The End of an Era: Women Who Code Closing

Women Who Code started as a community group in 2011 by a small team of engineers in San Francisco who were seeking connection and support for navigating the tech industry. The movement grew, city by city, fueled by passionate volunteers that were inspired by the mission and vision. In 2013, Women Who Code, Inc., was registered as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization in California and moved its headquarters to Atlanta, Georgia in 2018.    

As a community, we are powerful. For more than a decade, Women Who Code has created a sense of belonging in tech and support for our community, thanks to the dedication and commitment of our members, volunteers, and staff. We have brought together a vibrant community of over 360,000 technologists who deeply care about building an industry that is more diverse, inclusive, and equitable. Today, more than 1,000 volunteers lead local and digital communities, members in 145 countries worldwide give technical talks daily to share knowledge and mentor each other, and a close-knit globally distributed team at WWCode HQ drives the day to day operations. 

Together, we’ve delivered more than 20 thousand community-led events, awarded more than $3.5 million in scholarships, held developer conferences and technical summits in tech hubs around the world, logged more than one million high-skilled, leadership-building volunteer hours, given away more than $2.5 million in conference tickets for broader industry engagement, and shared more than 14,000 job opportunities. Even more than these trackable outputs, we’ve come together to support each other, navigate the industry as a powerful force, share both technical protips and strategies for rising in our careers, and break barriers. 

It is with profound sadness that, today, on April 18, 2024, we are announcing the difficult decision to close Women Who Code, following a vote by the Board of Directors to dissolve the organization. This decision has not been made lightly. It only comes after careful consideration of all options and is due to factors that have materially impacted our funding sources – funds that were critical to continuing our programming and delivering on our mission. We understand that this news will come as a disappointment to many, and we want to express our deepest gratitude to each and every one of you who have been a part of our journey.

While so much has been accomplished, our mission is not complete and our vision of a tech industry where diverse women and historically excluded people thrive at every level is not fulfilled.

Despite our collective efforts, the challenges we face as an organization have become insurmountable. We are deeply saddened by the difficult decision to dissolve the entity, but we hope that this work carries on beyond our end. The collective efforts of tech company leaders and supporters are needed more than ever to welcome women into tech, keep them, and ensure they are given the opportunity to thrive. 

To the women in technology, if you have been inspired, made a career connection, leveled up your technical skills, or expanded your network through this movement, we encourage you to keep paying that forward. The world needs women and diverse perspectives at the helm of tech as a critical force that shapes our world every day. Please, keep going. 

As we embark on the process of winding down operations, we are committed to ensuring a smooth transition and fulfilling any remaining obligations to the best of our ability. Unfortunately, we will not be able to continue offering any program services, and will be canceling all upcoming events. 

Although this chapter is coming to a close, we believe that the spirit of our community will endure and hope that the relationships and experiences gained through involvement with Women Who Code will continue to inspire you in your future endeavors. 

On behalf of the Board of Directors and the entire Team Teal at Women Who Code, we extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who has been a part of the movement – our members, volunteers, partners, team, allies, and supporters – and encourage you to continue to seek support from other like-minded organizations who authentically support the careers of women in the tech industry and keep inspiring each other as you navigate the industry. It has been an honor and a privilege to serve the mission, and work alongside such passionate individuals.

Thank you for your understanding and support during this challenging time.

Team Teal @ Women Who Code