YW Boston
YW Boston is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1866 as the first U.S. YWCA, serving the Greater Boston region with DEI consulting, employer-sponsored leadership development (LeadBoston), youth programming (F.Y.R.E.), women entrepreneur support (WE360), and policy advocacy.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1866
- HeadquartersBoston, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What YW Boston does
YW Boston is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1866 as the first YWCA in the United States, headquartered at 140 Clarendon Street, Boston, and operating with a staff of approximately 26 full-time employees. The organization's mission is to eliminate racism and empower women through four focus areas: leadership development (LeadBoston, an 11-month employer-sponsored equity-centered leadership program for mid-to-senior professionals that has produced over 1,250 alumni since 1991), consulting and training (custom DEI Discovery assessments, Pulse Surveys, Action Plans, and Workshops for organizations), youth development (F.Y.R.E., serving middle-school girls of color and gender-expansive youth in Greater Boston), and advocacy (coalition building and policy work in Massachusetts on reproductive freedom, pay equity, civil rights, and racial and gender equity). Additional programs include the WE360 women's entrepreneurship initiative funded by The Coca-Cola Foundation and the DEI Community of Practice, a cohort-based program launched in partnership with NEHRA in January 2020 that charges $1,000 per participant.
The organization delivers services through direct program delivery and cohort-based engagements concentrated in the Greater Boston area, with advocacy extending to Massachusetts state-level policy. Revenue mechanics are hybrid: individual, foundation, and corporate donations (including tiered leadership giving societies — Persimmon Society at $1,000+ and Sylvia's Sustainers at $5,000+); corporate sponsorships for events such as the Academy of Women Achievers; employer-sponsored LeadBoston tuition; modest participant fees from the Community of Practice; and grant-funded programs such as WE360. Named enterprise and institutional clients span healthcare (Massachusetts General Hospital, South Shore Health), financial services (John Hancock, Eversource, Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston), technology (CarGurus), higher education (Boston University), and nonprofits (Boston Lyric Opera, MassBio).
The technology footprint is standard nonprofit SaaS — Salesforce for CRM (managed by a Senior Salesforce Administrator and Systems Manager), Zoom for virtual programming, and conventional web and content platforms — with no proprietary software, AI/ML capabilities, or app products. Governance is led by President & CEO Aba Taylor, supported by a Chief Impact Officer, Interim Chief External Relations Officer, and Chief Financial & Operations Officer, with a dedicated Director of Partnerships brought in from Boston-area technology companies to professionalize corporate revenue generation.
YW Boston firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- YW Boston
- Legal name
- YW Boston
- Website
- https://ywboston.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1866
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- YW Boston is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1866 as the first U.S. YWCA, serving the Greater Boston region with DEI consulting, employer-sponsored leadership development (LeadBoston), youth programming (F.Y.R.E.), women entrepreneur support (WE360), and policy advocacy.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
YW Boston industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Consulting and Training
- NAICS
- Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139), Child and Youth Services (624110), Educational Support Services (611710)
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- DEI (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion) & Belonging Consulting (BPAHAGAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- DEI, Equity & Inclusion Advisory (BPACAJAJ), DEI, Culture & Employee Engagement Training (BPACANAE), DEI, Equity & Inclusion Training (EDABAIAF), DEI, Inclusive Leadership & Cultural Intelligence Coaching (EDABANAJ), Leadership, Character Education & Values Development (EDAMAIAG)
Keywords
Where YW Boston is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Boston
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
YW Boston business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Donations and Charitable Contributions: YW Boston relies on donations from individuals, foundations, and corporations to fund its mission of eliminating racism and empowering women. The organization has a Persimmon Society ($1,000+ donors) and Sylvia's Sustainers ($5,000+ donors) leadership giving societies.
- Corporate Sponsorships: Annual corporate sponsorships and event sponsorships for programs like Academy of Women Achievers. Organizations sponsor tables and programs at various tiers.
- Community of Practice Fees: Community of Practice program charges $1,000 per person for participation in the 10-meeting cohort program.
- LeadBoston Tuition: Organizations cover tuition for employees participating in the 11-month LeadBoston leadership development program. Employer commitment form required for acceptance.
- DEI Consulting and Training Services: Custom consulting and training services provided to organizations including Discovery, Pulse Surveys, Action Planning, and Workshops. Pricing not publicly disclosed.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Community of Practice - HR Professional Cohort |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | LeadBoston Program Tuition |
| Freemium | One-time | WE360 Women's Entrepreneurship Program |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
YW Boston product offering
Product offeringCore offering
YW Boston delivers a portfolio of DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) consulting and training services, an 11-month equity-centered leadership development program (LeadBoston), an HR professional Community of Practice, a youth empowerment program (F.Y.R.E.), a women entrepreneurship program (WE360), and coalition-driven advocacy work. Offerings are sold to or sponsored by employers, nonprofits, and government agencies in the Greater Boston region, with individual participation channels for youth and entrepreneurs.
Product overview
YW Boston is a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of programs and services focused on eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting equity in Boston. The organization operates as a platform of interconnected programs rather than a single product: LeadBoston serves as the flagship leadership development program, complemented by the DEI Community of Practice for ongoing professional learning; Consulting & Training provides custom organizational assessment and development services; F.Y.R.E. serves youth development; WE360 supports women entrepreneurs; and Advocacy drives legislative change. The Academy of Women Achievers celebrates leadership while the Women of Color Advisory Council provides strategic guidance. All programs share the common goal of creating inclusive environments where women, people of color, and especially women of color can succeed.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- F.Y.R.E. (Fierce Youth Reimagining Excellence): An empowerment and leadership program for middle school girls of color and gender-expansive youth in the Greater Boston area. It uses dialogue, experiential learning, and community building to nurture positive self-identity, strengthen social emotional skills, and gain a deeper understanding of social justice and civic engagement through a lens of wellness.
