Women's Democracy Lab

What Women's Democracy Lab does

Women's Democracy Lab (WDL) is a Seattle-based 501(c)-style nonprofit (1–10 employees) that supports pro-democracy women currently serving in elected office at the state and local levels. Founded by political organizers with more than two decades of experience, WDL operates a members-only community of 200+ elected women spanning 31 states in a near 50/50 state-versus-local mix, with explicit attention to diversity across race, gender identity, sexual orientation, immigration status, and geography.

Its core offerings are human-centered rather than technology-based. The Women In Power cohort is a multi-day intensive leadership, safety, and community-building program. A members-only Library aggregates workshops, masterclasses, and resources on topics ranging from safety planning and de-escalation to redistricting, media strategy, and mental wellness. Quick Ref is a curated directory of safety, digital security, and wellness resources, including partnerships with Democracy Protection Network, Urgent Action Fund, Equality Labs, and Palante Technology Cooperative. The organization also convenes alumni-only sessions with strategic partners such as the Vera Institute of Justice and media strategist Ashley Etienne, and published the 'Notes from the Field' report in October 2025 documenting threats facing women officeholders.

WDL generates revenue through donations routed via fnd.us/92koMc and donate.panoramaglobal.org/92koMc; membership for elected officials is free, vetted through application review. There is no pricing model, no app, no API surface, and no proprietary technology platform disclosed. The organization is led by Co-Founder and Executive Director Muthoni Wambu Kraal (former senior staffer at the Democratic National Committee and EMILY's List) with a small team including Senior Program Manager Hadiya, Program Associate Gabrielle, and Special Assistant Charminique, plus Senior Advisor Irene Shin. Growth is community-led via referrals, alumni engagement, and periodic membership application cycles, with the organization intentionally scaling the community to meet rising demand driven by escalating political violence against elected women.

Name

Women's Democracy Lab

Legal name

Women's Democracy Lab

Website

https://womensdemocracylab.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Women's Democracy Lab is a Seattle-based nonprofit operating a members-only community, leadership cohorts, and safety resources for 200+ pro-democracy women serving in state and local elected office across 31 states, funded by donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

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 Fundraising: WDL accepts donations through multiple channels including fnd.us/92koMc and donate.panoramaglobal.org/92koMc. The organization operates as a nonprofit and relies on charitable contributions to fund programming, member support, and operational activities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Women's Democracy Lab (WDL) is a nonprofit membership-based community that supports women currently serving in elected office at state and local levels. Its core offerings include a members-only peer community, the Women In Power intensive cohort program, a curated Library of workshops and masterclasses, a Quick Ref resource hub, and coaching/career development services centered on leadership, safety, and sustainability.

Product overview

Women's Democracy Lab operates as a membership-based community organization offering a unified platform for supporting elected women at state and local levels. The core offering is the members-only community (a private network), supplemented by the Women In Power cohort program for intensive leadership development, a Library resource hub with workshops and masterclasses, and a Quick Ref tool for rapid access to safety and resource guides. Coaching and career development services integrate across these offerings to provide whole-person support. The organization does not operate a traditional software product but rather provides human-centered programming, content, and community for pro-democracy women in elected office.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 200+ members serving as of 2025
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 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

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Democracy Protection NetworkminorOthersReferenced as a resource partner providing pro-bono or low-cost crisis-response and resilience-building assistance for organizations and individuals working to protect democracy. Listed on WDL's Quick Reference page as a low- or no-cost safety support option for members.
• The Public Service AllianceminorOthersReferenced as a resource partner providing free and affordable prevention, crisis response, and resilience support to current and former public servants at any level of government. Listed on WDL's Quick Reference page as a safety support resource.
• Urgent Action Fund for Feminist ActivismminorOthersReferenced as a resource partner providing emergency grants of up to $8,000 for unexpected security needs, focused on women, trans, and non-binary activists. Listed on WDL's Quick Reference page.
• Vera Institute of JusticecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with WDL on an Alumni Only session featuring Insha Rahman on topics including the weaponization of crime and immigration, and messaging strategies around National Guard and ICE deployments. Part of ongoing strategic programming for WDL alumni.
• Sujata Tejwani / Sujata StrategiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with WDL to create safety strategies tailored especially for the unique risks faced by elected officials, particularly women of color. Created intensive safety planning workshops and Circle of Trust frameworks offered exclusively to WDL community members. Sujata is Founder and President of Sujata Strategies.
• Serna Solutions / Brianna JacobsonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrianna Jacobson, a therapist and trainer at Serna Solutions, created and led a de-escalation workshop for WDL community members in fall 2024, sharing strategies on self-regulation, crisis planning, and in-the-moment de-escalation.
• Ashley EtienneminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedia Strategist and Political Commentator who collaborated with WDL on an October 2025 Alumni session on proactive and reactive media strategies, focusing on messaging around National Guard and ICE deployments.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• VoteRunLead: Nonpartisan organization training women to run for office and lead campaigns. Comparable in candidate and elected-leader training, though pre-election focused.
• Running Start: Nonprofit training young women for political leadership. Comparable in mission to develop the next generation of women leaders, though WDL focuses on already-elected officials.
• She Should Run: Nonpartisan nonprofit encouraging women to run for office and providing early-stage leadership support. Overlaps with WDL on building the pipeline of diverse women into elected service.
• Higher Heights for America: Builds the political power and leadership of Black women. Directly comparable in mission emphasis on supporting elected and aspiring Black women leaders.
• Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP): University-based research center on women and politics at Rutgers. Closely comparable in tracking and supporting women's political participation, with complementary research and programming.
• New American Leaders: Trains and supports first-generation Americans and immigrants to run, win, and lead in office. Strong overlap with WDL's explicit inclusion of immigrant and first-generation American elected women.
• EMILY's List: Major political organization supporting pro-choice Democratic women candidates, with training and campaign programs. Direct overlap with WDL's mission; WDL's founder is a former EMILY's List senior staffer.
• National Women's Political Caucus: Bipartisan, multicultural organization recruiting, training, and supporting women candidates and elected officials. Long-standing comparable mission to WDL's elected-women focus.
• IGNITE: Trains and supports young women in politics, with a focus on college-age and early-career leaders. Adjacent in demographic and leadership-development focus to WDL's programs.

Emerging players

• RepresentWomen: Research and advocacy organization focused on advancing gender parity in elected office. Comparable in mission framing around women's representation, with a more research-driven approach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/womens-democracy-lab

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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's Democracy Lab