Accelerating Appalachia

What Accelerating Appalachia does

Accelerating Appalachia (operating as ACAP) is a Kentucky-based nonprofit, founded in 2013 as the world's first regenerative agriculture business accelerator. The organization runs two core programs: (1) a ten-week Regenerative Business Accelerator providing mentorship, investor introductions, and up to two years of ongoing support for growth-stage businesses in food, textiles, and forest products across Central and Southern Appalachia; and (2) the Farmer Funding Program (Building Appalachian Agricultural Resilience), launched in 2023 with $20 million in USDA Climate Smart Commodities grant funding, which disburses cash incentives of up to $1,000 per acre and training/marketing services to farmers adopting conservation practices across eight states. As of 2024 the program has supported 300+ farms and disbursed $3.9M in direct payments, with targets of 700+ farmers, 65,000 acres transitioned, and 3.5 million tons of carbon sequestered.

The technology stack is not software-based but rather a regulatory-practice framework: the Farmer Funding Program is structured around 22 NRCS-approved conservation practice standards (cover crops, alley cropping, silvopasture, prescribed grazing, riparian buffers, etc.), with implementation and participation incentives tied to verified practice adoption, soil sampling, and annual reporting. A custom-built farmer database, managed by a dedicated Chief Data Officer, supports cohort tracking, soil sampling lifecycle management, and program compliance across an 8-state geography.

The business model is grant-funded rather than revenue-generating: primary income comes from USDA grants (most notably the $20M Climate Smart Commodities award), supplemented by individual donations and in-kind corporate partnerships with brands including Maker's Mark, LUSH Cosmetics, Brown-Forman, Woodford Reserve, and Patagonia. Go-to-market is community-led via field-based technical assistance specialists, partner referrals (Kentucky Cattlemen's Association, Appalachian Sustainable Development, ASAP Connections, KCARD), farmer field days, and digital channels (newsletter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook). The customer base consists entirely of SMB farmers and small nature-based businesses; pricing is not customer-facing but rather represents the per-acre implementation, participation, travel, and annual reporting incentives paid to enrolled producers.

Name

Accelerating Appalachia

Legal name

Accelerating Appalachia, Inc.

Website

https://acceleratingappalachia.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Accelerating Appalachia is a Kentucky-based nonprofit regenerative agriculture accelerator operating in 8 US states, running a 10-week business accelerator and a USDA-funded Farmer Funding Program that pays farmers up to $1,000 per acre to adopt conservation practices.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Business Accelerator Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Crop Production (11511), Soil Preparation, Planting, and Cultivating (115112)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Regenerative Agriculture (Soil Carbon, Cover Crops, Reduced/No-Till) (AFAGAMAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Carbon, Sustainability & Farm Certification Support (Agro-Environmental Advisory) (AFACABAL), Sustainable/Regenerative Agriculture & Conservation Practices (EDAOAOAO), Agroforestry & Perennial Cropping Systems (EUABABAD), Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (Fair Trade, Food Access, Regenerative) (BPAGALAD)

Keywords

• Regenerative agriculture accelerator
• Farmer funding programs
• Conservation agriculture support
• Small farm incentives
• Agricultural business mentorship

Headquarters

HQ city

Lexington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. USDA Grant Funding: Primary funding from USDA grants including $20 million grant for climate-smart farming initiatives to train farmers in carbon sequestration practices.
2. Donations: Accepts donations from individuals and organizations to support farmer funding programs and operational capacity.
3. Farmer Funding Program Delivery: Distributes $12 million in cash incentives and $6 million in training and marketing services to farmers through USDA-funded farmer funding program.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Accelerating Appalachia runs a Regenerative Business Accelerator for growth-stage nature-based businesses and an ACAP Farmer Funding Program that pays farmers $75-$1,000 per acre to adopt USDA NRCS-approved conservation practices. The Farmer Fund deploys $12 million in cash incentives plus $6 million in training and marketing services across eight Appalachian and rural Southeast states. Participants also receive soil testing, technical assistance, peer support, and connections to buyers, processors, and distributors.

