Open Call: Fast Forward Accelerator Program

The Fast Forward Accelerator is a three-month accelerator programme for founders of technology-driven nonprofit organisations working to solve social challenges. Selected participants receive $25,000 or more in unrestricted funding, expert mentorship, peer support, and access to a network of technology and social impact leaders, culminating in a Demo Day where founders can present their organisations to potential funders and partners. What Is the Fast Forward Accelerator? The Fast Forward Accelerator is a cohort-based programme designed specifically for tech nonprofit founders. Since its launch in 2014, Fast Forward has supported more than 100 technology nonprofits, helping organisations develop sustainable models, scale their solutions, and increase their social impact. Opportunities to connect with funders and industry leaders. What Does the Accelerator Offer? Selected founders receive a package of financial and non-financial support designed to help their organisations move toward greater scale and impact. Unrestricted Funding

Participants receive $25,000 or more in unrestricted funding

Because the funding is unrestricted, participating organisations can generally use it according to their organisational priorities rather than being limited to a narrowly defined project budget. Expert Mentorship Founders receive mentorship from experienced professionals in: Participants also gain access to a wider network of Fast Forward supporters and social impact professionals. Why Does the Fast Forward Accelerator Matter? Technology can enable nonprofits to reach more people and address complex social problems at scale, but technology alone does not guarantee organisational sustainability. The Accelerator helps founders strengthen both their technology solutions and organisational capacity. Learn from experienced technology and nonprofit leaders. What Is Demo Day? The Accelerator culminates in Demo Day, where participating founders present their organisations and solutions to an audience that can include: Social impact leaders. Funders. Technology professionals. Industry experts. Potential supporters and partners. Demo Day gives founders an opportunity to communicate their mission, demonstrate their impact, and potentially attract additional funding or partnerships. Who Is Eligible? The programme is open to founders or leaders of technology-focused nonprofit organisations from any country.

Eligible applicants must be able to:

Participate in English

Commit to the full Accelerator programme. Attend required virtual sessions.

Participate in required in-person activities

Travel to San Francisco for required programme sessions. Engage actively with mentors and the cohort. The organisation should have a genuine technology-driven approach to addressing a social problem. What Is a Tech Nonprofit? A tech nonprofit is an organisation that uses technology as an important part of its approach to solving a social or environmental problem. Technology supporting humanitarian or development programmes. The important factor is that technology should be central to the organisation’s solution rather than simply being used for routine administrative purposes. How Does the Accelerator Work? The programme follows a cohort-based model that combines structured learning with mentorship and peer interaction.

Step 1: Submit an Application

Tech nonprofit founders submit their application explaining their organisation, technology solution, social problem, impact, and growth ambitions.

Step 2: Selection

Fast Forward evaluates applications and selects organisations that demonstrate strong potential for technology-enabled social impact and organisational growth.

Step 3: Join the Cohort

Selected founders join the Accelerator cohort and begin working with mentors, peers, and Fast Forward’s broader network.

Step 4: Participate in Mentorship and Programming

Founders receive guidance from technology and social impact experts while working on challenges relevant to their organisations.

Step 5: Develop the Organisation

Participants use the programme’s resources and feedback to strengthen their strategy, operations, technology, leadership, and approach to scaling.

Step 6: Present at Demo Day

The programme concludes with Demo Day, giving founders an opportunity to pitch their organisations to social impact leaders, funders, and other potential supporters. What Should Applicants Highlight? A competitive application should clearly explain the relationship between the technology, social problem, organisational model, and intended impact.

Applicants should be prepared to explain:

What problem does the organisation address? Who benefits from the solution? How does technology enable the solution? What evidence demonstrates impact? What has the organisation achieved so far? What prevents the organisation from scaling? How would Accelerator support help overcome those barriers? What does the organisation hope to achieve next? Common Mistakes to Avoid

Applicants should avoid:

Describing an organisation as a tech nonprofit when technology is only incidental to its work. Focusing entirely on the technology without explaining the social problem. Providing vague descriptions of beneficiaries. Making unrealistic scaling claims without evidence. Failing to explain the organisation’s existing impact. Treating the unrestricted funding as the only benefit of the programme. Underestimating the time commitment required. Applying without considering the required participation in San Francisco. Failing to communicate a clear growth strategy. Tips for a Strong Application A strong application should tell a clear story: Social problem → technology-enabled solution → demonstrated impact → scaling challenge → Accelerator support → future impact. Founders should use specific evidence wherever possible. For example, instead of simply stating that a platform “helps underserved communities,” explain: How many people have been reached. Which communities are served.