What Accelerator For America does

Accelerator for America (AFA) is a national nonprofit 501(c)(3) 'Do tank' founded in 2017 by then-Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti to provide technical assistance, capacity building, and advocacy to mayors and local government leaders working to expand economic mobility in underserved communities. The organization operates across three primary verticals — Economic & Community Development, Transit & Infrastructure, and Workforce Development — delivering direct technical assistance on federal grant applications, economic development strategy, housing policy, and workforce alignment. AFA serves 145+ communities, reaches 6,950+ local officials across 2,500+ cities through the Local Infrastructure Hub, and connects 800+ leaders across 100+ communities through its Economic Opportunity Accelerators network. The organization is led by an Advisory Council of 38 mayors plus cross-sector leaders from labor, corporate, philanthropy, and the nonprofit sector, and operates related entities including a 501(c)(4) sister organization (AFA Action) that supports ballot measures for transit and infrastructure, and United for Infrastructure (UFI), the advocacy coalition behind National Infrastructure Week.

AFA does not develop or operate a software product or technology platform; its 'products' are programmatic services, policy playbooks (Gold Standard Playbook for Workforce Development, Opportunity Zones Designation Toolkit, Data for Housing Solutions), and network convenings. Key programs include the USDOT Thriving Communities Program (where AFA serves as a federally-funded Capacity Builder for 30 communities), the Innovative Infrastructure Initiative (i3) with Sidewalk Infrastructure Partners representing $2B+ in investment, the LINE Initiative for workforce equity, and the Local Infrastructure Hub co-founded with Bloomberg Cities. The organization is funded primarily through philanthropic grants (Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, Blackstone Charitable Foundation) and federal program pass-throughs, with all services provided at no cost to recipient communities. Reported cumulative impact includes $75B in infrastructure ballot measure support facilitated since founding (including $35B in 2024 across Phoenix, Nashville, and Columbus) and $20M+ in federal grants secured for Kansas City alone. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors chaired by former Topeka Mayor Michelle De La Isla, with current leadership under President & CEO Mary Ellen Wiederwohl.

Name

Accelerator For America

Legal name

Accelerator for America

Website

https://acceleratorforamerica.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Accelerator for America is a national nonprofit founded in 2017 that provides technical assistance, capacity building, and advocacy to 145+ U.S. municipalities and 800+ local leaders across infrastructure, economic development, and workforce verticals, funded by philanthropic grants and federal program partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Development and Public Policy Consulting

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Educational Support Services (611710)

akta.pro primary industry

Project Preparation Facilities & Technical Assistance Windows (BPADAOAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Incumbent Worker Training & Upskilling (EDAAAOAE)

Keywords

• Municipal capacity building
• Economic development consulting
• Infrastructure funding assistance
• Workforce development programs
• Community development services

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

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, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic Grants & Donations: AFA is funded through philanthropic partnerships, grants from foundations (e.g., Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation), and donations. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, it relies on charitable contributions and grant funding rather than commercial revenue.
2. Ballot Measure Advocacy (via AFA Action): AFA's sister organization, Accelerator for America Action (501(c)(4)), supports communities pursuing transit and infrastructure ballot measures. This generates no direct revenue for AFA but extends the organizations' collective mission and influence.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Accelerator for America is a national nonprofit "Do tank" that delivers free technical assistance, capacity building, and advocacy to mayors and local government leaders. It helps communities access federal infrastructure funding, pursue ballot measures, develop economic development strategies, and create workforce pathways through three focus areas: Economic & Community Development, Transit & Infrastructure, and Workforce Development. Core services include grant application support, peer-learning convenings, policy playbook development, and direct engagement with federal programs such as the USDOT Thriving Communities Program.

Product overview

Accelerator for America operates as a nonprofit 'Do tank' that delivers solutions, connections, and resources to mayors and local leaders working to create greater economic mobility. The organization functions as a unified platform offering multiple interconnected programs and initiatives rather than a single product. Core offerings include: Economic & Community Development programs (Opportunity Zone Resources, National Housing Crisis Task Force, Economic Opportunity Accelerators), Transit & Infrastructure services (Thriving Communities Program, Local Infrastructure Hub, Innovative Infrastructure Initiative/i3), and Workforce Development initiatives (The Skills Initiative, Gold Standard Playbook, LINE Initiative). These programs are supported by technical assistance, capacity building services, advocacy support, and access to a national network of mayors, experts, and partners. The organization connects local leaders to federal funding opportunities, provides educational resources and playbooks, and facilitates peer learning across communities nationwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AFA Action: Accelerator for America Action is a 501(c)(4) sister organization that continues the mission of providing support to communities considering or pursuing ballot measures for transit, transportation, and infrastructure.
• United for Infrastructure (UFI)
• Local Infrastructure Hub
• Innovative Infrastructure Initiative (i3)
• Economic Opportunity Accelerators

