Women In Film Seattle

What Women In Film Seattle does

Women in Film Seattle is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization established in 1990 and headquartered in Seattle, Washington. It serves women and women-identifying professionals working in film, video, and screen-based media, alongside allied students, industry supporters, and production companies seeking vetted talent. The organization operates as one of approximately 50 chapters of Women in Film and Television International (WIFTI), a global network reporting more than 20,000 members, and has been a member of WIFT-US since 2020.

The organization's core offerings center on community, education, funding, and visibility rather than on technology products. Core programs include the annual Post Alley Film Festival (PAFF), an international shorts festival held at SIFF Film Center that in 2026 featured films from 11 countries; the Nell Shipman Professional Members Grant, a $1,000 annual project grant; scholarships at Seattle Film Institute (up to $10,000 for MFA candidates, $5,000 for BA/Certificate and MA in Producing, several currently marked ON HOLD); filmmaking workshops held at venues such as Hugo House; the monthly Second Tuesday (TST) networking events; and a vetted member directory positioned as a hiring resource for the regional film industry. Members also receive discounts on post-production (Bad Animals, 15%), equipment rentals (Koerner Camera, 15%), and studio space (Pound Studios, 20%). All operations are run by a volunteer board; there are no paid staff disclosed.

The business model is a hybrid nonprofit revenue structure: annual membership dues (Professional, Associate, Student, Lifetime), transactional program revenue from workshops, festival ticket sales, and FilmFreeway submission fees, plus tax-deductible cash donations, in-kind contributions, and formal corporate sponsorships coordinated through the board president. Pricing is intentionally kept low — dues affordable, classes cost-effective, events inexpensive or free — to maintain accessibility. The organization does not develop proprietary technology; its digital footprint is limited to a Squarespace website, email newsletter, Facebook page (Post Alley Film Festival), and PayPal donation processing.

Name

Women In Film Seattle

Legal name

Women in Film Seattle

Website

https://womeninfilmseattle.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Women in Film Seattle is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1990 that operates a vetted professional community of 200+ women filmmakers in the Pacific Northwest, delivering the Post Alley Film Festival, the Nell Shipman grant, SFI scholarships, workshops, and networking events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Film Industry Nonprofit / Professional Membership Organization

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Production (51211)

SIC

Services-Allied To Motion Picture Production (7819), Services-Motion Picture Theaters (7830)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPADAKAF

Screening Rooms & Cinematheques (Nonprofit/Institutional)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Film & Video Production/Distribution/Exhibition (Cinemas, Film Festivals, Screenings)

SECONDARYTHAJAKAD

Photography & Videography Workshops

Travel & Hospitality/Tours, Attractions & Experiences/Workshops & Classes (Arts, Crafts, Skills & Local Lessons)

Keywords

• Film industry networking
• Women filmmaker community
• Filmmaking education programs
• Nonprofit film membership
• Short film festival events

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual dues from professional and associate members provide core operational funding. WIF Seattle is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
2. Program Revenue: Proceeds from workshops, seminars, and events including the Post Alley Film Festival contribute to organizational funding.
3. Donations and Sponsorships: Tax-deductible cash donations, in-kind contributions, and formal sponsorships from organizations supporting female creativity in entertainment. Organizations interested in formal sponsorship contact Virginia Bogert at [email protected].

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Women In Film Seattle is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization that supports women and women-identifying filmmakers in the Pacific Northwest through a portfolio of community, education, funding, and visibility programs. Its core offerings are annual memberships (Professional, Associate, Student, Lifetime), the Post Alley Film Festival, the Nell Shipman Professional Members Grant, Seattle Film Institute scholarships, filmmaking workshops, the Second Tuesday monthly networking events, and a vetted member directory used as a hiring resource.

Product overview

Women In Film Seattle is a non-profit organization (501(c)(3)) that serves as a membership-based professional network for women filmmakers and industry professionals. The organization's offerings include the Post Alley Film Festival (an annual international short film festival celebrating women's voices), the Nell Shipman Professional Members Grant ($1,000 annual project funding), and Seattle Film Institute scholarships (up to $10,000 for MFA programs). Core programs include filmmaking workshops, the Second Tuesday networking events, a vetted member directory for hiring, and a member benefits program offering discounts on equipment rentals, post-production services, studio space, and industry publications. The portfolio centers on education, funding, visibility, and community connection for women in the film and media industry.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Post Alley Film Festival (PAFF): An international shorts film festival dedicated to women-centric short films.

