Title Nine Announces Pitchfest Dedicated to Supporting Women-Owned Nonprofits

March 30, 2021

Applications open for organizations in sport, reproductive justice and political spaces

Emeryville, Calif. (March 30, 2021)– Title Nine, the adventure and outdoor apparel retailer that encourages women to lead, risk, and own, is proud to announce its inaugural Pitchfest Nonprofit Edition (Pitchfest NPE). After three successful years of Pitchfest Outdoor Edition,designed to help women-owned brands bring their products to a larger audience, Title Nine has launched a new opportunity for the next generation of nonprofit women leaders.

The first-annual Pitchfest NPE will be a two-day event focused on gathering together women leaders in the nonprofit sector to tell their stories, pitch their programs, work with mentors, have a platform to spread awareness via Title Nine’s channels, and win cash to continue building their organizations. Winners will receive grants of up to $10,000, with a total of $25,000 in funding awarded.

“As a company founded on supporting and empowering women, we are excited to host an event specifically for activists and nonprofit leaders,” said Missy Park, founder and CEO of Title Nine. “At the heart of Pitchfest Nonprofit is the desire to spark positive change by providing organizational   leaders with financial resources, a supportive and accessible community, and opportunities to amplify their mission through our network. We want to motivate and encourage women to lead, risk, and own in spaces where our voices are most needed.”

To apply, programs must be tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofits run by women (including cis, trans, non-binary, gender non-conforming, gender queer, and any women-identified or girl-identified person)and serving women and girls in the following areas:

• Sports: Empowering women and girls to move, grow, and adventure.
• Reproductive Justice: Supporting every person’s right to bodily autonomy.
• Leadership and Politics: Eliminating the barriers to elected leadership and inspiring women and girls to step up in all aspects of their lives.

Submissions, due by April 16th, 2021, take the form of a short written application and a 90-second video entry where applicants are challenged to answer one of two prompts. The Pitchfest NPE application and more details surrounding qualifications can be found on titlenine.com/pitchfest-nonprofit.

Finalists will be announced April 25th, 2021 and will be invited to attend Pitchfest NPE on May 20th – May 21st, 2021 at Title Nine’s headquarters in Emeryville, CA. While the Title Nine team is prepared to host the event at its headquarters by observing appropriate social distancing and safety practices, the safety of teammates, applicants and the community is the top priority. The Pitchfest NPE may also be held virtually in the event concerns arise around COVID-19.

The first day of the event, the group of finalists will participate in a full-day of workshops aimed at creating community between finalists and a support system of nonprofit and Title Nine leaders. Workshops will offer insights into fundraising strategies, provide support and advice for common difficulties women face in the nonprofit sector, and provide consulting on topics from social media to accounting, to help each finalist advance their organization.

Pitchfest NPE will feature a panel of top women leaders in the nonprofit community, a Q & A with Title Nine CEO Missy Park, a team workout, and women-run vendors offering food and beverage. The event will culminate with seven minute pitches by each of the finalists to a panel of judges. Winners will be announced on May 21st, 2021.

Pitchfest NPE mentors and judges include Jen Gurecki, Founder – Coalition Snow, Editor – SISU Magazine Executive Director – Zawadisha; Erin Badillo, Executive Director – Dress for Success SF; Noriko Morimoto, Chief Marketing Officer – Title Nine; Nettie Pardue, Executive Director – Outward Bound CA.

Please visit the Title Nine Pitchfest Nonprofit Edition website for more information. www.titlenine.com/pitchfest-nonprofit.

Please contact OutsidePR Account ManagerAnna Avery for more information, anna@outsidepr.com.

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About Title Nine:

Title Nine was founded in 1989 as a women’s outdoor performance wear company whose goal is to outfit and inspire women to take risks, lead in their communities, and seek their own adventures. Today, the women-owned company employs over 300 people and has 18 stores in 9 states, and online at titlenine.com. Selling a range of top brands curated for active women who are on-the-go, the brand has increasingly devoted much of its collections to its own brand creations ranging from swimwear to performance dresses. The company advocates forcefully for women’s issues, including creating their Pitchfest Programs, yearly events for women-owned brands and nonprofits that promote, mentor, and encourage entrepreneurs and activists.