HIR’s business accelerator is designed to help social enterprises (nonprofit and for-profit) better understand and scale their impact and business models; and to assist them in accessing resources to implement their next level of growth.
Why HIR?
The HIR Accelerator program utilizes its unique regional toolkit of training and coaching that provides a fully integrative capacity building experience. The program is like getting a MBA in social enterprise by addressing core areas of need:
- Impact Model
- Business Model
- Financials
- Fundraising
- Strategic Marketing & Communications
- HR & Governance
- Capital & Investment
- Presentation skills & the Art of the Pitch
Upon completion of the HIR program, participants will have a deeper understanding of their operations, strategies, and impact. This gained perspective will enable more efficient and effective use of resources and better prepare their enterprise for future investment and funding.
Our Approach
The HIR program offers participants the time, space, and access to resources to work “on” their business. Participants deconstruct, analyze, reflect and then reconstruct their business and financial models to be more resilient, impactful, and investable. Concurrently, we engage investors, philanthropists, and experts through coaching, presentations and matchmaking to more effectively connect the right resources to each enterprise.
HIR understands that the process of growth and development extends beyond the completion of our program so we continue to support our enterprises with mentorship and support as needed on their impact journeys.
Program Details
The program is delivered in five modules with a content scope and sequence developed and refined based on experience and feedback from the first six cohorts.
- For-profit or non-profit entities
- Must be a social enterprise: a business or organization whose primary purpose is to address a social or environmental need
- Enterprises must be operational and generating income
- Hawaiʻi-based
- Cohort 7 will be invitation only by referral and will focus on Food Systems Infrastructure
- *Past program participants are not excluded from participating in future cohorts if your situation has changed e.g. leadership change or new direction for the organization
We ask that two senior decision-makers from each enterprise participate. Based on feedback from previous cohorts, the opportunity for venture leaders to collaborate and learn together is critical to realizing the full potential of the cohort experience.
In addition to attending the modules and virtual sessions, coaching occurs outside the cohort module dates on an as needed basis as determined by the enterprise and program facilitators.
We are a grant funded non-profit. Program delivery costs us approximately $25,000 per year per enterprise In order to build a resilient financial model based on the value we bring to the cohort we have developed a subsidized fee model.
Participant fees for the program are $1000 per person. The balance is subsidized by our founders and partners. Costs covered by our program include: travel to workshop venue, accommodations, facilitators, and materials. Scholarships have been made available on a limited basis based on need.
Our seventh cohort is invitation only and will begin in 2026.
Our referral form will be made available online via Google Forms.
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Want to refer a nonprofit or social enterprise? Send them our way!
Our Partners