Products and services

• Technical Assistance & Capacity Building Direct technical assistance and capacity building service delivered by AFA staff to local government clients. Helps communities pursue USDOT grants, develop transit-oriented housing, leverage Opportunity Zones, and design economic development strategies. Provided at no cost to recipient cities.
• Economic Opportunity Accelerators A network initiative connecting 800+ local leaders across 100+ communities with collaborative learning, expert insights, and resources to develop and implement innovative solutions for economic mobility.
• Thriving Communities Program USDOT's Thriving Communities Program in which AFA serves as a federally-funded Capacity Builder, helping 30 communities advance local infrastructure projects and access federal funding through partnerships with WSP USA, North Carolina A&T State University, and Sidewalk Infrastructure Partners.
• Local Infrastructure Hub AFA-authored resource hub providing case stories and practical guides for communities seeking federal infrastructure funding, including over 20 Transformative Project case stories covering federal infrastructure programs, alternative funding models, and resilient infrastructure.
• Innovative Infrastructure Initiative (i3) Joint initiative with Sidewalk Infrastructure Partners supporting ten communities with transformative infrastructure projects ranging from fleet electrification to multimodal transit hubs and mixed-use developments; represents over $2 billion in new investment across the cohort.
• The Skills Initiative, Powered by AFA Employer-led workforce model being expanded beyond Philadelphia to help communities nationwide connect residents to family-sustaining jobs through AFA's network of mayors and workforce leaders.
• LINE Initiative (Leveraging Infrastructure Network for Equity) Initiative connecting workforce and training providers with federally-funded infrastructure projects to increase participation of women and people of color in skilled trades and construction; supports engagement with projects like San Antonio's $60M clean energy project.
• Gold Standard Playbook for Workforce Development A playbook for infrastructure workforce development featuring five key pillars: project planning, stakeholder engagement, contracts and procurement, support services, and data collection and enforcement.
• Opportunity Zones Designation Toolkit Toolkit providing local leaders with guidance for assessing and identifying high-priority tracts for Opportunity Zones 2.0, including policy briefs and case studies.
• Policy Playbooks & Reports Reports, policy playbooks, and guides produced with national thought leadership partners (including the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth and Drexel Nowak Metro Finance Lab) on economic mobility, infrastructure, and workforce development topics.
• National Housing Crisis Task Force Coalition initiative to identify and scale innovations in housing production and preservation across five key segments: land, construction, capital, regulation, and delivery.
• Small and Midsized Cities Hub Strategic outreach partnership supporting technical assistance, programming, and funding opportunities for economic and community leaders in U.S. cities with populations between 30,000 and 500,000; directly engaged 47 cities in 2025.