- LeadBoston
- WE360 (Women's Empowerment 360)
Products and services
- LeadBoston
- DEI Community of Practice
- Consulting & Training
- F.Y.R.E. (Fierce Youth Reimagining Excellence)
- Women's Empowerment 360 (WE360)
- Advocacy
Quantifiable outcome
- 67% of candidates want to join a diverse team
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use YW Boston
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
YW Boston technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
YW Boston partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Northeast Human Resources Association (NEHRA)coreCommunity of Practice was launched in partnership with NEHRA in January 2020 to help meet the emerging needs of diversity, equity, and inclusion professionals. The program provides a collaborative space for HR professionals and people leaders.
- Massachusetts General HospitalminorMassachusetts General Hospital participates in YW Boston programs and has employees sponsored for LeadBoston. Christyanna Egun serves as Senior Director of Boston Partnerships, Equity & Inclusion.
- John HancockminorJohn Hancock, a financial services company, has employees participating in YW Boston programs. John Anderson, Global Head of Corporate Finance, has been involved with the organization.
- AdvocatesminorAdvocates organization has participated in YW Boston's consulting and training programs, with employees reporting improved engagement in diversity, equity, and inclusion work.
- Boston Lyric OperaminorBoston Lyric Opera worked with YW Boston to develop a DEI action plan, engaging staff, artists, and board in diversity, equity, and inclusion conversations.
- South Shore HealthminorSouth Shore Health participated in YW Boston workshops focusing on implicit bias. Employees reported increased awareness of bias and exclusion in the workplace.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
YW Boston competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- PolicyLink: National research and action institute advancing racial and economic equity through policy advocacy, leadership development, and community-equity consulting—analogous to YW Boston's combined training + advocacy portfolio.
- re:power: National nonprofit providing leadership development, training, and consulting to advance equity and movement-building—closely aligned with YW Boston's training methodology and target audience of social-justice leaders.
- YWCA of the City of New York: Direct peer YWCA affiliate delivering DEI training, youth programs, women's empowerment services, and advocacy in a different metro—comparable programmatic model and mission alignment with YW Boston.
- Interaction Institute for Social Change: Boston-based consulting and training organization focused on equity, inclusion, and social-justice facilitation for institutions—direct overlap with YW Boston's Consulting & Training workshop offerings and Boston footprint.
- National Conference for Community and Justice (NCCJ): National nonprofit offering workplace DEI training, dialogue facilitation, and youth leadership programs—an established peer in the same consulting/training space YW Boston operates in.
- Race Forward: National nonprofit operating the Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE) and delivering racial equity training, consulting, and tools—closely comparable to YW Boston's DEI consulting and racial-equity training work.
- The Partnership, Inc. Boston-based nonprofit focused on advancing leaders of color through leadership development programs, talent pipelines, and DEI consulting—directly comparable to YW Boston's LeadBoston and Consulting & Training offerings in the same geography.
Broad incumbents
- YWCA USA: National umbrella organization of YWCAs, including YW Boston, advancing racial justice and women's empowerment through advocacy, training, and direct services; YW Boston operates as an affiliate within this national federation.
Others
- The Boston Foundation: Major Boston community foundation and grantmaker with overlapping networks in racial-equity funding and public-affairs work; acts as a potential funding partner and ecosystem peer rather than direct competitor.
Regional players
- YWCA Greater Los Angeles: Direct YWCA peer affiliate serving a different U.S. metro with comparable DEI, youth development, and women's empowerment programming—useful for understanding replicability of the YW Boston model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
YW Boston social profiles
Digital presenceYW Boston financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
YW Boston leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
YW Boston funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
YW Boston M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about YW Boston
What does YW Boston do?
YW Boston delivers a portfolio of DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) consulting and training services, an 11-month equity-centered leadership development program (LeadBoston), an HR professional Community of Practice, a youth empowerment program (F.Y.R.E.), a women entrepreneurship program (WE360), and coalition-driven advocacy work. Offerings are sold to or sponsored by employers, nonprofits, and government agencies in the Greater Boston region, with individual participation channels for youth and entrepreneurs.
Is YW Boston a public or private company?
YW Boston is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was YW Boston founded?
YW Boston was founded in 1866. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is YW Boston based?
YW Boston is headquartered in Boston, United States, in the North America region.
How does YW Boston make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Donations and Charitable Contributions are the primary driver. The others are corporate Sponsorships, community of Practice Fees, leadBoston Tuition and DEI Consulting and Training Services.
Who are YW Boston's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are PolicyLink, re:power, YWCA of the City of New York, Interaction Institute for Social Change, National Conference for Community and Justice (NCCJ), Race Forward and The Partnership, Inc.. YWCA USA is listed as a broad incumbent. The Boston Foundation is listed as an others. YWCA Greater Los Angeles is listed as a regional player.
Does YW Boston have an API?
No public API is recorded for YW Boston.
What industry is YW Boston in?
YW Boston's product category is Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Consulting and Training. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAGAJ, DEI (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion) & Belonging Consulting, with a secondary code of BPACAJAJ, DEI, Equity & Inclusion Advisory. Its NAICS code is 611430 and its SIC code is 8742.