The Dovetail Acceleration Program

The Dovetail Acceleration Program invests in early-stage, locally-led African organizations. We pair unrestricted funding with structured coaching and capacity support designed to strengthen the foundations required for long-term growth.
 

Our focus is on helping organizations build the clarity, systems, and leadership capacity that support funder readiness and healthy scale.
 
Since launching in 2021, we have disbursed approximately $6M in grants to more than 130 organizations across Africa.

Why This Program Exists
 
Many African-led organizations are addressing complex challenges with deep local insight and early evidence of impact. At the same time, institutional funders often prioritize growth-stage organizations that demonstrate:

Clear evidence of measurable results
A defined pathway to scale
Strong financial systems
Strategic leadership and governance

The Acceleration Program exists to help promising organizations strengthen these core building blocks so they are better positioned for long-term funding and growth opportunities.

Who This Is For
 
The Acceleration Program is designed for African organizations early in the nonprofit life cycle (typically with budgets under $500,000) that:

Have a clearly defined mission and early traction
Have big vision and ambition for the communities they serve
Are committed to strengthening their organizations for durable growth and impact
Are prepared to engage fully in coaching, deliverables, and peer learning

What We Build Together

The Program focuses on the core domains that support organizational maturity and funder readiness. Each domain is led by experienced consultants who work alongside Dovetail to provide workshops, coaching, and applied tools.

Brand Communications
Led by Mighty Ally
Participants refine theory of change, positioning, messaging, and pitch materials to communicate their work with clarity and confidence.

Fundraising & Financial Management
Led by Raise Up Advisory and Vanreusel Ventures
Organizations develop realistic multi-year fundraising plans, strengthen pipeline systems, and build financial practices that support data-informed decision-making.

Monitoring & Evaluation
Led by Carbon Phoenix
Participants clarify what impact looks like in their organization and identify measurable indicators that align with strategic goals.

Pathways to Scale
Led by Spring Impact
Leaders examine growth pathways and the operational requirements of scaling responsibly.

Throughout the program, the Dovetail Acceleration Support Team works closely with each organization to track progress and integrate learning across domains.

Applications for the 2026 Catalyst cohort are now open. You can find the Application here.

The deadline for Applications is April 28, 2026.

Note these eligibility requirements to be a part of the Acceleration Program:

Your organization must be a locally-registered not-for-profit based in Africa
Your organization must have a website (not just a Facebook page)
Your organization must be at least 2 years old
Your organization must have an operating budget between $100K-500K USD/year
Your organization must have an official board of directors
Your founder must be the primary participant in the Acceleration Program
Your founder and senior leadership team should reside in Africa
All participating senior team members must be business-meeting-level fluent in English