Women Empowering Nations

What Women Empowering Nations does

Women Empowering Nations (WEN) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2009 in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Carlisha Williams Bradley. Its mission is leadership development for girls and young women, with an explicit focus on young women of color. The organization's programmatic portfolio is delivered under the GLOW (Girls Leading Our World) umbrella and spans a 3-month virtual GLOW Global Cohort for women ages 17-23, the GLOW R.I.S.E. in-school curriculum for middle and high school girls, GLOW Leadership Summits, international GLOW Travel Seminars, the GLOW Global Network community for ages 15-23, and the GLOW Global Fellowship — a paid beauty-industry track launched in 2022. WEN reports serving more than 16,000 young women across 60+ countries, with the 2025 cohort drawing 75 participants from 23 countries and cumulative applications since 2022 exceeding 6,000.

WEN's core operational assets are its curriculum, its ambassador pipeline (each member is required to impact 100+ peers), and its in-school and embassy-channel distribution. There is no proprietary software platform described; programs are delivered via standard virtual-meeting infrastructure and in-person convenings, and merchandise is fulfilled through the third-party e-commerce provider Bonfire.

The business model is donation-driven nonprofit. Revenue sources include individual donations, corporate sponsorships from a small named set of partners (notably Cantu Beauty, Bodycology, and Eylure), and merchandise sales via Bonfire. Program participation is predominantly free to beneficiaries, with the GLOW Global Fellowship representing the only explicitly paid product line. The organization operates with a lean 1-10 person team, and reputational validation rests heavily on the founder's profile, including selection as a 2024-2025 Obama Foundation Leader.

Name

Women Empowering Nations

Legal name

Women Empowering Nations

Website

https://wenations.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Women Empowering Nations is a Tulsa-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 2009, delivering leadership development under its GLOW brand to girls and young women — particularly young women of color — across 60+ countries through virtual cohorts, in-school programs, summits, and travel seminars.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Leadership Development Nonprofit

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Human Rights Organizations (813311)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Peer Support, Mentoring & Student Leadership (SEL) (EDAKAMAO), Leadership, Debate & Model UN Camps (EDAMALAK)

Keywords

• Youth leadership development
• Girls empowerment programs
• Leadership mentorship programs
• Global cohort training
• Community nonprofit programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Tulsa

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Individual and corporate donations constitute the primary revenue stream. The organization accepts one-time and recurring donations (weekly, monthly, quarterly, annual) with preset amounts ($25, $50, $100, $250) and custom donation options. Women Empowering Nations is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization.
2. Merchandise Sales: Sale of Girls Leading Our World branded merchandise through Bonfire online store. Proceeds directly support leadership development programs.
3. Corporate Partnerships and Sponsorships: Financial and in-kind support from corporate partners including Cantu Beauty, Bodycology, and Eylure who sponsor the GLOW Global Network and various programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Women Empowering Nations delivers a suite of youth leadership development programs under the Girls Leading Our World (GLOW) brand for girls and young women, primarily young women of color. Core offerings include the three-month virtual GLOW Global Cohort for ages 17-23, the GLOW R.I.S.E. in-school program for middle and high school girls, international GLOW Travel Seminars, annual GLOW Leadership Summits, and the GLOW Global Network virtual community for ages 15-23. Programs combine leadership coaching, executive mentoring, mental well-being support, and global exposure, delivered free of charge to participants and funded through donations and corporate sponsorships.

Product overview

Women Empowering Nations is a nonprofit organization offering a comprehensive suite of youth leadership development programs under the Girls Leading Our World (GLOW) brand. The core offerings include: the GLOW Global Cohort (a three-month virtual leadership experience for women ages 17-23), GLOW R.I.S.E. In-School Program (for middle and high school girls), GLOW Travel Seminars (international service and leadership trips), GLOW Leadership Summits (annual conferences), and the GLOW Global Network (a virtual community platform). The organization also previously operated the GLOW Global Fellowship. These interconnected programs provide exposure, development, and mentorship to accelerate young women's path to social impact executive leadership through coaching, global exposure, and career acceleration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• GLOW (Girls Leading Our World): Primary program brand providing leadership development, global exposure, and mentorship to young women ages 17-23.
• GLOW R.I.S.E.

