Journalism & Women Symposium

What Journalism & Women Symposium does

Journalism & Women Symposium (JAWS) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1985 and headquartered by mailing address in Grandville, Michigan. Its stated mission is the professional empowerment and personal growth of women in journalism, alongside advocacy for more inclusive coverage of diverse communities. JAWS serves individual members who self-identify as women, non-binary, gender-nonconforming, or agender, including working journalists across all career stages, journalism educators and researchers, and journalism students. The organization delivers value through an annual Conference and Mentoring Program (CAMP) entering its 41st year in 2026, regional chapters in cities including Chicago, New York, and Washington, DC, webinars on professional development topics, the myJAWS online community platform (hosted on mn.co), the Commonwealth Fund-supported Health Journalism Fellowship (8 fellows per year, $4,000 reporting grants), and the Alicia Shepard Fellowship launched in 2024.

The core technology stack is a digital-first but conventional web infrastructure: a Squarespace-hosted website at jaws.org, the third-party mn.co community platform branded as myJAWS, Zoom-based webinars, and email newsletters. JAWS has no proprietary software, app, or API products; the myJAWS platform is licensed infrastructure rather than internally developed. Operational technology is paired with significant volunteer infrastructure - the organization is led by an Executive Director (Nicole June, full-time as of November 2025) and a Board of Directors comprising 11 members, supported by volunteer committees covering CAMP, Communications, DEI, Finance, Fund Development, Governance, Membership, and Programs.

JAWS operates a diversified nonprofit revenue model across four streams: recurring membership dues (500+ members), conference registration fees (CAMP 2026 pricing tiers at $175-$625 depending on member status and timing), donations and year-end fundraising (including a $40,000 goal in 2025 and IRA charitable rollover gifts), and corporate sponsorships. The organization also pursues grant funding, notably from the Commonwealth Fund for the Health Journalism Fellowship. Go-to-market is community-led and direct-to-consumer, with the annual CAMP conference as the flagship acquisition and retention event.

Name

Journalism & Women Symposium

Legal name

Journalism & Women Symposium

Website

https://jaws.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Journalism & Women Symposium (JAWS) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1985 that empowers women journalists through its annual CAMP conference, regional chapters, the myJAWS online community, the Health Journalism Fellowship, and advocacy for inclusive journalism coverage.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association / Nonprofit Membership Organization

NAICS

Professional Organizations (813920)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Association & Society Conference Management (Nonprofit, Professional Bodies) (THAHACAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Scholarly Societies & Conference Proceedings Publishing (MPAJABAK)

Keywords

• Women in journalism
• Journalism advocacy
• Professional development
• Media mentorship
• Press freedom

Headquarters

HQ city

Grandville

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: JAWS generates revenue through annual membership fees from journalists, educators, and students who join the organization for access to community, mentorship, events, and professional development resources.
2. Conference Registration Fees: The annual CAMP conference generates revenue through registration fees. Rates vary by membership status (member vs. non-member) and student discounts. Early bird and regular pricing tiers are offered.
3. Donations and Fundraising: JAWS conducts fundraising campaigns, including year-end appeals (e.g., $40,000 goal by year's end mentioned in 2025) and accepts tax-deductible donations. The organization also receives IRA charitable rollover gifts from donors aged 70½ and older.
4. Corporate Sponsorships: JAWS seeks corporate sponsors to support programming and CAMP activities, making conferences more affordable for participants. Sponsors receive recognition and access to the JAWS community.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Journalism & Women Symposium (JAWS) is a membership-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that sells individual memberships and conference registrations to women journalists, journalism educators, and journalism students. Its core deliverables are the annual Conference and Mentoring Program (CAMP), the Health Journalism Fellowship (providing $4,000 reporting grants to eight fellows per year), the myJAWS online community platform, regional chapter events, and professional development webinars. The organization also engages in press freedom and diversity advocacy through coalition work with peer journalism organizations.

Product overview

Journalism & Women Symposium (JAWS) operates as a membership-based nonprofit organization rather than a technology product company. Its core offerings include the annual Conference and Mentoring Program (CAMP), the Health Journalism Fellowship, the myJAWS online member platform, educational webinars, and regional chapter events. These programs work together to support professional empowerment, networking, and career development for women journalists.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Conference and Mentoring Project (CAMP): JAWS annual conference bringing together women journalists for networking, mentoring, and professional development.
• Health Journalism Fellowship

Products and services

• JAWS Membership
• Conference and Mentoring Program (CAMP)
• Health Journalism Fellowship
• myJAWS Online Community Platform
• JAWS Webinars
• JAWS Regional Groups

