Women in Nature Network (WiNN)

What Women in Nature Network (WiNN) does

Women in Nature Network (WiNN) is a U.S.-based nonprofit organization founded in 2013 by 12 leading women conservationists, including Dr. Leeanne Alonso, that operates as a global community network for women working in conservation. The organization has grown to over 1,000 members across 17 chapters in 14 countries on five continents (Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, South America), with emerging chapters in additional countries and U.S. states. WiNN's core offerings include an annual Global Networking Event (with the 2025 edition in Mexico hosting 100 women from 15 countries), an inaugural Mentorship Program launched in 2023 with 15 mentors and 24 mentees, weekly WiNNsDay Webinars, and a Resources Library of curated conservation content. The organization also publishes a WiNN News newsletter and maintains five global WhatsApp groups with 400+ active members for ongoing peer engagement.

WiNN's business model is donation- and grant-funded, with membership offered free of charge to any woman working in or interested in conservation. Re:Wild serves as WiNN's fiscal sponsor, processing all donations and supporting the organization through its Women Rewilding Initiative. The Alice C. Tyler Perpetual Trust has been a sustained benefactor since founding, and major institutional funders including the Green Climate Fund and Global Environment Facility have provided financial support for WiNN's global conference programming. WiNN transitioned from being entirely volunteer-run between 2013 and 2024 to employing a small professional staff (5 employees) and installed a new 2025-2027 Board of Directors co-chaired by Dr. Claire Hoffman and Nikki Roach.

WiNN does not develop or sell technology products; its platform consists of a Squarespace website for membership registration and information, WhatsApp groups for global member messaging, and Zoom and Google Calendar for webinars and event scheduling. The organization's underlying technology and infrastructure are deliberately lightweight, reflecting its volunteer-collective origins and nonprofit cost structure. The organization is governed by a volunteer Board and a distributed network of chapter leads, with strategic partnerships including FMCN, Gulf of Mexico Fund, and Conecta Tierra A.C. for regional events.

Name

Women in Nature Network (WiNN)

Legal name

Women in Nature Network

Website

https://womeninnaturenetwork.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Women in Nature Network (WiNN) is a global nonprofit founded in 2013 that connects over 1,000 women conservationists across 17 chapters in 14 countries through mentorship, webinars, and an annual global networking event, funded by donations and grants via Re:Wild.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Conservation Nonprofit Network

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Professional Organizations (81392)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD)

Keywords

• Women in conservation
• Conservation networking
• Environmental mentorship
• Conservation education
• Nonprofit community

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington D.C.

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Personnel

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: WiNN operates primarily through donations and grant funding. Donations are processed through Re:Wild as their fiscal sponsor and allocated directly to WiNN's work. The organization receives support from foundations and partners for their global grant program and conference activities.
2. Foundation Partnerships: Strategic partnerships with foundations like the Alice C. Tyler Perpetual Trust provide sustained funding support. WiNN also collaborates with Re:Wild's Women Rewilding Initiative for program support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

WiNN is a global nonprofit membership network that connects, supports, and empowers women working in conservation through free programming. Its core offerings include annual Global Networking Events (conferences), a global Mentorship Program, weekly WiNNsDay educational webinars, regional Chapters, and a curated Resources Library — all distributed at no cost to members across 14 countries on five continents.

Product overview

WiNN is a global networking and professional development organization rather than a software product. The organization offers a portfolio of programs including annual Global Networking Events (conferences), a Mentorship Program, weekly WiNNsDay Webinars, and regional Global Chapters across 14 countries on five continents. Supporting offerings include the WiNN News newsletter and a Resources Library of curated conservation content. All membership is free and open to women working in or interested in conservation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Global Networking Events WiNN's annual Global Networking Events bring together women from across the world — conservation leaders, practitioners, youth, and those beginning their careers — for interactive workshops, collaborative sessions, and immersive conservation experiences including site visits to local conservation initiatives.
• Mentorship Program WiNN's Mentorship Program fosters community and supports young women through mentorship opportunities, pairing experienced conservationists with mentees from across the global network.
• WiNNsDay Webinars Weekly learning opportunities offered to all members through WiNNsDay lectures and seminars featuring conservation topics, speaker presentations, and professional development content.
• Global Chapters WiNN chapters at local, regional, and national scales create spaces where members can connect, mentor, and support one another within their regions. Currently WiNN has 17 chapters in 14 different countries across five continents.
• Resources Library A curated collection of books, films, podcasts, and TEDx talks sharing stories of women working on conservation and climate change challenges, featuring content by WiNN members and selections for young readers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,000 women connected globally through the WiNN network
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