Products and services

• GLOW Global Cohort A three-month virtual leadership development experience for young women ages 17-23 that builds social impact executive leaders through global exposure, executive coaching, and cohort-based learning on topics including culture and identity, public speaking, personal branding, executive leadership, and social justice.
• GLOW R.I.S.E. In-School Program A comprehensive youth development program designed for middle and high school girls, focusing on Resilience, Integrity, Self-confidence, and Empowerment (R.I.S.E.), delivered in partnership with schools and community organizations; provides leadership development, mental well-being support, post-secondary exposure, parent resources, and community networking.
• GLOW Travel Seminars International travel experiences for young women providing leadership development, service opportunities, and cultural exchange, with past destinations including Senegal, Gambia, Morocco, The Netherlands, Tanzania, Ghana, and South Africa.
• GLOW Leadership Summits Annual leadership conferences bringing together young women from around the world for workshops on social change, economic justice, women's empowerment, and leadership development, with past summits held in The Gambia, Tulsa, Oklahoma City, Houston, Mwanza Tanzania, and Accra Ghana.
• GLOW Global Network A virtual community platform for young women ages 15-23 that fosters global connections, provides leadership development training, and opens doors to career opportunities, supported by partners Cantu Beauty, Bodycology, and Eylure.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 16,000 young women served since 2009
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Tulsa Race Massacre Centennial CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 April 2021Co-presented the 2021 GLOW Virtual Summit in partnership and observance alongside the Tulsa Race Massacre Centennial Commission, commemorating the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre.
• Tulsa (OK) Chapter of The Links, IncorporatedcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 April 2021Co-sponsored the 2021 GLOW Virtual Summit focused on honoring Greenwood and contributions by Black women and girls in entrepreneurship.
• Cantu BeautycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPrimary sponsor of the GLOW Global Network and multiple GLOW programs including the GLOW Summit and GLOW Global Fellowship. Cantu Beauty has provided financial support and helped award scholarships to young women leaders.
• BodycologycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner sponsor of the GLOW Global Network supporting young women ages 15-23 with leadership development training and career opportunities.
• EylurecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner sponsor of the GLOW Global Network supporting young women ages 15-23 with leadership development training and career opportunities.
• Schools and Community OrganizationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner with schools and community organizations to deliver leadership development programs for middle and high school girls, including the GLOW R.I.S.E. in-school program.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• She's the First: Nonprofit focused on girls' education, leadership, and mentorship in low-income countries with a global cohort-based model — comparable to WEN's GLOW Global Cohort in targeting emerging young women leaders and combining mentorship with global exposure.
• CAMFED (Campaign for Female Education): Pan-African nonprofit supporting girls' education and leadership from rural communities — closely comparable to WEN's Africa-focused Travel Seminars and emerging-leaders cohort model, with similar alumni multiplier effects.
• Black Girls LEAD: U.S.-based nonprofit developing leadership and self-actualization programming for Black girls and young women — directly comparable target demographic to WEN's emphasis on young women of color and GLOW R.I.S.E. in-school programming.
• Step Up Women's Network: Nonprofit mentoring girls from under-resourced communities to develop confidence and pursue education and careers — directly comparable in-school mentorship, leadership development, and post-secondary exposure offerings to WEN's R.I.S.E. program.
• The Skin You're In: Nonprofit supporting Black girls and women through mentorship and community-based programming — comparable demographic focus, mentorship-led model, and use of cohort-based leadership development for young women of color.
• Girl Up (UN Foundation): UN Foundation initiative that provides leadership development, advocacy training, and global exposure for adolescent girls worldwide — directly comparable program model, target demographic (girls and young women), and global geographic reach to WEN's GLOW offerings.

Regional players

• African Women's Development Fund (AWDF): Pan-African grantmaking and capacity-building organization supporting women's rights organizations — comparable mission emphasis on African women's empowerment and similar geographic concentration of WEN's Travel Seminar destinations.
• Global Fund for Women: International grantmaking organization supporting women's rights and gender equality organizations globally — comparable mission and global Africa-inclusive footprint, but functions primarily as a funder rather than direct-service leadership developer.

Broad incumbents

• Lean In Foundation: Sheryl Sandberg-founded nonprofit focused on women's leadership and mentorship through circles, education, and community — comparable in leadership development and mentorship offerings but oriented to working professionals rather than school-age and emerging leaders.
• Vital Voices Global Partnership: Established global nonprofit investing in women leaders across public, private, and civil society — comparable mission to WEN but operates at significantly larger scale with broader age range and more established institutional funder base.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/WENations
• Instagraminstagram.com/wenations
• TikToktiktok.com/@wenations
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wenations

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Women Empowering Nations