Women Lead Change

What Women Lead Change does

Women Lead Change is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2006-2007 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, originally as the Iowa Women's Leadership Conference and rebranded to its current name in 2019 to support national expansion. The organization operates a multi-tiered women's leadership development platform spanning flagship annual conferences in Cedar Rapids, Des Moines and Quad Cities; cohort-based leadership curricula including Elevate, Ascent and Level Up Manufacturing; regional Women Connect chapters; the EPIC Corporate Challenge (a public/private corporate metric-tracking partnership endorsed by the Iowa Governor and Lt. Governor); the Own It! Podcast distributed on 30+ platforms; and a WLC Store e-commerce brand on Shopify. It serves emerging, mid-level and senior women leaders, advocates/allies, students, and corporate clients across Iowa, the broader Midwest and select international markets.

The underlying technology stack is a conventional digital nonprofit platform: a website with newsletter signup, podcast hosting infrastructure, email marketing systems, and the Pheedloop event registration platform for in-person and virtual conferences. Proprietary intellectual property is concentrated in research partnerships (with University of Illinois Chicago, Iowa State University Carrie Chapman Catt Center, and University of Iowa Tippie College of Business) producing recurring studies such as Iowa Women in Leadership and SHE MATTERS, plus a registered trademark on the IWLC name, logo and taglines granted in 2011.

The business model is a hybrid nonprofit revenue stack: per-attendee conference registration ($125-$595 individual, $2,200-$3,750 team tables), tiered corporate sponsorships anchored by Bi-Annual Pinnacle (MidAmerican Energy), Conference Presenting (Alliant Energy, Bank of America) and general tiers across 145+ corporate partners, individual donations through the Invest in She Legacy Campaign with a $5,000-$10,000 Premiere tier, program fees for Elevate/Ascent/Level Up/Women Connect, Girls With Goals pass-through grants administered via the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation, and merchandise sales. The organization is governed by a 12+ member Board of Directors drawn from Iowa's corporate and professional services ecosystem and led by CEO Tiffany O'Donnell, with 10+ full-time staff across operations, development, marketing and events.

Name

Women Lead Change

Legal name

IWLC d/b/a Women Lead Change

Website

https://wlcglobal.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Women Lead Change is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating a multi-tiered women's leadership development platform — flagship regional conferences, cohort programs, corporate partnerships and a podcast — serving emerging to senior women leaders and corporate clients across Iowa and the broader Midwest.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Women's Leadership Development and Professional Education

NAICS

Business Associations (81391), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Executive Leadership & C-Suite Development (EDABAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Inclusive Leadership & Leading Diverse Teams (EDABAAAM), Team Leadership & High-Performance Teams (EDABAAAH), Gender Equality & Women’s Empowerment (BPAGABAF), Corporate & Leadership Development (BPACANAA)

Keywords

• Women's leadership development
• Leadership conferences
• Professional development programs
• Corporate diversity initiatives
• Nonprofit leadership network

