Women in Film & Video

What Women in Film & Video does

Women in Film & Video (WIFV) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community benefit organization founded in 1979 and headquartered in Washington, DC, serving screen-based media makers in the DC-metro region. The organization provides professional development, networking, mentorship, script and documentary fellowships, fiscal sponsorship for independent film projects, grants, and the annual Women of Vision Awards, producing nearly 200 events annually for a membership base of over 900 professionals. WIFV advocates for gender parity in front of and behind the camera while welcoming all genders, and is affiliated with Women in Film & Television International (WIFTI), a network of more than 40 chapters worldwide.

WIFV generates revenue through four streams: recurring membership dues that grant access to the member directory, job and grant announcements, and reduced event pricing; one-time event registration fees (e.g., $10 for members and $20 for the general public at the Media Job Fair); donations and grants from individuals, corporate sponsors, and public funders including the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities and Humanities DC; and professional-services fees from its fiscal sponsorship program for independent filmmakers. Programs are delivered both online and in-person via workshops, panels, seminars, screenings, and conferences such as ScriptDC and the WIFTI Summit.

The organization is privately governed as a nonprofit with no equity ownership; control rests with an elected Board of Directors, and Melissa Houghton serves as Executive Director while Mary May serves as President. The technology footprint is non-proprietary and limited to a website (wifv.org), an online member directory, the bi-weekly MediaMaker Spotlight podcast, and standard social media channels. Core strategic partnerships include technology vendors such as Final Draft, Blackmagic Design, Digital Anarchy, Tonal Vision, and Ott House Audio, alongside institutional partners including WIFTI, DC Office of Cable Television, Film, Music and Entertainment, Maryland and Virginia Film Offices, and 202 Creates.

Name

Women in Film & Video

Legal name

Women in Film and Video, Inc.

Website

https://wifv.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Women in Film & Video is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1979 in Washington, DC that provides professional development, networking, fellowships, fiscal sponsorship, and grants for over 900 screen-based media makers across the DC-metro region, producing nearly 200 events annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: WIFV generates revenue through annual membership fees. Membership provides access to the 900+ member directory, job announcements, grants, festivals, scholarships, preview screenings, and reduced admission to educational programs.
2. Event Registration Fees: Fees charged for event attendance including the annual Media Job Fair ($10 for members, $20 for general public), workshops, panels, and conferences.
3. Donations and Grants: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, WIFV receives donations from individual supporters, corporate sponsors, and institutional grants from organizations like the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities.
4. Fiscal Sponsorship: WIFV offers fiscal sponsorship services to filmmakers, providing them with tax-deductible donation processing capabilities in exchange for administrative fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Women in Film & Video (WIFV) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates a membership-based professional association for screen-based media makers in the DC-metro region. It delivers educational programming, mentorship, script and documentary development fellowships, fiscal sponsorship services, grants, networking events, and the annual Women of Vision Awards, reaching more than 900 members through nearly 200 events per year.

Product overview

Women in Film & Video (WIFV) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides a portfolio of professional development programs, networking opportunities, grants, and awards for screen-based media makers. The core programs include Professional Development workshops, the WIFV Mentorship Program, Script DC (screenwriters conference), Documentary Development Fellowship, Narrative Script Development Fellowship, and Fiscal Sponsorship for independent projects. WIFV also offers grants including the Narrative Short Film Finishing Grant and Seed Fund for Documentary Filmmakers. The annual Women of Vision Awards celebrate women's achievements in media. Additional services include the MediaMaker Spotlight podcast, a member directory, and membership benefits providing access to jobs, grants, festivals, and educational program discounts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Women of Vision Awards: Annual awards program celebrating women's creative and technical achievements in media
• Script DC
• Doc Dev't Fellowship
• MediaMaker Spotlight
• WIFV Mentorship Program
• WIFV Narrative Short Film Finishing Grant
• Seed Fund for Documentary Filmmakers