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

• Mexican Fund for the Conservation of Nature (FMCN)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2025Fondo Mexicano para la Conservación de Naturaleza collaborated as a local partner for WiNN's 2025 Global Conference in Veracruz, Mexico. The organization is led by WiNN co-founder Dr. Renée González.
• Gulf of Mexico Fund (Fondo Golfo de México)supportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2025Collaborated with local support for WiNN's 2025 Global Networking Event in Veracruz, Mexico.
• Conecta Tierra A.C.supportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2025Local collaborator for WiNN's 2025 Global Conference in Mexico, helping organize the event alongside FMCN and Gulf of Mexico Fund.
• Re:WildcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013WiNN is proud to be a conservation partner of Re:Wild, who also serves as WiNN's fiscal sponsor. Donations to WiNN are processed through Re:Wild and allocated directly to WiNN's work. WiNN is also a program supported by Re:Wild's Women Rewilding Initiative.
• Tyler Prize for Environmental AchievementmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1973The Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement was co-founded by Alice and John Tyler in 1973 and is often called the 'Nobel Prize for the Environment.' Recipients include Jane Goodall, Dr. Michael E. Mann, and Dr. Gretchen C. Daily. WiNN feels honored to have their work included alongside such organizations.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Re:Wild: Re:Wild is WiNN's fiscal sponsor and conservation partner with a shared women-in-conservation mission through the Women Rewilding Initiative. Both organizations focus on biodiversity protection, with Re:Wild providing institutional backbone and programmatic overlap for WiNN's network.
• Whitley Fund for Nature: Whitley Fund for Nature awards Whitley/Whitley Gold Awards to conservation leaders — multiple WiNN members have won these (Purnima Devi Barman, Reshu Bashal). Both organizations identify, celebrate, and connect grassroots women conservation leaders globally.
• CoalitionWILD: CoalitionWILD is a global network that empowers young conservation leaders — WiNN's Program Coordinator previously worked there. Both organizations target early-career conservationists through networking, training, and community-driven programs.
• Women's Earth Alliance: Women's Earth Alliance is a nonprofit that trains, funds, and connects women environmental and indigenous leaders globally — directly analogous to WiNN's women-in-conservation networking, mentorship, and grant-support model.

Others

• Green Climate Fund: GCF is a major funder of WiNN's 2025 Global Conference and of conservation/climate programming globally. Both entities channel resources toward women-led and community-based conservation outcomes, though GCF is a financier while WiNN is a delivery-side network.

Broad incumbents

• Conservation International: Multiple WiNN founders and board members hold senior roles at Conservation International. Both organizations operate in global biodiversity conservation, though Conservation International is a far larger, established player with paid programs versus WiNN's volunteer network model.
• The Nature Conservancy: WiNN's leadership includes senior TNC staff (Donor Relations Manager for Latin America, former Global Wildlife Program Manager). Both work on biodiversity conservation globally, but TNC is a major incumbent while WiNN operates as a women-focused professional network within the same space.
• IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature): IUCN is a global conservation authority with which WiNN members are affiliated (Rebecca Kormos founded an IUCN Primate Specialist Group section). Both organizations convene conservation professionals and produce policy-relevant work, but IUCN is a multi-decade incumbent versus WiNN's grassroots network.
• Wildlife Conservation Society: WCS is a long-established global wildlife conservation organization with overlapping member expertise. Both engage women conservationists in field conservation, but WCS operates field programs and zoos versus WiNN's pure networking/mentorship focus.

Regional players

• Women for Nature (CPAWS): Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society's Women for Nature is a Canadian initiative connecting women leaders in conservation — same women-in-conservation positioning as WiNN but focused on Canada rather than WiNN's global, Global South-anchored footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/w4wnetwork
• Instagraminstagram.com/winn_tanzania
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/women-in-nature-network

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 in Nature Network (WiNN)