Headquarters

HQ city

Cedar Rapids

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Conference Registration Fees: Revenue from in-person and virtual conference registrations. Pricing varies by event: Leadership Conference 2027 Cedar Rapids $595/person in-person, $225/person virtual; 2026 Quad Cities $299/person in-person, $199/person virtual; 2026 Des Moines $399/person in-person, $3,750 for Team Table of 10, $125 student track.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors provide financial support in exchange for brand exposure at conferences and events. Includes Bi-Annual Pinnacle Sponsors (MidAmerican Energy), Conference Presenting Sponsors (Alliant Energy), and general sponsors across 145+ corporate partners.
3. Individual Donations: Individual donors contribute through the Invest in She Legacy Campaign launched in 2022. Premiere donors contribute $5,000-$10,000 with exclusive benefits. Monthly or one-time gifts supported through PayPal.
4. WLC Store Merchandise: E-commerce store selling apparel (tees, hats), drinkware (tumblers), books, and notebooks supporting women leaders.
5. Program Fees: Fees for specialized programs including Elevate Leadership Program, Ascent Leadership Program, Level Up Manufacturing, and Women Connect membership groups.
6. Girls With Goals Fund Grants: Grant program supporting Iowa non-profit organizations empowering girls K-8, distributed through Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Women Lead Change operates a women's leadership development ecosystem anchored by three annual regional leadership conferences (Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, Quad Cities) and supported by cohort-based programs (Elevate, Ascent, Level Up Manufacturing), corporate partnership initiatives (EPIC Corporate Challenge), regional networking groups (Women Connect), the Own It! Podcast, the WLC Store merchandise shop, and grants/awards (Girls With Goals Fund, Women of Achievement Awards, ATHENA Leadership Awards). Products are delivered to both individual women leaders across career stages and corporate partners seeking women's leadership development, with sponsorship tiers from Premiere Donors ($5,000–$10,000) to Pinnacle Sponsors such as MidAmerican Energy.

Product overview

Women Lead Change is a women's leadership development organization offering a comprehensive suite of programs and services. The portfolio includes flagship annual Leadership Conferences in multiple regions (Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, Quad Cities), intensive leadership programs (Elevate Leadership Program, Ascent Leadership Program), corporate initiatives (EPIC Corporate Challenge), regional networking groups (Women Connect in Cedar Valley, Corridor, Metro, and Quad Cities), mentorship programs (Leaders Who Lunch), industry-specific training (Level Up Manufacturing), awards programs (Women of Achievement Awards, ATHENA Leadership Awards, Girls With Goals Fund grants), content resources (Own It! Podcast, News & Blog, Research publications), and virtual/in-person workshops. The organization operates as a platform serving emerging, midlevel, and senior executives, as well as organizations seeking to advance women in leadership. WLC also maintains a merchandise store (WLC Store) and offers speaker booking services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Elevate Leadership Program: A leadership development program designed for talent at various points in their careers to sharpen leadership skills, expand professional networks, and drive impact within organizations.
• EPIC Corporate Challenge
• Women Connect
• Leaders Who Lunch
• Own It! Podcast
• Ascent Leadership Program
• Girls with Goals
• Level Up

Products and services

• Leadership Conferences Three annual flagship conferences held in Cedar Rapids (April 2027), Des Moines (Oct 14, 2026), and Quad Cities (Nov 12, 2026) featuring keynote speakers, breakout sessions, meals, and networking. Pricing: in-person $299–$595/person, virtual $199–$225/person, team tables $2,200–$3,750, and student track $125.
• Elevate Leadership Program Leadership development cohort program designed for talent at various career stages to sharpen leadership skills, expand professional networks, and drive organizational impact. Offered in Cedar Rapids/Iowa City and Des Moines regions for high-potential women leaders.
• EPIC Corporate Challenge Corporate initiative where companies formally commit to growing and retaining women at all levels of leadership, track key metrics, and participate in annual surveys. Endorsed by the Iowa Governor and Lt. Governor; unique in Iowa as the only state measuring these results.
• Women Connect Regional membership-based groups engaging women in senior leadership through best-practice sharing, networking, and professional development. Active chapters: Cedar Valley, Corridor, Metro, and Quad Cities.
• Own It! Podcast Podcast featuring thought leaders, industry experts, CEOs, and senior leaders discussing women's leadership advancement, gender intelligence, male allyship, emotional intelligence, and executive presence. Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and 30+ platforms.
• Ascent Leadership Program 12-month virtual classroom intensive leadership training program for mid-level, high-potential women leaders. Designed to advance career trajectory through structured cohort learning.
• Level Up Manufacturing Industry-specific development program for mid-level managers in the manufacturing sector, providing leadership insight, skills, and experiences tailored to manufacturing industry contexts.
• Advocates & Allies Program Program for men and women committed to advocating for women in the workforce, being allies for women of color, and mentoring other women. Includes Speaker Series featuring thought leaders and authors on workplace culture.
• WLC Store (Merchandise) E-commerce store selling apparel (tees, hats), drinkware (tumblers), books, and notebooks supporting women leaders. Operated via Shopify at wlcstore.myshopify.com.

