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Center for Women & Enterprises Inc

EIN 04-3256236 · Boston, MA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak31 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

CWE IS AN ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT ORGANIZATION WHOSE MISSION IS TO HELP WOMEN BUSINESS OWNERS AND ASPIRING FEMALE ENTREPRENEURS LAUNCH AND GROW THEIR BUSINESS BY PROVIDING GREATER ACCESS TO THE RESOURCES, TOOLS, AND SUPPORT THEY NEED. WE ACHIEVE THIS MISSION BY PROVIDING EDUCATION, TRAINING, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, ACCESS TO MARKETS, AND PATHS TO FUNDING TO WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS AND EARLY-STAGE BUSINESSES.

Income
$4.0 million
Spending
$4.4 million
Spent on programs
73%
Reserves
-0.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 52%
Employees
33
Volunteers
135
Highest pay
$273,068, ceo & president

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Weak: 31 out of 100. Higher than 4% of charities in its peer group (employment, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

    Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.

  • Debt

    2 of 20

    It owes 82% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 8% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 8% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    73% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 17 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (employment, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    23 of 24 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (2)
  1. $2.5 million spent. EDUCATION: SINCE ITS FOUNDING IN 1995, THE CENTER FOR WOMEN & ENTERPRISE HAS TRAINED 60,600 ASPIRING SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS WHO HAVE CREATED 57,500 JOBS AND PAID $1.6 BILLION IN WAGES TO THEIR EMPLOYEES. WE PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES FOR ENTREPRENEURS AND BUSINESS OWNERS IN MA, NH, RI, AND VT, WHICH ADDRESS THE FULL CONTINUUM OF THEIR BUSINESSES' LIFECYCLES. CWE OFFERS ONSITE, ONLINE AND WORKSHOPS IN THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE ON CRITICALLY RELEVANT TOPICS INCLUDING FINANCIAL LITERACY, BUSINESS PLAN CREATION, FINANCING OPTIONS, AND VISIONING, ALL DESIGNED TO STRENGTHEN WOMEN AND VETERAN OWNED BUSINESSES. IN 2024 ALONE, PARTICIPATION IN OUR PROGRAMS AND EVENTS TOTALED 8,613 AND WE SERVED 3,455 INDIVIDUALS, PROVIDING THEM WITH THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO SUCCESSFULLY CREATE NEW INCOME OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES, WHILE ALSO BOOSTING THE NEW ENGLAND ECONOMY.
  2. $632,101 spent. CERTIFICATION: THE CENTER FOR WOMEN & ENTERPRISE OFFERS WOMEN BUSINESS OWNERS THE ABILITY TO OBTAIN FORMAL STATUS OF THEIR DIVERSITY THROUGH A VARIETY OF CERTIFICATIONS. CERTIFICATION ALLOWS BUSINESSES TO BID ON CONTRACTS AS A DIVERSE VENDOR IN BOTH THE PRIVATE AND PUBLIC SECTOR. IT IS AN IMPORTANT TOOL FOR EXPANDING THE VISIBILITY OF A COMPANY AMONG DECISION MAKERS IN SUPPLIER DIVERSITY AND PROCUREMENT. CWE IS THE REGIONAL PROVIDER OF THE WOMEN'S BUSINESS ENTERPRISE NATIONAL COUNCIL (WBENC), THE PREMIERE PRIVATE SECTOR CERTIFICATION THAT GIVES WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES AN ADVANTAGE IN THE CORPORATE BIDDING ARENA. WE ALSO OFFER THE WOMEN OWNED SMALL BUSINESS (WOSB-FEDERAL) AS A SECONDARY CERTIFICATION AT NO ADDITIONAL COST. THIS CERTIFICATION IS REQUIRED FOR WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES THAT WANT TO BID ON FEDERAL CONTRACTS IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR. IN 2024, CWE CERTIFIED 569 WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES THROUGH THE WBENC.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since April 1995.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.

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