Not only are the mission and activities of KC-CWBO different, our membership structure is very unusual.

First, the member criteria ensures that our focus remains on meeting the needs of, and creating opportunities specifically for, women who own and run the larger businesses in the KC metro area.

Membership criteria for the KC-CWBO includes meeting at least two of the following:

• Owning* a business for at least five years
• The equivalent of 15 full-time employees or equivalent (can include part time and contract labor)
• Annual revenue of $2M or more ($1M for service businesses) 

Second, when you join KC-CWBO, you are also becoming a member of a national organization, paid for in your name out of your KC-CWBO dues:

Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP) is the nation's largest bi-partisan public policy organization that advocates for and on behalf of women business owners and women in business on economic issues. The KC-CWBO is a National Coalition Partner with WIPP because we recognize that it is important for women business owners to come together, especailly at the national level. In this way we can have a consistent message and represent larger numbers of businesses. We rely on WIPP as our primary point of contact to educate us about, get our opinions on, and keep us abreast of public policy issues at the federal level. WIPP is fiercly bi-partisan, with one co-founder a Democrat and the other co-founder a Republican. They work hard to remain balanced, and keep their focus on ISSUES that affect women business owners; they do not get sidetracked into social issues, political parties, or endorsing candidates. When it comes to our public policy work, the KC-CWBO incorporates the WIPP model of bi-partisanship. Our philosophy is to encourage women business owners to get knowledgeable and get active in whatever area of public policy that affects their bottom line.

Third, the membership cycle is for TWO years.

Why? Because we take a different view a long term view. While there are many benefits that members realize in the short term (for instance, the New Business Roundtables), we also understand that it takes time to accomplish some of our stated goals. Our agenda is not focused on programming with speakers addressing "how to" issues of business management there are several other organizations that already provide that service (for instance, NAWBO; the KS and MO Women's Business Centers.) By contrast, our mission is "to better the business climate for women business owners by making changes to the system," and our focus is in these areas:  Promoting an agenda of women building solid business relationships with one another and in the business community at large; promoting women businesses to corporations as vendors; raising women's representation on paid corporate boards; and promoting women to political appointments such as city and state boards. In the public policy arena, our efforts continue to focus on WBE certification; evaluating procurement practices by both public and private entities; working with government entities to create vendor programs that include women business owners; educating ourselves and others about how public policy affects our bottom line; and advocating for issues that affect women business owners. Obviously, these are long term goals that have a positive effect not only for our own members, but for every woman who owns a business.

Membership Dues

Membership dues are for a 2 year commitment at $3200.00

Print out the application, fill it in, and fax or mail it. Once received, Nancy Zurbuchen, the Director, will contact you for payment arrangements if a check is not enclosed. Make check payable to KC Council of Women Business Owners. We also now accept Visa and Mastercard payment.
Our fax number is 816-452-5550.
Mail to KC-CWBO, Nancy Zurbuchen, 209 N.W. 44th Street, Kansas City, MO 64116
Questions? Call Nancy at 816-452-4700.

CLICK HERE FOR THE KC-CWBO MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION This is a Microsoft Word document that will open in a new browser window, or you can download it to your hard drive.