Mission & Purpose Nonprofit Accelerator
Communications Coaching for Growth
The Mission & Purpose Nonprofit Accelerator equips U.S.-based and international nonprofits with under $3M in annual revenue with communications tools and peer support to maximize their impact.
Created in response to feedback from nonprofit leaders in Uganda, Kenya, and Haiti, the program offers affordable coaching through collaborative learning sessions, customized resources, and expert guidance. Participants gain practical strategies to strengthen their messaging, expand their networks, and increase visibility for their causes.
Registration has closed for the Spring 2025 cohort.
You can sign up below to receive an email when the next cohort opens up.
Why Join This Program?
The Mission & Purpose team brings extensive experience working with dozens of nonprofit organizations across the U.S. and globally. Our deep understanding of the nonprofit landscape means we know how to do more with less—helping organizations build capacity, make the case for greater investment in communications, and leverage digital media effectively.
With expertise in creating impactful strategies tailored to resource-constrained teams, we’re here to help you amplify your mission and scale your impact.
What Makes Our Approach Unique?
Effective communications are more than just a tool—they are the bridge between your work and the transformational partnerships, funding, and visibility you need to thrive. This program focuses on three critical pillars to help nonprofits unlock their full potential:
Actionable Solutions for Real-Time Impact
Through interactive workshops, we address your organization’s unique communications challenges in real time. Whether it's crafting compelling messaging or developing a media strategy, you’ll leave each session with practical tools you can implement immediately.
Peer Learning for Shared Growth
Collaboration is at the heart of our approach. You’ll connect with nonprofit leaders from around the globe to share tips, strategies, and lessons learned, building a supportive network that grows alongside you.
Expert-Led Insights to Build Capacity
Our program brings in industry experts to tackle the most pressing nonprofit challenges, from using communications to secure more funding to establishing thought leadership and increasing visibility. You won’t just learn the theory—you’ll gain insider insights to build sustainable capacity for the future.Program Details
The Mission & Purpose Nonprofit Accelerator is designed to be flexible and engaging. It will provide you with practical skills and collaborative learning opportunities over three months, from March to May 2025 (registration has closed for this cohort, but you can add your name to the waitlist via the form above). The program is delivered in English, and subtitles are available from each workshop. We are exploring options to provide translated transcripts in additional languages to improve accessibility for participants.
Program Benefits
- Develop Actionable Strategies: Leave each session with clear, practical steps to move your communications tactics forward in a more impactful and effective way.
- Stay Ahead with Best Practices: Gain up-to-date insights on the latest trends and best practices in communications and digital media to enhance your nonprofit’s reach and engagement.
- Master Resourceful Communications: Learn how to design and implement an engaging and effective communications program, even with limited resources.
- Learn from Your Peers: Exchange ideas and strategies with other nonprofit leaders, gaining valuable insights on how they approach communications challenges.
- Access Expert Guidance: Work with experienced facilitators and guest experts who provide targeted advice on storytelling, media relations, and more.
- Build Lasting Networks: Join a supportive community of nonprofit professionals working together to amplify their missions and scale their impact.
Topics to be covered:
- How to use AI in communications to do more with less
- Thought leadership: Creative ways to get your org and its leadership more visibility
- Hack the Algorithm: Tried-and-true tactics to get the most engagement out of your content
- Digital trends for 2025 and how to leverage them
- Pitching press in the new era of digital media
- Social Media strategy: What to do and not to do, plus Q&A
- Making the budgetary case for comms: Effective messaging and approaches to get buy-in from leadership and grantors
- Make it visual: Canva and other ways to make your content more visually appealing
Flexible Pricing to Fit Your Nonprofit’s Budget
We offer a sliding scale pricing model based on your organization’s annual revenue. With grant subsidies available for smaller organizations, we’re committed to making this program affordable for everyone.
Annual Revenue: $100K–$350K
$400 one-time fee
Ideal for smaller nonprofits needing affordable access to transformational training.
Annual Revenue: $350K–$500K
$700 one-time fee
Perfect for nonprofits with moderate budgets looking to build capacity.
