Project Accelerate addresses inequality in the workplace, particularly the absence of women of color in positions of influence and leadership, where pay inequity and gender disparities, including occupational segregation, remain far too prevalent.

Project Accelerate is a direct response to girls asking for support from a trusted source, Girls Inc., as they faced transitions and situations that challenged even the best prepared. Starting with high school juniors, Project Accelerate provides holistic programming including mentorship, internship placements, access to educational resources, and learning opportunities for young women–primarily women of color from low income families. This support equips participants with the skills to achieve long-term success and positive outcomes for themselves, their families, neighborhoods, organizations, and communities. 

Additionally, Girls Inc. is creating change in the workplace through the Project Accelerate Leadership Council, a group of corporate and social impact leaders led by President and CEO Stephanie Hull. The Council collaborates to remove barriers to women’s advancement and create welcoming professional environments in which women of color will assume leadership roles. Current Council members represent the American Red Cross, Bank of America, Capital One, Cox Enterprises, Cummins, Deloitte, and JPMorgan Chase.

Project Accelerate is currently being implemented at 26 Girls Inc. Affiliates within the Network. By 2025, Project Accelerate will scale to 30 Girls Inc. Affiliates and by 2030, the project will have directly served 5,400 young women, with approximately 1,000 having entered the workforce, and the remainder advancing toward college graduation.

Girls Inc. launched Project Accelerate in 2021 after winning a $10M investment through the Equality Can’t Wait Challenge – hosted by Pivotal Ventures, MacKenzie Scott and Dan Jewett, and Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies – which called for bold ideas that would expand women’s power and influence in the U.S. by 2030.

Hear from Girls Inc. of Central Alabama on their Project Accelerate program.

Watch this video of the Project Accelerate Expo at Girls Inc. of Greater Philadelphia & Southern NJ.