Youth Skills and Employment Accelerator

The Youth Skills and Employment Accelerator helps nonprofits working with young people from underserved communities to connect with other organizations, businesses and funders to improve young people’s skills and employment prospects. With one in ten young people in the US not in school or work, the Global Business Coalition – supported by Dell Technologies and Deloitte – has created this national network to ensure that by 2030, all young Americans will have the skills they need to get a job. To date, this program has invested in 28 nonprofits in 22 U.S. states to positively impact more than 200,000 young people.

Applications are now open for up to 20 more U.S.-based organizations to join the 2025 accelerator and receive training, pro-bono support from corporates as well as opportunities to network, pitch for funding and attend conferences.

What is it?

The accelerator runs from January to December 2025, during which time successful participants will:

• Join a network of nationwide participants convening regularly for networking sessions and workshops
• Access corporate pro-bono support such as donations of tech, opportunities for volunteer skills placements, training and consulting services
• Receive opportunities to pitch for funding as well as stipends to attend regional and national conferences to build your network

Why join a network?

Evidence shows that networked nonprofits are more likely to achieve their missions efficiently, effectively and sustainably than if they work alone.¹ This network approach has been shown to be especially effective in programs working with marginalized young people in their local communities. In 2018, the Global Business Coalition set up a ‘Youth Skills Commission’ and published groundbreaking reports on the looming crisis of youth skills and employability. Since setting up our youth skills network in 2022, we have completed two rounds of our annual accelerator programs [under the previous name ‘Skills Friendly Cities’], investing in 28 nonprofits in 22 states. This has impacted over 200,000 young people. ^{1. Stanford Social Innovation Review}