Products and services

• WIF Seattle Membership
• Post Alley Film Festival (PAFF)
• Filmmaking Workshops
• Second Tuesday (TST) Events
• Member Benefits and Discounts Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Grant recipients have screened at major festivals including SIFF, Tasveer, Slamdance, Hollyshorts, and Seattle Black Film Festival
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Women in Film and Television U.S. (WIFT-US)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020WIF Seattle is a member of WIFT-US since 2020. WIFT-US is a coalition of WIFT chapters whose leaders have come together to support and encourage each other, solve common problems and share resources.
• Women in Film & Television International (WIFTI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1990WIF Seattle is a member of WIFTI since 1990. WIFTI is a global network of over 40 member chapters worldwide with more than 10,000 members dedicated to advancing professional development and achievement for women working in film, video, and screen-based media.
• IATSE 488 Studio Mechanics of the Pacific NorthwestcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIATSE 488 is the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees union representing behind-the-scenes workers in crafts ranging from motion picture to theater. WIF partners with IATSE on industry advocacy and workplace safety initiatives.
• Bad Animals/SeattlecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerBad Animals is a post sound facility that extends WIF members a 15% discount on sweetening/mix and VO recording services. They sponsor a filmmaker cash prize at Post Alley Film Festival. Contact: Wendi Wills at [email protected].
• Seattle Film Institute (SFI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSFI is the largest film program in the Northwest founded in 1994. WIF's partnership with SFI provides grants ($5,000-$10,000) exclusively for women filmmakers. SFI also sponsors WIF events.
• Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWIF and SIFF are Community Partners. SIFF provides venue (SIFF Film Center) for Post Alley Film Festival. WIF supports SIFF programming including sponsored events.
• City of Seattle Office of Economic DevelopmentminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Office of Film and Music has worked with and supported WIF, promoting events to the film and music community. Located at 700 5th Avenue, Suite 5752, Seattle WA 98124.
• King County CreativeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWIF Seattle is a Coalition Partner of King County Creative, connecting to a network of creative organizations including NWFF Northwest Film Forum, Collective Chemistry, Go-4-Nuge, The House Studios, Koerner Camera Systems, Pound Studios, and others.
• NWFF Northwest Film ForumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a community partner organization that WIF supports along with regional girls, women's, and film industry organizations.
• Koerner Camera SystemsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerKoerner Camera offers WIF Professional members a 15% discount on non-commercial equipment rentals with WIF membership card and proper insurance. Located at 101 Nickerson St, #B500, Seattle, WA 98109.
• Pound StudiosminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPound Studios offers WIF Seattle members 20% off studio rental. Located at 1214 10th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98122. Promo code WIF2020.
• Rising ReelsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRising Reels, led by WIF Board member Trina Griffin, educates underserved and underrepresented children (focusing on BIPOC) in filmmaking, leading them to win awards. WIF supports this organization.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• International Documentary Association (IDA): A larger nonprofit membership organization serving documentary filmmakers with grants, advocacy, and networking; comparable as a film-industry membership nonprofit with grant programs, though broader in scope and not gender-specific.
• Women in Film (Los Angeles): The flagship Women in Film chapter founded in 1973; comparable as the parent nonprofit mission organization supporting women in entertainment with grants, mentoring programs (MENTOR), and advocacy — operates at much larger national scale but shares mission and operational structure with WIF Seattle.
• Sundance Institute: A major nonprofit supporting independent filmmakers through labs, grants, and festivals; comparable as a nonprofit film support organization with grant and fellowship programs, though at vastly larger scale and broader scope than WIF Seattle.

Direct peers

• Alliance of Women Directors: A nonprofit membership community for women directors offering networking, mentorship, and advocacy; directly comparable in mission and operational format (membership, networking events, member directory) though based in Los Angeles.
• Women Make Movies: A nonprofit media arts organization founded in 1972 that distributes and champions films by women directors; comparable as a mission-aligned nonprofit supporting women filmmakers through distribution and education, though with a more distribution-focused model.
• Women in Film & Television International (WIFTI): The global umbrella organization of which WIF Seattle is a member chapter since 1990; directly comparable as the federation coordinating 50+ WIF chapters worldwide and providing shared advocacy, programming, and resources.
• New York Women in Film & Television (NYWIFT): A regional WIFTI chapter providing networking, advocacy, and professional development to women filmmakers in the New York area; directly comparable in mission, structure, and chapter-level programming to WIF Seattle.
• Women in Film Atlanta (WIFTA): Another regional WIFTI chapter offering similar membership, networking, and education programs to women in film in Atlanta; directly comparable as a peer chapter with similar scale, scope, and operational model.

Emerging players

• Free The Work: A nonprofit talent discovery platform promoting underrepresented filmmakers to the industry; comparable in mission (advancing women and non-binary creators) but operates a digital marketplace model rather than event-based membership.
• Film Fatales: A nonprofit membership organization for women and non-binary feature filmmakers offering a peer-support directory and meetups; comparable as a community/network offering serving the same women-filmmaker demographic, though more digitally native and feature-film focused.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/wifseattle
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/women-in-film-seattle

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 Women In Film Seattle