing and career coaching to job-ready individuals facing employment barriers. Closely mirrors DFSO's mission and program structure.
• Bottomless Closet: New York City-based nonprofit providing professional clothing, career coaching, and job-readiness services to women in need. Operates a near-identical service model to DFSO — referral-based intake, suiting programs, and career center support — making it one of the closest direct peers.
• Suited for Change: Philadelphia-based nonprofit providing professional attire and career development services to women experiencing poverty. Same suiting-plus-coaching model as DFSO, focused on interview preparation and employment retention.
• Dress for Success Worldwide: The global parent organization and network of which DFSO is an affiliate. Operates the same mission model (professional attire, career development, employment support for women) globally, and sets brand/programmatic standards that DFSO follows.
• YWCA of Greater Portland: Local Portland social services organization serving women and families with housing, employment, and wellness programming. Shares DFSO's geographic market and overlapping client base (women facing systemic barriers), though broader in scope.
• Dress for Success San Francisco: Another Dress for Success affiliate serving the San Francisco Bay Area. Operates under the same global brand with the same suiting, career center, and Professional Women's Group programming as DFSO.

Others

• National Skills Coalition: National policy and advocacy organization focused on workforce development for underrepresented workers. Not a direct service competitor but a thematically related ecosystem player influencing funding and policy for organizations like DFSO.

Emerging players

• Career Gear: National nonprofit providing professional clothing and career development to men re-entering the workforce. Operates the same suiting-plus-coaching model as DFSO but serves a different (male) client population, making it a parallel mission peer.

Broad incumbents

• Goodwill Industries of the Columbia Willamette: Regional Goodwill serving the same Portland Metro market as DFSO with broader workforce development, job training, and re-entry services. A much larger incumbent with overlapping employment-focused programming for disadvantaged populations.
• Jewish Vocational Service (JVS): Major Bay Area and Boston-based workforce development nonprofit offering career coaching, training, and placement services. A larger, broader-scope incumbent in the same employment services category as DFSO.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/dfsoregon
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCkCHUyXAJMdkRXZTdYrn_vQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/DFSOregon
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dress-for-success-oregon
• Instagraminstagram.com/dfsoregon

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Dress for Success Oregon