It is with a heavy heart that we write to inform you of the difficult decision to close Women Who Code, following a vote by the Board of Directors to dissolve the organisation,” says a WEC press release, “this decision has not been made lightly. It only comes after careful consideration of all options and is due to a variety of factors that have materially impacted our funding sources. We understand that this news may come as a disappointment, and we want to express our deepest gratitude to each and every one of you who have been a part of our journey.”

The 13 year-old, San Francisco-based organisation had 360,000 members in 145 countries.

WWC has been supported by Capital One, an American banking company specialising in issuing credit cards and car loans.

In announcing its closure, WWC said it had held more than 20,000 events and given out $3.5 million in scholarships. It was planning a conference for May, which has now been cancelled.