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BUILT FOR NONPROFITS. POWERED BY LEADERS. PROVEN OVER TIME. 

For more than 20 years, Community Acceleration Teams have helped Louisville-area nonprofits tackle meaningful, mission-critical work, without adding strain to already-stretched budgets. These teams pair your organization with experienced, committed leaders from Leadership Louisville Center programs who are ready to apply their skills in service of the community.

Whether you’re facing a strategic challenge or need help moving a key initiative forward, Community Acceleration Teams are designed to add capacity, clarity, and momentum, so you’re not carrying it alone.

Apply for a Community Acceleration Team

Join us for Information session to learn more – Feb. 10, 2026
Community Acceleration Teams are Presented by:

This year Community Acceleration Team partners are eligible to receive a portion of $10,000 in funding, thanks to our partnership with Brown-Forman Corporation.

What are Community Acceleration Teams?

As a nonprofit ourselves, we understand the impact of the nonprofit sector. To better serve our city, the Leadership Louisville Center pairs talented leaders in our programs to nonprofits – helping all involved be better and do better.

Strategic Consulting or Project Execution – We’ll Help You Find the Right Fit

Community Acceleration Teams are made up of participants from two Leadership Louisville Center programs, each bringing a different type of support:

Encore Louisville – Strategic Consulting

Seasoned, late-career professionals provide high-level guidance on organizational and strategic challenges. These teams serve as trusted advisors—listening deeply, asking thoughtful questions, and offering insight drawn from decades of leadership experience.

Best for:

  • Strategic planning and road-mapping

  • Board and governance support

  • Fundraising strategy and analysis

  • Process improvement and organizational effectiveness

View Recent Consulting Teams

Ignite Louisville – Project-Based Execution

High-performing professionals (ages 25–45) take on clearly defined projects and work them from concept to launch. These teams focus on tangible deliverables that create immediate and lasting value.

Best for:

  • Marketing and communications projects

  • Fundraising plans or events

  • Website, branding, or program development

  • Systems, data, and evaluation support

View Recent Project Teams

Want more information about getting your own Community Acceleration Team?

Get in touch with a member of our team to find out how our Community Acceleration Teams can help your organization advance its mission.

 

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Testimonials

"I was the Executive Director of St. John Center for the Homeless and had the privilege of working with an Ignite group in the program’s inaugural year. Every person in the group was exceptional, and together they made a powerhouse team of volunteers. They coordinated the agency’s first Raisin’ the Rent, now St. John Center’s signature fundraiser; the agency still benefits today from the work they did! Perhaps more importantly, the Ignite team offered an infusion of talent and energy when we most needed it. The work Ignite Louisville did for St. John Center was pivotal in helping prepare the agency for extraordinary growth."

Maria Price
Community Development & Home Repair Co-Manager, Habitat for Humanity of Metro Louisville

FRequently asked questions

If your organization is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit that serves the Louisville metro area (including Southern Indiana), you are eligible to apply.  Some government (state and local) agencies, programs, B-Corps, and educational institutions may also be eligible. Business leagues and chambers of commerce with a 501(c)6 status are also eligible. Please note that nonprofits that have applied for a 501(c)3 status but have not yet received it are not eligible.

Community Acceleration Teams are groups of business and community leaders who work together to help nonprofits thrive.

 

Community Acceleration Teams are only successful if the team is supported by your agency.

Someone must be available as an ongoing liaison between the agency and the team. The CEO or C-Suite leadership must be the contact for strategy-based teams. Meetings with the Executive Director/President/CEO, additional leaders from staff or Board may be requested.

Teams that have the most success are teams that have the best communication with their agency. This will require time and energy on the part of the agency to attend meetings, return emails, take phone calls, and make decisions in a prompt manner. If the team is not given direction and feedback from their partner, they will have difficulty moving forward and achieving success.

During the project time period, you will also be contacted by the Leadership Louisville Center staff for status updates and feedback. Evaluations at the end of the project will also be required from all parties.

There are two rounds of selection:

  • Round 1: An external committee of volunteers and former community leadership program participants will rank proposals and determine which nonprofits will move to round 2.
  • Round 2: Organizations chosen to proceed to round 2 will pitch in-person to either our Ignite Louisville or Encore Louisville classes. The teams composed of class participants will then select the nonprofits they would like to partner with.

Please note that not all nonprofits who make an in-person pitch will receive teams.

When designing your project proposals, consider these things:

  • The project must be realistic in scope and be able to be completed in the given timeframe (An average of 3 months for consultancy work, 4-5 months for project-based work).
  • The project should produce sustainable results, allowing your organization to better serve the community and be strategic, structural, operational, or organizational in nature.
  • The nonprofit agency must be open to new and innovative ideas that the team will provide.
  • The nonprofit agency must have the capacity to communicate with the team regularly, meet with the team regularly, and work with them to make decisions quickly regarding the direction of their project.
  • Make sure your submission is clearly written so the teams can understand exactly what you are asking.

Thanks to a contribution from Brown-Forman, there will be $1,000 micro-grants distributed to four nonprofits that partner with Encore Louisville project teams, and the winner of the Ignite Louisville Leadership Challenge will receive a $6,000 award. Click here to learn more about the Ignite Louisville Leadership Challenge.

Click here to submit a proposal for a CAT team

If you have questions in the meantime, please contact Aimee Jewell via email or call (502) 468-2426.

If you’d like to receive more information about the Community Acceleration Teams, you can sign up here to learn more.