irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $252KCHAPTER AND MEMNERSHIP - WRISE CHAPTERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY SERVE AS LOCAL HUBS FOR NETWORKING, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. THESE VOLUNTEER-LED GROUPS HOST REGIONAL EVENTS, PROVIDE MENTORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, AND SUPPORT MEMBERS IN ADVANCING THEIR CAREERS WITHIN THE CLEAN ENERGY SECTOR. MEMBERSHIP - WRISE'S MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM OFFERS ACCESS TO RESOURCES, EVENTS, AND A STRONG PROFESSIONAL NETWORK. MEMBERS BENEFIT FROM CAREER DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES, MENTORSHIP CONNECTIONS, INDUSTRY INSIGHTS, AND A SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY COMMITTED TO ADVANCING EQUITY IN CLEAN ENERGY.
- #2 $149KFELLOWSHIPS/SCHOLARSHIPS - WRISE IS COMMITTED TO EXPANDING ACCESS TO CLEAN ENERGY CAREERS THROUGH TARGETED FELLOWSHIP AND SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS. WIND AND SOLAR FELLOWSHIPS - THESE FELLOWSHIPS PROVIDE EMERGING LEADERS WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO ATTEND MAJOR INDUSTRY CONFERENCES, CONNECT WITH MENTORS, AND GAIN PROFESSIONAL EXPOSURE IN THE WIND AND SOLAR ENERGY SECTORS. FELLOWS RECEIVE CARERER DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES, AND EXCLUSIVE NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES DESIGNED TO HELP THEM ADVANCE THEIR CAREERS IN CLEAN ENERGY.
named programs · 6 · from sources
What they call their work
Chapter Network
Volunteer-led local chapters across the U.S. and Canada host networking events, professional development sessions, and community-building activities to support women in renewable energy
Job Board and Bulletin
Bi-monthly job bulletin and online job board connecting employers with talent in renewable energy, with enhanced visibility for sponsor companies
Mentoring Programs
Offers structured peer group mentoring and one-on-one mentorship opportunities that connect members for career development and skill-building over a six-session curriculum
Speakers Bureau
Public, searchable database of qualified women speakers in renewable energy who are available for panels, conferences, and webinars to increase representation and diverse voices in the industry
WRISE Fellowships
Provides Wind and Solar Fellowships that offer emerging leaders access to industry conferences, mentorship, career resources, and networking to advance in clean energy careers
WRISE Week
Annual week-long celebration featuring events hosted by local chapters to strengthen community ties, develop professional skills, and advance the organization’s mission
activities · 7 groups
What they do
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Women's Leadership & Career Advancement Networks 2 activities
- Facilitating thought leadership and speaker representationAdvances visibility of women and underrepresented groups in renewable energy by facilitating participation in panels, conferences, and webinars, and by maintaining the WRISE Speakers Bureau and a public, searchable database of qualified diverse speakers for industry events.
- Providing mentoring opportunitiesOffers structured one-on-one mentoring pairings between WRISE members and senior industry leaders, as well as peer group mentoring through a six-session curriculum that promotes shared learning, skill-building, and community development for women in renewable energy and sustainability fields.
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Global Sustainability Convenings & Forums 1 activity
- Conducting national leadership conveningsHosts the Annual Leadership Forum and other national events that bring together leaders, innovators, and advocates in the clean energy sector to highlight progress, discuss leadership development, and align with industry trends.
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Professional Job Board & Career Placement Services 1 activity
- Distributing job market informationProvides bi-monthly jobs bulletins to email subscribers, offering curated employment opportunities in the renewable energy and sustainability sectors to support career advancement for members and professionals in the field.
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Women's Educational Advancement 1 activity
- Funding student participation in wind energy conferencesAwards grants to students to cover registration and travel costs for attending wind energy conferences, supporting educational and professional development opportunities for women entering or advancing in the wind energy field.
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Recreational Game Programming 1 activity
- Hosting fundraising and recreational eventsOrganizes pickleball open play events in partnership with SOLV Energy as both community-building and fundraising activities to support local women's shelters and engage women in renewable industries.
