Transforming Early-Stage Work Into Sustainable Ventures That Create Positive Social Change.
Accelerator Program
Rally's social enterprise accelerator aims to help local, national, and international entrepreneurs transform their early-stage work into sustainable ventures that create positive and measurable social or environmental change. Twice a year, we invite promising social entrepreneurs in the early stage of developing their ventures to join our four-month accelerator as Rally Fellows. During the program, Fellows receive mentorship, 1-on-1 coaching, the opportunity to earn a Future-Ready designation, a paid pilot from the City of Orlando, and access to critical networks and community designed to help them develop and/or validate their business and social model.
Mentorship
We call our mentors' Rally Makers, because they're innovators who believe in the potential of entrepreneurial approaches. They're philanthropically minded, but don't want to drop their business sense and experience on the ground as they work to solve problems. They're all donors to Rally who invest in our Fellows' success and commit to regularly mentoring them for the length of the program.
Coaching
We work hard to listen carefully to the particular challenges and opportunities of our Fellows. Utilizing the Social Lean Canvas, the Rally staff helps fellows identify the most pressing challenges to their business models and focus work there. Simultaneously, we help Fellows construct a strong Theory of Change by challenging them to answer tough questions and back responses with strategy and evidence.
Fellowship
Weekly group meetings with Fellows provide an opportunity for them to develop the type of friendship that leads to powerful peer learning. These meetings also facilitate learning sessions with our Rally network on issues important to social entrepreneurs and relevant to developing their social lean canvas and Theory of Change.
Paid Pilots
The City of Orlando wants to become America’s premier Future-Ready City. Rally fellows who are addressing challenges in connectivity, energy, health and safety, placemaking, mobility, water, waste, and materials will have an opportunity to earn a Future-Ready designation. This designation will expose fellows to paid pilot opportunities with the City of Orlando.
Our Partners
Is Rally The Right Program For You?
Criteria 1
If You Are Building A For-Profit
The venture is in the formation to validation stage of its lifecycle. See startup development phases image below.
The venture addresses at least one of the 17 United Nations sustainability development goals. See SDG’s image below.
The primary motivation of the founder to start the venture is to help solve a social, environmental or economic issue.
If You Are Building A NonProfit
The venture is in the startup to growth phase of its lifecycle. See nonprofit development phases image below.
The venture desires or currently offers a market-facing product or service or want to apply entrepreneurial principles to donor development.
If all the above criteria apply, move to criteria 2.
Criteria 2
Do you need help with developing a strategy to achieve and measure social, environmental, or economic change?
Do you need help with understanding your customer and/or developing or refining your business model?
Are you planning to raise a seed round, apply for grant funding or apply to a growth stage accelerator program, such as Echoing Green, Camelback, RedF, or Ycombinator?
If you answered yes to any of criteria 2, Rally is the right program for you!
Program Schedule
ONBOARDING
We aim to ensure that every Fellow can turn their vision into a sustainable social venture. As a result, preprogram onboarding is an essential part of the Rally Program. Onboarding activities start three weeks before the program start date. These activities include assigning and introducing ventures to their mentors and Fellows and completing a draft Social Lean Model Canvas and Theory of Change. Onboarding activities are mandatory and will be conducted virtually.
WEEKLY TIMELINE
Week 1: Rally ONE (Virtual)
Week 2 - 8: Weekly Fellow Meetups And Check-Ins (Virtual)
Week 9: Rally TWO (Orlando, Florida)
Week 10 - 12: Weekly Fellow Meetups And Check-Ins (Virtual)
Week 13 - 14: Weekly Check-Ins (Virtual)
Week 16: Rally THREE (Virtual)
Application Timeline And Process
SUMMER 2023 DETAILS
Our application timeline is subject to change therefore, please review our up-to-date application timeline below. Additionally, we will always announce date and other need-to-know information changes via emails to candidates.
Applications Period - February 26, 2024 to May 26, 2024
Interview Invites- June 10, 2024
Fellowship Invitation - June 21, 2024
Program Start - July 15, 2024
Program End - November 4, 2024
The Rally application process consists of 2 rounds. After this round, successful candidates will be extended a Fellowship invitation into the next Rally Cohort.
ROUND 1: APPLICATION
The first round requires applicants to submit short answers to questions about their business and social model. Following this round, all candidates will be notified via email of their application status. Applicants that are successful here will be moved to 2.
ROUND 2: INTERVIEW
Applicants are invited to interview with the Rally team and given an opportunity to present their ventures and answer questions from the Rally team that dive deeper into organizational details (such as social mission, team, product/service, and market fit).
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Does Rally provide a travel stipend for Rally TWO and THREE?
A: For out-of-state Fellows, we pay for airline flights and provide a food stipend and transportation stipend. Additionally, we house all Fellows in apartments during their stay in Orlando.
Q: What is a Rally?
A: During the program, Fellows will rally virtually. Rallys are a mandatory part of the program and are designed as a time for you to participate in in-depth group and one-on-one discussions with other fellows, staff, and mentors. Additionally, Rallys are 2-3 days long.
Rally ONE: Program Kickoff And Workshops(Virtual)
Day 1: New Cohort Welcome And Social Lean Canvas Model Workshop And Presentations
Day 2: Theory of Change Workshop And Presentation
Rally TWO: Mid Program Update (Orlando, Florida)
Day 1: Social Lean Canvas Model Workshop, Adjustments, And Presentation
Day 2: Theory of Change Workshop, Adjustments, And Presentation
Day 3 - Fellow Mid Program Review. Rally staff and Fellows will meet 1-on-1 to discuss and assess the fellows current progress and needs, review and modify business and social models, and set new directions and priorities.
Rally THREE: Fellow Showcase (Orlando, Florida)
Fellow Public Presentation: Fellows will present their ventures to Rally stakeholders, impact investors and granters, corporate, municipal, and nonprofit partners, and the community at large.