Annual Revenue: $500K–$1M
$1,150 one-time fee
Designed for growing organizations ready to amplify their impact.
Annual Revenue: $1M–$3M
$1,750 one-time fee
For established nonprofits ready to take their communications to the next level.
Sign up for the waitlist
Keosha Varela, Program Facilitator
The program is led by Keosha Varela, founder of Mission & Purpose Communications. With a professional background spanning journalism, international development, and nonprofit communications, Keosha has a proven track record of helping organizations tell their stories effectively and build the partnerships they need to scale their impact.
Her deep industry knowledge across news and nonprofits includes production, editing, and senior roles at NBC News, National Public Radio, the Aspen Institute, and InterAction, among others.
Arica Van Boxtel, Program Facilitator
For more than a decade, Arica Van Boxtel has designed and executed strategic communications campaigns for a wide range of global, national, and local nonprofits and mission-focused organizations.
Arica’s specialty is digital storytelling and producing communications campaigns for high-profile public events, including the Aspen Ideas Festival, the New Orleans Book Festival, and more.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible to participate in the program?
Nonprofits based in the U.S. or internationally with annual revenues under $3 million.
Organizations looking to build stronger communications strategies and increase engagement.
Ideal for small nonprofit teams or communications professionals working with limited budgets and staffing.
What topics will the program cover?
- AI in Communications – How to use AI tools to do more with less.
- Thought Leadership – Creative ways to get your organization and leadership more visibility.
- Social Media Strategy – What to do (and what not to do) to maximize engagement.
- Pitching the Press – How to adapt your media strategy to today’s digital landscape.
- Digital Trends for 2025 – Key trends and how to leverage them for your organization.
- Visual Content Creation – Easy ways to make your content more compelling using Canva and other tools.
- Getting Leadership Buy-in – Making the budgetary case for communications to grantors and executives.
What are the program dates and schedule?
It runs from March to May 2025. Specific dates and times will be based on registrants’ schedules and shared with them 1-2 weeks before the start of the program. We are looking at a mid-March start date. It includes a combination of live sessions, interactive discussions, and Q&A opportunities. We will also host recurring office hours for additional coaching.
How is the program delivered?
- Delivered entirely online over Zoom and in English.
- Live interactive workshops, peer learning discussions, and expert-led sessions.
- Subtitles available, and translated transcripts are being explored to improve accessibility.
What is the cost of the program?
- The program uses a sliding scale pricing model based on annual revenue:
- Annual revenue $100K–$350K: $400 one-time fee
- Annual revenue $350K–$500K: $700 one-time fee
- Annual revenue $500K–$1M: $1,150 one-time fee
- Annual revenue $1M–$3M: $1,750 one-time fee
- Financial assistance is available for smaller organizations—contact us to discuss grant subsidies.
Who are the program facilitators?
- Keosha Varela – Founder of Mission & Purpose Communications, former journalist, and nonprofit communications strategist with experience at NBC News, NPR, the Aspen Institute, and more.
- Arica Van Boxtel – Communications strategist with over a decade of experience in digital storytelling and campaign execution for nonprofits and mission-driven organizations.
Can more than one member of my team join as part of the one paid registration?
The program is designed for one organization per paid registration, so you can have different members of your team join the meetings, based on the topic and their roles.
Do you have speakers secured yet, and who are they?
Yes! We’re curating a lineup of nonprofit communications and leadership experts.
The full speaker list will be announced soon to registered participants, but we have confirmed speakers from the Aspen Institute, a digital thought leadership publication at Harvard Business School, a comms firm that works with community-based organizations on digital campaigns, and more. Our goal is to bring in speakers who can share practical, real-world strategies to help nonprofits strengthen their communications.
Will participants get a say in the topics covered during the program?
- Yes! While we have a core curriculum covering essential communications strategies, we also incorporate participant input to shape discussions.
- Participants can share their biggest challenges and requests to help tailor the program’s focus.
- This mix of structured learning and customized support makes the program highly relevant and engaging.