Wfencing

What Wfencing does

WFencing, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Durham, North Carolina, focused on advancing gender equity within U.S. fencing. Founded and incorporated on May 7, 2020, the organization serves women coaches, referees, athletes, and allies through a portfolio of education, training, competition, and advocacy programs. Its core constituencies include women fencing professionals seeking structured professional development pathways, junior athletes seeking women-only training environments, and the broader fencing community engaging with equity-focused research and policy discussions.

The organization's product portfolio centers on a mix of remote and in-person programming. Learning Pods are Zoom-based professional development cohorts priced at $40 for members and $80 for non-members, now in their third series and incorporating international coaches. The Athena Project Summer Camp, co-delivered with the Northwest Fencing Club (NWFC), provides women- and girls-only training experiences, with 19 participants in the 2024 cohort. The Cleveland Rocks RYC/RJCC tournament delivers competitive opportunities, while the Report Card publishes research on equity conditions in U.S. fencing. Media products include the WFencing Podcast and Video Clinics hosted on Patreon. The technology footprint is deliberately light: the organization runs on Wix-based web infrastructure and Zoom for virtual events, with no proprietary technology platform disclosed.

WFencing operates a hybrid membership-and-contribution revenue model. Membership is offered at $35 annually (Charter) or $100 lifetime (paid over 10 years) and grants access to member pricing across Learning Pods, forming the recurring revenue base. Supplementary revenue comes from donations, Learning Pod ticket sales to non-members, merchandise (SWAG), and grant funding — most recently a 2025 Fencing the Gap Mini-Grant from USA Fencing. The organization is governed by a board with a small operational staff (1–10 employees), with the first part-time Executive Director hire scheduled for 2025–2026 to scale operational capacity beyond volunteer-only operation.

Name

Wfencing

Legal name

WFencing, Inc.

Website

https://wfencing.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

WFencing, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit advancing gender equity in U.S. fencing through professional development cohorts, women-only training camps, tournaments, research publications, and media programming, serving women coaches, referees, athletes, and allies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Durham

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, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual charter membership ($35/year) and lifetime membership ($100/year auto-drafted for 10 years) providing voting rights and access to professional development events
2. Donations and Contributions: Tax-deductible donations accepted via website, Venmo, and mail. 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with Tax ID 84-2886307
3. Professional Development Programs: Learning Pods workshop series priced at $40 for members and $80 for non-members. Financial support available for college students starting coaching careers
4. Merchandise Sales: SWAG sales including t-shirts ($32) and hoodies ($40) sold at national events

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

WFencing is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that advances the sport of U.S. fencing through professional development programs, women-only training camps, regional tournaments, podcasts, and advocacy for gender equity. It sells annual and lifetime memberships, charges fees for workshops and summer camps, accepts tax-deductible donations, and sells branded merchandise. The organization delivers educational content via online workshops (Learning Pods), video clinics on Patreon, in-person events at national tournaments, and produces a research publication tracking gender representation.

Product overview

WFencing is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that serves as a collaborative platform for advancing the sport of fencing through diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. The organization's core offerings center on professional development programs (Learning Pods, Video Clinics), community events (Athena Project Summer Camp, Cleveland Rocks! tournaments), educational content (Podcasts, Report Card), and membership services. WFencing does not operate a unified software platform but rather delivers its services through a combination of in-person events, online workshops via Zoom, video content on Patreon, and podcast distribution on YouTube.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Learning Pods: Professional development initiative providing ongoing education, mentorship, and peer support for fencing coaches through structured monthly online meetings (Zoom). Groups organized by weapon (foil, saber, epee) and includes a parafencing group. Meets September through February.
• Athena Project
• Cleveland Rocks RYC/RJCC
• WFencing Video Clinics

Products and services

• WFencing Learning Pods A professional development initiative providing ongoing education, mentorship, and peer support for fencing coaches through structured monthly meetings conducted online via Zoom. Organized by weapon discipline (foil, epee, saber) with a parafencing group.
• WFencing Video Clinics Video-based professional development content hosted on Patreon featuring fencing coaching techniques, motor learning principles, biomechanics, and applied anatomy tutorials presented by experienced coaches.
• Athena Project Summer Camp A women's and girls-only fencing camp co-hosted with Northwest Fencing Center in Portland, Oregon, featuring all three Olympic-style weapons with mentorship from elite athletes, coaches, and legacy fencers.
• Cleveland Rocks! RYC/RJCC Tournament
• WFencing Podcast Series
• WFencing Membership Organizational membership program offering Charter ($35/year) and Lifetime ($100 total) tiers with voting rights, access to professional development events, and participation in WFencing governance and activities.
• WFencing Report Card

