WSW Community Programming
Community Promise
Each year, ALIST invests time towards an initiative designed to serve the BIPOC entrepreneur community. Becoming an ALIST client or partner directly impacts keeping these efforts going.
In 2024, we helped organize the first Filipino Food Tour in Oregon and we’ll continue to provide WSW Host Grants and Meet Ups for women entrepreneurs
In 2023, we used the collective power of WSW to accelerate new businesses opened by women and offered our first grant program
In 2022, we physically brought the WSW community together in an effort to save Portland restaurants owned by women
In 2021, we interviewed 10 WOC founders and released an inspirational series featuring their 'why' stories for opening a business
In 2020, we built an online community to organize and amplify women-owned businesses in the PNW. We still maintain and moderate @alist_pdx today
Women Supporting Women
Through the leadership of our founder Amanda Mailey, Women Supporting Women (WSW) was formed in 2022 as the organizing body of women entrepreneurs uniting for change. With over 400 women now participating, we distribute money across the founder community in a tangible way. Through the collective power of WSW, we are building a new model that taps into women’s positions of power to better serve BIPOC communities. There are 4 components to this ecosystem of support.
Women leaders in orgs sponsoring our community activations
Community crowdfunding collecting individual donations
Hosting an event for women entrepreneurs organized by women entrepreneurs
Women buying tickets to the event and buying from the hosts
In 2023, we made 4x the impact with every dollar raised. Looking forward to seeing what we can do in 2024.
The Inaugural Boss-A-Thon
ALIST collaborated with KF Curates to design a new platform to give boss women the stage to shine light on a social cause that affects us all, the big equity gap in investments made in female entrepreneurs. The event was also a new fundraising format that centered, amplified and honored women of color leaders + engaged allies, change makers, and investors to benefit the WSW Community Fund.
The result? As of March 22, 2024, we have crowdfunded $5,692 & signed on OnPoint Community Credit Union as a WSW program sponsor for the 3rd year in a row! Kaysha Duffy made the announcement while on the stage as a panelist. The event itself distributed $9,699.75 to women who organized the event and gave the stage to “Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion,” which was the national theme of Women’s History Month.
Adding this new annual event gives us the opportunity to keep the conversation going about the historical progress and setbacks occurring around investing in female business leaders and adds another fundraising source to keep the WSW Host Grant program going.
Boss Women Take the Stage
Empower her, yes. But don’t forget to invest, promote, hire, listen to, and follow our women leaders.
The Boss-A-Thon 2024: HerStory Fireside chat with Amanda Mailey moderated by Zanele Mutepfa-Rhone.
The Boss-A-Thon 2024: Investing in Women Panel Discussion with Kaysha Duffy, Director of Impact at OnPoint Community Credit Union and Tamara Brown, Vice President, Relationship Banking Officer at Heritage Bank NW moderated by Zanele Mutepfa-Rhone.
As Featured On
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The Portland Observer
Addressing How to Empower and Financially Support Women Founders. Read the March 2024 article.
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PDX Today
Support local women entrepreneurs at The Boss-A-Thon culinary experience. Read the March 2024 article.
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Koin 6 News
Local women business owners build connections with monthly meetups. Watch video
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Portland Business Journal
How a monthly meal helps women business owners and builds community. Read the September 2022 or April 2022 article.
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Portland Monthly Magazine
Ripping the City with Amanda Mailey, founder of Women Supporting Women. Read the December 2022 article.
Strategic Partnerships
Throughout the year, we are actively looking to expand the financial contribution to more strategic partners and sponsors. We have the vision, business model. an all women-led team of small business owners, and high interest in the community. If you have a line item in your company goals to better serve local small businesses, women entrepreneurs, B-I-POC families, and community leaders, we want to hear from you. Please consider becoming an ALIST WSW sponsor to help subsidize the cost of these initiatives and make a real impact. If you would like to invest in keeping these going, please contact us today.