Products and services

• Professional Development Workshops and Panels Educational programs covering technical and theoretical skills for screen-based media makers, featuring local and national industry leaders; nearly 200 events per year.
• WIFV Mentorship Program Formal mentorship program pairing experienced media professionals with emerging filmmakers for career guidance.
• Script DC Conference Annual screenwriters' conference for the mid-Atlantic region, featuring panels, workshops, and networking for fiction screenwriters.
• Documentary Development Fellowship Fellowship supporting documentary filmmakers with resources and guidance for developing documentary projects.
• Narrative Script Development Fellowship Fellowship program for developing narrative/fiction screenwriting projects.
• Fiscal Sponsorship Services Financial administration and sponsorship services for independent film projects, allowing filmmakers to accept tax-deductible donations through WIFV's 501(c)(3) status in exchange for an administrative fee.
• Women of Vision Awards Annual awards ceremony recognizing women's creative and technical achievements in media, honoring filmmakers, curators, and industry leaders.
• WIFV Narrative Short Film Finishing Grant Grant program providing financial support to filmmakers to complete the post-production of narrative short films.
• Seed Fund for Documentary Filmmakers Funding program supporting documentary filmmakers in the early stages of production.
• MediaMaker Spotlight Podcast Bi-weekly podcast featuring conversations with industry professionals on topics of interest to the DC region's media makers.
• WIFV Membership Annual membership providing access to a 900+ member directory, job announcements, grant and festival information, scholarships, preview screenings, and reduced admission to educational programs.
• Membership Directory Searchable online directory of 900+ WIFV members featuring professional profiles, credits, and contact information for networking.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 200 events produced annually including panels, workshops, and screenings
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• DC Commission on the Arts and HumanitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment arts funding agency providing institutional support and grants to WIFV's programming and events.
• Humanities DCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal humanities council providing funding and support for cultural programming.
• 202 CreatesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDC-based creative economy initiative supporting local artists and media makers.
• Virginia Film OfficeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState film commission providing resources and location information for Virginia-based productions.
• Video/ActionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDC-based video production collective supporting WIFV programming.
• The Actors' CenterminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDC-based organization supporting actors and performers through professional development.
• DC Office of Cable Television, Film, Music and EntertainmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity government office supporting film and media production in Washington DC, providing grants and location services.
• Maryland Film OfficeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState film commission for Maryland supporting location-based productions.
• Women in Film & Television International (WIFTI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational network of more than 40 chapters worldwide that WIFV DC is affiliated with, hosting summits and global programming.
• ScriptDCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual writers' and filmmakers' conference co-produced by WIFV for the mid-Atlantic region.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Film Independent: Film Independent is a larger nonprofit supporting independent filmmakers through education, fiscal sponsorship (a program also offered by WIFV), and the Spirit Awards. Comparable to WIFV in mission and fiscal sponsorship services, but operates at a broader, national scale with a wider mandate beyond gender parity.
• International Documentary Association (IDA): IDA is a nonprofit membership organization supporting documentary filmmakers globally through grants, education, and advocacy. Comparable to WIFV's Documentary Development Fellowship and Seed Fund programs, but operates at a national scale across all genders.

Emerging players

• Film Fatales: Film Fatales is a nonprofit membership organization for women and non-binary feature film directors. It overlaps with WIFV's mission of advancing women's careers in film and represents a more niche, emerging alternative to traditional women-in-film chapters.

Regional players

• Chicago Women in Film & Television: Chicago Women in Film & Television is a WIFTI-aligned regional nonprofit serving women media makers in the Chicago metro area. Comparable to WIFV in mission, structure, and regional scope, representing a peer operating model in another major U.S. media market.
• San Francisco Women in Film & Television (SFWIFT): SFWIFT is a regional chapter of WIFTI serving women in film and television in the Bay Area. Comparable to WIFV DC as a WIFTI-affiliated regional nonprofit with similar professional development and networking programming.
• Women in Film Atlanta: WIF Atlanta is a regional WIFTI chapter serving women in film and television in the Atlanta area, which has one of the largest U.S. production ecosystems. It is a direct structural peer to WIFV DC, operating regional programming in a competing media hub.

Direct peers

• Women Make Movies: Women Make Movies is a nonprofit that distributes films by and about women and provides fiscal sponsorship and educational services. Comparable to WIFV in its nonprofit status, women-focused mission, and fiscal sponsorship offering, though New York–based and distribution-oriented.
• Women in Film & Television International (WIFTI): WIFTI is the global umbrella network of 40+ women-in-film chapters, of which WIFV DC is a core affiliate. WIFTI coordinates global programming (WIFTI Summit) and chapter support, making it directly comparable as both a peer and a parent network.
• New York Women in Film & Television (NYWIFT): NYWIFT is a WIFTI-affiliated nonprofit serving women in film, television, and digital media in the New York metro area. It mirrors WIFV's mission (professional development, mentorship, fiscal sponsorship, awards) and is the closest geographic and structural peer on the East Coast.
• Women in Film Los Angeles: Women in Film LA is the largest and most established U.S. chapter of the women-in-film movement, offering professional development, networking, and advocacy. It is directly comparable to WIFV as a sister chapter serving women in the film/TV industry, with a similar membership, programs, and awards structure at a larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wifvdc
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCM-8AxMpVo4jLhB0qPE4pPQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/WIFVDC
• Instagraminstagram.com/wifvdc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Women in Film & Video