Quantifiable outcome

• Learning Pods professional development available for $40/members with financial support for college students
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Northwest Fencing Center (NWFC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 August 2024Co-host partner for the Athena Project summer camp - a one-of-a-kind women's and girls' only fencing camp held in Portland, Oregon. NWFC provides facilities, registration infrastructure, and operational support while WFencing contributes programming, coaches, and organizational oversight. The partnership creates a collaborative camp and conference environment encompassing all three weapons.
• Cleveland State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for the annual Cleveland Rocks RYC/RJCC fencing tournament organized by WFencing. The partnership provides facilities for regional youth and junior/cadet competitive fencing events, creating community-building tournament experiences.
• USA FencingcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerNational governing body for fencing in the United States. WFencing engages members in USA Fencing governance through election advocacy, SafeSport initiatives, and received the Fencing the Gap Diverse Coaches Mini-Grant. WFencing tables at national events and participates in College Conversations sessions.
• Forge Fencing Teams, Inc.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliate fencing organization founded by WFencing board member Jennifer Oldham. Based in Durham, NC and Cleveland, OH, serving both locations with programming connected to WFencing leadership and professional development.
• Halberstadt Fencers' ClubminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of the 2024 Athena Project Summer Camp. San Francisco-based fencing club contributing to support women and girls in fencing development.
• Tim Morehouse FencingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of the 2024 Athena Project Summer Camp. New York-based fencing organization contributing to support women and girls in fencing development.
• Michigan State University Fencing ClubminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of the 2024 Athena Project Summer Camp. University fencing program contributing to support women and girls in fencing development.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Emerging players

• Athlete Ally: A nonprofit focused on LGBTQ+ inclusion and equity in sport. Operates adjacent allyship and inclusion programming that intersects with WFencing's mission of fostering diverse, equitable environments in sport.
• Women's Sports Foundation: A nonprofit focused on advancing equity in sports for women and girls. While broader in scope (all sports), it pursues parallel objectives to WFencing — gender equity, leadership development, and athlete advocacy — at a larger national scale.
• Women in Sports and Events (WISE): A national nonprofit advancing women in the business and leadership of sports. Shares WFencing's mission of advancing women in the sports industry and operates similar professional development, networking, and advocacy programs at broader scale.

Direct peers

• Northwest Fencing Center: A Portland-based fencing club and nonprofit that co-hosts WFencing's Athena Project Summer Camp. Operates in the same fencing community ecosystem with overlapping programming, athlete development, and professional coaching education objectives.
• United States Fencing Coaches Association (USFCA): The U.S. professional association for fencing coaches, founded by WFencing's founder Vinnie Bradford, who served as its first Executive Director. USFCA operates coaching education and certifications directly overlapping with WFencing's Learning Pods and Summer Colloquium programming.
• On Guard High School Fencing League: A high school fencing league in Atlanta, GA, where WFencing board member Heather Shankwiser serves on the board. Operates youth fencing programming and shares WFencing's focus on community-building in fencing.
• Forge Fencing Teams, Inc. A fencing organization founded by WFencing board member Jennifer Oldham, serving Durham, NC and Cleveland, OH. Functions as an affiliate organization with shared leadership, programmatic overlap, and direct ties to WFencing's governance.

Broad incumbents

• USA Fencing: The national governing body for fencing in the United States. WFencing actively engages USA Fencing's governance, elections, and SafeSport processes, and has received grant funding from it. As the incumbent, USA Fencing's broader scope encompasses WFencing's mission-adjacent activities.

Others

• U.S. Center for SafeSport: The national body for abuse prevention and response in U.S. Olympic sports. WFencing explicitly engages with SafeSport initiatives as part of its mission to address gender-related issues in fencing, making it a closely related governance actor.

Regional players

• Halberstadt Fencers' Club: A San Francisco-based fencing club that sponsored the 2024 Athena Project Summer Camp. Operates in the same fencing community ecosystem as WFencing, sharing overlapping athlete development and women's fencing advocacy goals on the West Coast.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/wfencing
• Instagraminstagram.com/wfencing
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wfencing

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Wfencing