Quantifiable outcome

• 145 communities supported nationwide in 2025 alone
• +8 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• Accelerator for America Action (AFA Action)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024AFA Action is AFA's 501(c)(4) sister organization that supports communities pursuing ballot measures for transit, transportation, and infrastructure. Together, they have helped communities secure $75 billion in ballot measure support since founding.
• New Growth Innovation NetworkmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024New Growth Innovation Network selected AFA as its strategic outreach partner for the Small and Midsized Cities (SMC) Hub, offering technical assistance, programming, and funding opportunities to cities with populations of 30,000 to 500,000. Directly engaged 47 cities in 2025.
• The Skills InitiativemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024AFA partnered with The Skills Initiative to expand its proven, employer-led workforce model nationally, engaging AFA's network of mayors and workforce leaders in more than 100 cities. The partnership is branded 'The Skills Initiative, Powered by AFA.'
• Heartland Women in TradessupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024AFA's Kauffman Foundation grant includes support for Heartland Women in Trades, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing opportunities for women in construction through apprenticeship programs and career development, in the Kansas City region.
• Mastercard Center for Inclusive GrowthcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024AFA partnered with the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth to develop place-based recovery playbooks and tools to help cities rebuild from the pandemic, including strategies to close the racial wealth gap through expansion of Black-owned businesses.
• Drexel University Nowak Metro Finance LabcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024AFA partnered with the Nowak Metro Finance Lab at Drexel University to develop place-based recovery playbooks and tools for cities. Bruce Katz, co-founder and director of the Lab, serves on AFA's Advisory Council and is a key thought partner.
• North Americas Building Trades Union (NABTU)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024NABTU joined AFA as a partner to advance workforce development aligned with infrastructure investment, utilizing Registered Apprenticeship and Apprenticeship Readiness Programs to provide pathways for underserved communities. Mike Monroe serves as NABTU's Chief of Staff on AFA's Advisory Council.
• Opportunity InsightssupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024AFA partnered with Opportunity Insights for the 'Insights Into Action' cohort, helping cities like Allentown validate economic mobility data and use it to craft investment strategies — for example, Allentown used data to design an investment strategy to increase access to childcare.
• WSP USAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023WSP USA is a key partner in the USDOT Thriving Communities Program alongside AFA. WSP provides engineering and technical expertise to help communities advance infrastructure projects. AFA was selected by USDOT in 2023 with WSP as a core capacity building partner.
• North Carolina A&T State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023North Carolina A&T State University was selected by AFA and USDOT as a partner in the Thriving Communities Program to provide research, workforce development, and technical expertise to communities in the cohort.
• COMTO (Conference of Minority Transportation Officials)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023COMTO was selected alongside AFA and industry leaders in 2024 as a partner to assist 16 additional communities under the USDOT Thriving Communities Program, bringing diversity and inclusion expertise to infrastructure capacity building.
• Sidewalk Infrastructure Partners (SIP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022SIP partnered with AFA to launch the Innovative Infrastructure Initiative (i3), supporting ten communities with transformative infrastructure projects ranging from fleet electrification to multimodal transit hubs. SIP also co-founded the Local Infrastructure Hub with Bloomberg Cities and AFA.
• Bloomberg Cities / Johns Hopkins UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Bloomberg Cities at Johns Hopkins University partnered with AFA to co-found the Local Infrastructure Hub, which published over 20 'Transformative Project' case stories and supported 6,950+ local officials across 2,500+ cities.
• United for Infrastructure (UFI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022United for Infrastructure, the nation's leading advocacy organization for federal infrastructure investment, became a project of AFA Action in 2022. UFI produces Infrastructure Week programming and mobilizes the national coalition for infrastructure reauthorization.
• National Housing Crisis Task ForcemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021AFA participates in the National Housing Crisis Task Force, a coalition of leaders and practitioners working to identify and scale innovations in housing production and preservation. The Task Force focuses on five key segments: land, construction, capital, regulation, and delivery.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Strong Towns: Emerging player: a nonprofit advocating for financially resilient, bottom-up local development in smaller U.S. cities. Overlapping focus on local infrastructure investment and municipal economic strategy, with a stronger emphasis on incremental development.
• Smart Growth America: Emerging player: advocacy organization promoting equitable, sustainable, transit-oriented development. Comparable in policy advocacy for infrastructure investment and economic mobility at the city level.
• Forward Cities: Emerging player: a nonprofit supporting equitable entrepreneurial ecosystems in mid-sized U.S. cities. Overlapping audience (mid-sized city leaders) and similar focus on inclusive economic development strategies.

Direct peers

• Living Cities: Direct peer: a cross-sector collaborative of foundations, corporations, and city leaders focused on closing racial income and wealth gaps in U.S. cities. Comparable in its cross-sector convening model and focus on inclusive economic development.
• International Economic Development Council (IEDC): Direct peer: the largest professional association for economic developers, providing training, certification, and advocacy. Comparable focus on local economic development capacity building and practitioner networks.
• National Civic League: Direct peer: a nonprofit that works directly with local leaders on civic engagement, community problem-solving, and democratic governance reform. Comparable municipal capacity-building model with focus on collaborative local leadership.
• National League of Cities: Direct peer: a national membership organization serving municipal officials with advocacy, training, and capacity-building programs. AFA and NLC both convene mayors and provide technical assistance on federal funding and economic development.
• Bloomberg Cities (Johns Hopkins University): Direct peer: co-founded the Local Infrastructure Hub with AFA and serves city leaders with data analytics, technical assistance, and peer learning. Operates a near-identical model of helping mayors access federal infrastructure funding.

Broad incumbents

• Urban Land Institute (ULI): Broad incumbent: global real estate and land-use research and education organization with broader commercial orientation. Overlaps with AFA on infrastructure investment, transit-oriented development, and city-level convening.
• Aspen Institute: Broad incumbent: cross-sector policy and leadership nonprofit convening leaders across sectors. Comparable cross-sector convening model and policy leadership function, though operating across a much wider agenda than AFA's municipal focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/USAccelerate
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/accelerator-for-america

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Accelerator For America