How are participants selected?

We are looking for participants who (1) have a specific idea to generate income for an existing nonprofit (2) are excited about learning from peers (3) have a strong and reliable internet connection to participate in video calls. We will review applications on a rolling basis and invite finalists for a 30 minute phone interview.

What is the tuition?

Tuition is $2500 per organization. Scholarships covering up to 50% of tuition costs are available. (Special consideration may be given to earlier stage organizations in emerging markets.)

How many organizations have participated? What have the results been?

• Fifty organizations from around the world have participated in the Accelerator program to date.
• Approximately 75% of participants who start the program successfully complete the accelerator within the 8 weeks—and emerge with a plan for testing an earned income idea.
• Several organizations have generated sales and revenue during the program. More commonly, participants emerge with a roadmap for continuing to test and update their idea—and many of them use the tools and curriculum to test other ideas once the program ends. (Some discover quickly that their initial idea will not work and report that their time was well spent discovering this sooner rather than later.)
• In the months following the program organizations have generated up to $60k in revenue and attracted additional capital from funders who were impressed by their plans to achieve financial stability and diversify their funding models.

How will this be different from an Acumen Academy free course?

We’ve heard repeatedly from Acumen Academy course participants that they want more facilitated interaction with peers and feedback on their assignments. Since we can’t offer this at scale to thousands of learners in our free courses, we are excited to be piloting these new Accelerator models so we can focus on giving a smaller group of our best students targeted feedback and a more facilitated experience. Although this Accelerator will build upon some of the core content covered in other Acumen Academy courses, the video tutorials and case studies were developed exclusively for this Accelerator.

Am I guaranteed to emerge with a profitable idea?

No. There are no guarantees of profitability in the field of social entrepreneurship. This Accelerator offers a structured process for testing out potential ideas to generate earned income for your nonprofit. All good ideas require iteration and development as they interact with the market. This program is designed to help you learn faster and identify a promising business model more efficiently. We’ll do our best to set you up for success using the best tools and case studies we’ve come across in Acumen’s 15+ years as an impact investor.

Do I need to attend all Learning Labs?

The Learning Labs are the core of this experience. We strongly recommend that each organization designate one Lead Participant who can attend all 6 Labs. If you cannot attend for any reason, you should designate a substitute from your organization.

What if I can’t participate this round?

Sign up to receive information on the next cohort.

Will I earn a Certificate?

Upon successful completion, Lead Participants will receive a Certificate and detailed feedback report from Acumen Academy.

How much time should I expect to spend each week?

The more time you put in, the better the outcome. We’ve streamlined the steps in this process so participants can complete all activities within 6 hours per week, but there will certainly be opportunities for you to go deeper and spend more time on each stage to more significantly develop your ideas.

You can also divide some of the work on your assignments with the other people on your nonprofit team. (If you can’t commit to at least 6 hours for 8 weeks, however, this may not be the program for you.)

How much feedback will I receive from Acumen Academy?

You will receive a written feedback report each week that compiles feedback from your Acumen coach and peers. You will also have two coaching consultations. Acumen coaches will be available to ask questions online during the accelerator.

Are scholarships available?

Yes, we will do our best to accomodate all eligible nonprofits who are committed to developing an earned income idea. Scholarships covering up to 50% of tuition costs are available.

Special consideration may be given to earlier stage organizations in emerging markets.

How many people per organization can participate in the Learning Lab?

One person per organization should participate in the weekly Learning Lab. This should be the same person each week. Up to 10 additional people from your organization can access all of the curriculum materials and participate in completing the weekly assignments.