Social Innovation ForumThe FY26 Accelerator cycle starts in June 2025, and we’re actively recruiting funding partners, who are critical to achieving the ambitious goals of this program along with deepening the impact of Social Innovator organizations across Eastern Massachusetts.
About the Accelerator Program
For over 20 years, we’ve partnered with the philanthropic community to connect community-led nonprofits with the resources, networks, and knowledge they need to achieve greater impact and advance racial and economic justice.
Each year through our flagship Accelerator program, we identify, select, and strengthen a new cohort of 6-8 organizations–called “Innovators”–which are the region’s most promising small to mid-sized community-led nonprofits.
From personalized coaching and presentation training to expanding networks and accessing vital financial and in-kind resources, the Accelerator’s two-year program supports their journey every step of the way.
In addition to partnering with funders, we do this work in collaboration with issue area experts, community leaders, and in-kind partners.
There are two options available for funders who wish to partner with the Accelerator:
1. Track Partners
Track Partnership is a hands-on learning opportunity for individual donors, family foundations, and institutional funders eager to expand their understanding of social issues affecting Eastern Massachusetts, gain knowledge from issue experts, and accelerate the most promising nonprofits working to solve these issues.
As a Track Partner, you’ll benefit from:
- Support with defining an area of focus for your social issue track, including in-depth topical research and input from issue experts.
- A robust market scan to identify nonprofit organizations offering innovative approaches to the social issue of your interest.
- A structured evaluation process in which you’ll learn alongside issue area experts and the SIF team as you get to know a range of effective nonprofits. The process includes site visits with the leadership of the finalist organizations.
- The opportunity to accelerate the growth of one particular nonprofit through the full two-year program, while raising the profile of your issue area overall.
- Visibility as a key partner who builds capacity in a sector that’s important to you.
SIF offers several Track Partnership options, including traditional (single funder), collaborative (multi-funder), and participatory options.
Track Partnership starts at $125,000.
2. Change Champions
Change Champions offers a new way to support the Accelerator by providing program-specific underwriting across all of the FY26 social issue tracks. As a Change Champion, you’ll be invited to exclusive key briefs and learning experiences curated by our Accelerator and Funder Learning staff.
We created this support mechanism in response to feedback from past funding partners who wish to support the Accelerator program but are unable to commit the level of resources/capacity required for a full Track Partnership.
In supporting the entire Accelerator cycle, you’d be supporting issue areas most relevant to the current political and social climate. We anticipate FY26’s social issue track topics to range across the following areas:
- Access to the Arts
- Climate Change/Environmental Justice
- Democracy/Voting Rights/Civic Engagement
- Disrupting Cycles of Harm/Violence Prevention
- Housing Stability
- Immigration/Addressing the Migrant Crisis in MA
- Health Equity
- LGBTQ+ Advocacy/Medical Needs
- Youth (education, workforce, mental health)
Change Champion support starts at $25,000.
Explore Your Options
If you’re interested in becoming a Track Partner or Change Champion for the FY26 Accelerator, please contact Becca Mamlet, bmamlet@socialinnovationforum.org, to set up a conversation with our team.