Product overview

Accelerating Appalachia offers two core programs: (1) the Regenerative Business Accelerator, the world's first regenerative agriculture business accelerator launched in 2013, providing a ten-week intensive program with mentorship and investor connections for growth-stage businesses in food, textiles, and forest products; and (2) the Farmer Funding Program (Building Appalachian Agricultural Resilience), an $18 million initiative providing $12 million in cash incentives and $6 million in training/marketing services to farmers adopting regenerative practices across eight states. The portfolio also showcases farms supported through these programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Regenerative Business Accelerator Ten-week intensive accelerator program for growth-stage businesses in food, textiles, and forest products across Central and Southern Appalachia, providing mentorship, investor connections, peer networks, business planning support, and up to two years of ongoing mentorship.
• ACAP Farmer Funding Program (Building Appalachian Agricultural Resilience) Farmer funding program providing per-acre cash incentives ($75-$1,000 per acre depending on practice), soil testing, training, mentorship, peer support, and connections to buyers, processors, and distributors for farmers adopting NRCS-approved conservation practices.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $40 million in investments leveraged by accelerator graduates
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• USDA NRCSflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 October 2022USDA awarded $20 million grant through the Climate Smart Commodities program to fund the Farmer Funding Program (ACAP) supporting conservation agriculture across Appalachia and the rural Southeast. The partnership trains farmers to sequester carbon and provides cash incentives for regenerative practice adoption.
• Maker's MarkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner through The Regenerative Alliance. Maker's Mark has paid $16,000 to support soil testing, provided technical assistance through their Soil Health Conference, helped promote the Building Appalachian Agricultural Resilience program, and committed to sponsor farmer conferences. Producer whisky product made with regeneratively grown wheat.
• LUSH CosmeticscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLush Cosmetics partnered to develop regenerative business curriculum 'Building Soil and Soul' and brokered their first botanical sourcing in North America in Central Appalachia, supporting a regional network of botanical growers. Lush is a $1 billion personal care brand.
• Kentucky Cattlemen's AssociationminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership for recruiting Kentucky beef cattle producers to participate in the farmer funding program. Kentucky is the #1 beef producer east of the Mississippi.
• Appalachian ProudminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional branding partnership to promote Appalachian agricultural products and farmers.
• Kentucky ProudminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorState branding partnership promoting Kentucky agricultural products.
• Brown-FormancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA $20 billion spirit and wine company that hosted Accelerating Appalachia's accelerator participants, investors, companies, farmers and the public at their headquarters in Louisville, KY in 2016.
• Woodford ReservecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered to facilitate development of the first all-Kentucky-sourced distiller's malt with Walnut Grove Farms and RiverBend Malthouse.
• RiverBend MalthousecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Walnut Grove Farms and Woodford Reserve to develop the first all-Kentucky-sourced distiller's malt. RiverBend Malt House is a graduate of the accelerator program.
• Warren Wilson CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership in 2015 to train and connect sustainable agriculture business students and entrepreneurs. 40 business students have graduated from the accelerator program through this partnership.
• Kentucky Center for Agriculture and Rural Development (KCARD)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partner supporting agriculture and rural development in Kentucky.
• University of PikevilleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partnership in Appalachian Kentucky.
• Grow AppalachiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting Appalachian agricultural development.
• Community Farm AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKentucky-based organization supporting family farms and community food systems.
• Appalachian Sustainable DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partner supporting sustainable agriculture and local food systems in Appalachia.
• Mountain BizWorksminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWestern North Carolina business support organization.
• Kentucky Entrepreneurial Coaches InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEntrepreneurial support organization in Kentucky.
• ASAP ConnectionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAppalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project supporting farmers and local food systems in Western North Carolina.
• Kentucky Agriculture Development AdvocacyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdvocacy organization for Kentucky agriculture development.
• PatagoniacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSustainable business partnership with the outdoor apparel company.
• Carbon HarvestminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered to help build on Accelerating Appalachia's regional agriculture-based investment network for carbon markets.
• Working TreesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner helping build regional agriculture-based investment network for carbon and environmental markets.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• American Farmland Trust: National nonprofit focused on farmland conservation, regenerative farming practices, and farmer viability. Comparable as a larger-scale organization addressing the same regenerative agriculture adoption challenge, though operating nationally with policy and research focus rather than regional accelerator delivery.
• BALLE (Business Alliance for Local Living Economies): National network supporting local economy entrepreneurs and impact businesses across the US and Canada. SaraDay Evans is a BALLE Local Economy Fellow, indicating deep programmatic alignment with Accelerating Appalachia's mission of building resilient regional economies through nature-based business support.
• Rodale Institute: National research and education nonprofit widely recognized as a foundational institution in organic and regenerative agriculture. Comparable as a broader regenerative agriculture thought leader with farmer training programs, though at a much larger national scale than Accelerating Appalachia's regional focus.

Direct peers

• Rural Action: Appalachian Ohio-based nonprofit addressing rural community development through sustainable agriculture, food systems, and workforce programs. COO Dr. Paul Patton was previously Chief Innovation Officer at Rural Action, indicating deep programmatic overlap in regenerative agriculture and rural enterprise support.
• Appalachian Sustainable Development: Regional nonprofit operating in Appalachia and the rural Southeast, providing farmer training, food hub services, and supply chain support. Listed as a core Accelerating Appalachia partner, making it a close peer in mission, geography, and program design for regenerative agriculture support.
• Mountain BizWorks: Western North Carolina-based small business support organization providing lending, coaching, and resources to rural entrepreneurs. Listed as an Accelerating Appalachia partner with overlapping geography and audience, supporting the same rural Appalachian business community.
• ASAP Connections (Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project): Western North Carolina-based nonprofit providing farmer support, local food system development, and business acceleration services across Appalachia. Direct peer with overlapping regional focus on small farmer capacity-building, technical assistance, and market access in the same geography as Accelerating Appalachia.
• Grow Appalachia: Berea College-based program supporting Appalachian small farms with training, resources, and market access. Listed as an Accelerating Appalachia partner, operates in overlapping geography, and targets the same small-to-medium farmer segment with comparable technical assistance services.
• Foodshed Capital: Regional capital provider supporting sustainable food and farm businesses through lending and investment. Listed as an Accelerating Appalachia partner and addresses the same capital access gap for regional food producers, operating with a similar mission and footprint.

Emerging players

• Kiss the Ground: California-based nonprofit focused on regenerative agriculture education, storytelling, and advocacy with significant media reach. Comparable as a regenerative agriculture advocacy and awareness organization but with a different operating model centered on content and policy rather than direct farmer funding.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/AcceleratingAppalachia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/acceleratingappalachia
• Instagraminstagram.com/acceleratingappalachia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Accelerating Appalachia