Quantifiable outcome

• 145+ corporate partners and 5,300+ conference attendees in 2024
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• University of Illinois ChicagocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership conducting nationwide surveys on professional women's challenges in the new normal, including mental health, work-life balance, and workforce trends. Partnership entered third phase by 2023.
• Iowa State University Carrie Chapman Catt CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered to commission Iowa Women in Leadership study and other research initiatives.
• University of Iowa Tippie College of BusinessminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered to commission Iowa Women in Leadership study and other research initiatives.
• Grow Cedar ValleyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration to launch Cedar Valley Women Connect program, serving Cedar Falls/Waterloo region for women's professional development.
• Greater Cedar Rapids Community FoundationminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistributes Girls With Goals Fund grant program supporting Iowa non-profit organizations empowering girls K-8.
• Governor and Lt. Governor of IowacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublic endorsement of EPIC Corporate Challenge initiative, making Iowa one of three states offering the Challenge and the only one measuring results.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Fairygodboss: Fairygodboss is a career community for women offering employer reviews, salary data, and events. Partial overlap with WLC's midlevel/senior leader audience and content marketing approach, though more digitally native and employer-rating focused.

Direct peers

• Forte Foundation: Forte Foundation advances women in business through leadership programs, conferences, and corporate partnerships. Directly comparable to WLC's Elevate/Ascent programs and corporate sponsorship model, though Forte's focus is specifically the MBA/business school pipeline.
• Ellevate Network: Ellevate Network is a professional women's community offering events, mentoring, and career resources. Comparable to WLC's Women Connect regional groups and Leaders Who Lunch program, with a stronger digital/online community orientation versus WLC's event-led model.
• Chief: Chief is a private membership network for senior women executives offering peer groups, events, and leadership programming. Comparable to WLC's Women Connect senior-leader focus and EPIC Corporate Challenge engagement, though Chief targets C-suite only and operates on a paid-membership model.
• ATHENA International: ATHENA International is a women's leadership organization that administers the ATHENA Leadership Award and related recognition programs. WLC hosts the ATHENA Leadership Awards in the Quad Cities region, making ATHENA a direct peer in women's leadership recognition and programming.
• National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO): NAWBO is a membership organization advocating for women business owners through chapters, programming, and advocacy. Comparable to WLC's Women Connect regional structure and corporate partnerships, with greater emphasis on entrepreneurship versus corporate leadership development.
• American Association of University Women (AAUW): AAUW is a national nonprofit advancing gender equity through research, education, and advocacy. Shares WLC's women-advancement mission and research-driven content engine, though it operates with national membership chapters rather than region-based corporate programming.

Broad incumbents

• Catalyst: Catalyst is a global nonprofit that produces research and consulting on advancing women in the workplace. Comparable to WLC's research-driven approach and EPIC Corporate Challenge, but operates at a significantly larger scale across multiple countries and corporate clients.
• Center for Creative Leadership: CCL is a global leadership development provider offering executive programs, assessments, and research. Comparable to WLC's Elevate/Ascent cohorts and research-driven approach, but at significantly larger scale and broader scope beyond women's leadership.
• Simmons University Institute for Inclusive Leadership: Simmons' Institute for Inclusive Leadership offers executive education and research on gender-inclusive leadership. Comparable academic/research orientation to WLC's university partnerships, with more emphasis on executive education cohorts than regional conferences.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCe5fYVtAKXFF50endaumvKw
• Facebookfacebook.com/womenleadchangeglobal
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/iowa-women-lead-change-iwlc-
• Instagraminstagram.com/womenleadchange
• Xx.com/wlcglobal

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles22 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 Lead Change