Quantifiable outcome

• 8 health journalism fellows per year receive $4,000 reporting grants plus mentorship and conference access
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJAWS co-hosts the annual Washington, D.C. Journalism Job Fair with NAHJ and other journalism organizations including NABJ, AAJA, NLGJA, SPJ, and the Arab and Middle Eastern Journalists Association (AMEJA). The job fair connects journalists with employers including Bloomberg, Politico, NBC4/Telemundo44, and others.
• Journalism Diversity OrganizationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJAWS partners with other journalism diversity organizations including NABJ, NAHJ, NLGJA, AAJA, SAJA, and others to advocate for inclusive journalism staffing and reporting standards. These partnerships advance shared goals of diversity and inclusion in newsrooms.
• Student Press Law CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJAWS joined a coalition led by the Student Press Law Center to urge Indiana University to implement recommendations for independent student media. The coalition included 14 national journalism organizations.
• Maynard Institute for Journalism EducationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLinda Jue, JAWS Vice President, serves as a DEI program consultant for the Maynard Institute. JAWS also collaborated on the Maynard 200 Fellowship program with the institute.
• Hyatt HotelsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerJAWS partners with Hyatt hotels for CAMP conference venues, receiving discounted room rates for attendees at locations including the Hyatt Centric Delfina in Santa Monica for CAMP 2026.
• Ms. MagazineminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMs. Magazine offices in Beverly Hills host the welcome reception for CAMP 2026 attendees, with light refreshments provided for conference participants.
• Association of Health Care Journalists (AHCJ)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJAWS NY co-hosts events with AHCJ, including a conversation with creator journalists Marisa Kabas (The Handbasket) and Garnet Henderson (Autonomy News) at Marymount Manhattan College.
• Press Forward ChicagominorGTM or Marketing PartnerPress Forward Chicago provides support for the JAWS Chicago Summer Soiree event at Vjosa Cafe, helping fund the free community event for journalists.
• International Women'S Media FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoth organizations work on advancing women in journalism and press freedom. Alicia Shepard, late JAWS member, was a former senior project manager for IWMF.
• Georgetown UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJAWS participates in the annual Washington, D.C. Journalism Job Fair hosted by Georgetown University's Master of Professional Studies in Journalism program at their Capitol Campus.
• FGS GlobalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFGS Global partnered with JAWS for an empowering webinar on women content creators navigating the independent journalism landscape, featuring Anne Gearan and Cat Rakowski.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• International Women's Media Foundation: IWMF is the closest direct peer: a global nonprofit advancing women journalists through fellowships, awards, and safety training. Comparability is direct—same mission (women in journalism), overlapping fellowship/grants model, and overlapping advocacy on press freedom.
• Women's Media Center: Women's Media Center advocates for women in media through original reporting, training programs, and leadership initiatives. It mirrors JAWS' membership/community model and serves women journalists and media makers across career stages.
• National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ): NABJ is a direct peer as a diversity-focused journalism association running annual conventions, regional chapters, mentorship, and job fairs—directly comparable to JAWS' CAMP, regional groups, and DC Journalism Job Fair co-hosting.
• Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA): AAJA is a peer diversity-focused journalism association running an annual convention, scholarships, and chapter programming with comparable mission, structure, and member profile to JAWS.
• NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists: NLGJA is a peer journalism association running an annual convention, regional chapters, and mentorship programs. JAWS explicitly partners with NLGJA on the DC Job Fair and on press freedom advocacy.
• South Asian Journalists Association (SAJA): SAJA is a peer journalism association providing mentorship, awards, and resources to South Asian journalists. JAWS explicitly partners with SAJA on diversity advocacy and press freedom initiatives.
• National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ): NAHJ co-hosts the DC Journalism Job Fair with JAWS and operates an annual convention, scholarships, and chapter programming—structurally analogous to JAWS' CAMP and regional model, targeting an overlapping journalist demographic.
• Maynard Institute for Journalism Education: Maynard Institute is a peer journalism training organization offering fellowships (Maynard 200) and DEI consulting. JAWS' Linda Jue serves as a DEI consultant there, and JAWS collaborated on Maynard 200, evidencing direct programmatic overlap.

Emerging players

• The News Literacy Project: The News Literacy Project is an adjacent peer in the journalism-support nonprofit space, focused on news literacy education rather than women-in-journalism directly. It represents an emerging programmatic category JAWS could expand into via webinars or fellowship verticals.

Broad incumbents

• Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ): SPJ is the broad incumbent U.S. journalism professional association with regional chapters, training, and advocacy. It serves the entire profession rather than a specific demographic, but operates a comparable membership + chapter + training model to JAWS.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/womenjournos
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCz5iN8QBt5zBk5R6lZ2Q
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/jaws
• Facebookfacebook.com/JAWSfb

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Journalism & Women Symposium