Accelerate - The National Collaborative for Accelerated Learning is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee. Founded in 2022, the organization bridges gaps between research, policy, and school systems to bring evidence-based educational practices to scale. Accelerate focuses on identifying, studying, and supporting the implementation of proven learning strategies that improve student outcomes, particularly for students furthest from opportunity.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$12.1M
+1.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$10.4M
-48.6% YoY
Grant Count
62
+44.2% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$168K
-64.3% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: Accelerate helps schools put proven learning approaches into practice by connecting research, policy, and implementation to improve student outcomes at scale. The organization provides the evidence, tools, and support needed to scale proven strategies that close achievement gaps and improve outcomes for students who need it most.
Core Values:
- Accelerate Student Achievement: Unwavering focus on improving measurable outcomes for all students, especially those furthest from opportunity
- Seek Truth Through Evidence: Pursuing evidence-based understanding of what works for students and transparently communicating results
- Embrace New Paths: Forward-looking approach to innovative ideas and new thinking to better serve students
- Multiply Impact: Collaboration with others to align efforts and scale what works
Primary Focus Areas:
- High-dosage tutoring and individualized instruction
- Education technology and AI-enabled learning tools
- Rigorous research and evaluation of educational interventions
- State-level policy implementation and scaling of evidence-based practices
Grantmaking
Accelerate operates multiple competitive grant programs:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Accelerate's grantmaking focuses primarily on California, the District of Columbia, and New York. The organization reports that through its partners, grantees have provided access to individualized instruction to over 500,000 students across 29 states since 2022.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $11,949,799
- Total Revenues: $21,755,731
- Total Expenses: $24,166,045
- Total Giving: $10,387,117
Staff: 11 employees
Leverage: Through its partners, Accelerate has leveraged over $430 million of federal and state public funding for proven personalized learning interventions.
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $12,135,619 | $11,949,799 | $16,318,370 |
| Revenue | $14,985,752 | $21,755,731 | $19,934,228 |
| Expenses | $15,086,502 | $24,166,045 | $5,739,427 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $508,378 | $213,558 | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
Grant Size Distribution
143 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
4 open opportunities from Accelerate - the National Collaborative
Call for Effective Technology (CET)
ACCELERATE - THE NATIONAL COLLABORATIVE
Amount
$150,000 - $200,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Education Innovation and Research (EIR) Award - Oklahoma Literacy Study
ACCELERATE - THE NATIONAL COLLABORATIVE
Amount
$13,760,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Evidence for Impact (EFI)
ACCELERATE - THE NATIONAL COLLABORATIVE
Amount
Up to $250,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JANICE JACKSON | BOARD CHAIR | 2 | $50,000 |
| JOHN SCHNUR | BOARD SECRETARY | 2 | — |
| CHAD GESTON | BOARD MEMBER | 2 | — |
| CHRISTINA GRANT | BOARD MEMBER | 2 | — |
| JOHN WHITE | BOARD MEMBER | 2 | — |
| SHERRY LACHMAN | BOARD MEMBER | 2 | — |
| KEVIN HUFFMAN | CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER | 40 | $446,600 |
| T NAKIA TOWNS | CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER | 40 | $284,200 |
| NARRIC ROME | MANAGING DIR. OF FEDERAL & STATE POLICY | 40 | $177,625 |
| MATTHEW STEINBERG | MANAGING DIR. OF RESEARCH & EVALUATION | 40 | $182,700 |
| KIMBERLY UEYAMA | CHIEF OF STAFF | 40 | $154,280 |
| JENNIFER BRONSON | MANAGING DIR. OF PROGRAMS | 40 | $172,550 |
| TU-QUYEN NGUYEN | MANAGING DIR. OF OPERATIONS | 40 | $146,060 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
**August 2025:** Accelerate announced awardees for the Call for Effective Technology (CET) and Evidence for Impact (EFI) grant programs. Fourteen tutoring and ed-tech organizations were selected from more than 160 applicants to put research-backed solutions to work in schools across the country during the 2025-26 school year.
Accelerate Awards Grants to Boost Student Outcomes with Evidence ...**Research Portfolio:** Accelerate has launched over 30 randomized control trials, plus dozens of additional quasi-experimental designs and qualitative analyses to ensure rigorous research and ongoing learning to support efficient resource allocation.
Accelerate Awarded $13.8 million to Support State-Led Literacy Research in**Rating:** The organization holds a Four-Star rating with a 97% score based on accountability and finance metrics.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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