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Leadership Development Programs 1 activity
- Operating fellowship and career development programsRuns cohort-based Solar and Wind Power Fellowship programs that provide emerging leaders in clean energy with access to industry conferences, mentorship, career resources, and exclusive networking opportunities to advance their careers. The program is designed to support professional growth and leadership development in the renewable sector.
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Professional Networking Events 1 activity
- Organizing professional networking and community eventsHosts a variety of in-person and virtual events including monthly meet-ups, happy hours, game nights, webinars, and co-hosted gatherings (e.g., with Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield Farms) to foster community engagement and professional connections among women in renewable energy. These efforts are coordinated nationally through 51 chapters during WRISE Week and supported by local volunteer-led chapter activities.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$1.96M
Contributions & grants$1.71M87%
Program service revenue$232K12%
Investment income$23K1%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$1.79M
Program expenses69%
Admin / overhead22%
Fundraising9%
Salaries & benefits$761K
Grants paid out$3K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$1.37M
Cash$1.14M
Investments$0
Liabilities$191K
Net assets$1.18M
Liquid reserves7.6 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue +43.0%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 2
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DOSEKE AKPORIAYE | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $218K |
| FERRUGIA SONTHONAX | DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS | 40 | $160K |
board members · 10
- ASHA GANGHI — BOARD MEMBER
- BECKY DIFFEN — TREASURER
- CONSTANCE THOMPSON — BOARD MEMBER
- ELIZABETH KAIGA — BOARD MEMBER - THRU 3/1/24
- JULIA BOVEY — SECRETARY
- KATY BRIGGS — PRESIDENT
- LAN SASA — BOARD MEMBER
- LAUREN HALLER — BOARD MEMBER
- NOEMI GALLARDO — BOARD MEMBER
- RAHELEH FOLKERTS — BOARD MEMBER - THRU 10/1/24
relationships · 9
Who they work with
- Denver Botanic Gardens Partner — Co-hosts community and networking events with WRISE Colorado at Chatfield Farms.
- Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield Farms Partner — Co-hosts events with WRISE Colorado to promote community engagement in renewable energy.
- RE+ Partner — Collaborates on job fairs such as the RE+ 2024 Job Fair to connect women with employment opportunities in renewable energy.
- SOLV Energy Partner — Collaborates with WRISE San Diego to host pickleball open play events for women in renewable industries.
- SOLV Energy Partner — Partnered with WRISE San Diego to host a pickleball open play fundraiser for a local women's shelter.
- Scout Clean Energy Partner — Hosts WRISE CO happy hour and game night events to support community building among women in clean energy.
- WRISE Chapters Network — Network of 51 regional chapters across the U.S. and Canada that organize local events during WRISE Week.
- WRISE Chapters Network — Volunteer-led local chapters operating across North America as part of WRISE’s national network to deliver regional programming and member support.
- events@wrisenergy.org Partner — Contact point for coordinating national and chapter-level event inquiries
strategies · 4
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Career Pathway Acceleration through Fellowshipsmethodology: career_pathway_fellowshipsBy providing targeted fellowships that combine financial support, mentorship, and access to high-profile industry conferences, the organization expands career opportunities in clean energy, because integrated exposure and sponsorship reduce structural barriers for emerging leaders from marginalized backgrounds.
- Community-Driven Empowerment Modelmethodology: community-drivenBy building trust, collaboration, and empathy through decentralized, volunteer-led chapters and collective decision-making processes such as virtual town halls, the organization fosters systemic change and sustainable engagement, because community ownership increases participation, retention, and sector-wide influence among women in renewable energy.
- Equity-Centered Representation Strategymethodology: representation-mattersBy increasing visibility of systemically excluded voices in speaking roles and leadership forums, the organization shifts industry narratives and inspires broader participation, because representation disrupts implicit bias, validates diverse identities, and creates aspirational pathways for underrepresented women in clean energy.
- Peer-to-Peer Mentorship & Mutual Learning Networkmethodology: peer-powered_learningBy structuring mentoring relationships where participants serve as both mentor and mentee—through year-long partnerships, peer groups, and mutual learning models—the organization promotes professional growth and career advancement, because reciprocal mentorship builds deeper accountability, shared resilience, and broader skill transfer than hierarchical models.