Frequently Asked Questions

Chick-fil-A is committed to strengthening the cities and neighborhoods we serve. That is why we are launching the Chick-fil-A Impact Accelerator – a program designed to help nonprofit organizations take their support of children, families, and neighborhoods to the next level. By providing training, support, and resources – and fostering connections with fellow nonprofit leaders, social entrepreneurs, and change makers – Chick-fil-A Impact Accelerator helps nonprofit organizations have a greater long-term impact on children and contribute to the overall empowerment of our communities.

The conference event will take place on a virtual conference platform for the general public and at Chick-fil-A Support Center, 5200 Buffington Rd, Atlanta, GA 30349 invitation only. You must be registered to attend.

2024 Date To Be Announced

In-person access to the event is by invitation only in order to abide by CDC guidelines for COVID. Virtual access is open to registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations. We welcome any 501(c)(3) organization leader to attend, but we require no more than 2 executive officers from your nonprofit organization register and your organization must focus on addressing needs that align with Chick-fil-A's corporate social responsibility priorities: caring for people, caring for communities, caring for others through food, and caring for the planet.

The conference event is a one-day event typically in April that brings over 100 nonprofit organizations together, with expert main stage speakers and breakout workshop sessions covering topics such as strategic marketing (social media marketing and marketing for nonprofits), organizational growth, innovation in programming, DEI, financial planning and analysis, leadership, telling your story, and much more.  The cohort program spans the rest of the year from August to May of the next year and is an additional grant to no more than 20 nonprofit leaders from 10-20 nonprofit organizations accepted into the program.

If selected to participate in the Accelerator, members must commit to all sessions. This includes engagement in a 6-week digital course with over 40 course topics, a potential 3-day offsite retreat or 3 full-day sessions that occur once a month, and up to 5 half-day sessions once-a-month, spanning from August to April of the following year.

If it’s been more than four years since you’ve participated in the Plywood Process, we’ve added new content, new advisors, and new mentor voices, so the experience still has the potential to inspire and strengthen your work. If you’ve participated in a part of the Plywood Process more recently but have a new challenge or program idea you would like to work on through the Plywood Process framework, you’re not disqualified from applying.

The Chick-fil-A Impact Accelerator Program is enhanced with topics and content based on  feedback from nonprofit organizations that have partnered with Chick-fil-A Corporate Social Responsibility and Community Affairs.  New topics and content have been developed based on needs and requests gathered from nonprofit organizations and will be custom added to the Plywood Foundations and Layers phases proprietary to the Chick-fil-A Impact Accelerator Program.  Coaching, expert advisors, and potential pro bono service partnerships community during these phases of the program are also provided through Chick-fil-A, Inc. connections.

No. All food and other curriculum expenses are provided by grant to accepted cohort leaders.

No, we do not guarantee funding from Chick-fil-A or any of the program partners.

Yes, we invite all registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations to the conference event. The cohort program application is open to only attendees of the conference event.

May 19, 2023 by 11:59 p.m.

No, unfortunately we have a tight deadline to review applications and to announce the awardees before the Plywood program begins.

July 1, 2023.

Yes, we encourage nonprofit organizations to grow and scale further.

10 months.

Graduate and scale impact. Measure and review your impact for continued growth.  Continue to connect with other nonprofit leaders and leverage the relationships built in our community.

Yes, nonprofit organizations recommended by Operators will be considered and encouraged to attend.

In order to allow other nonprofit organization leaders the opportunity, nonprofit leaders accepted into the cohort program can participate only one time.  Conference event attendees are welcomed to attend in subsequent years, but we ask that you consider other executive leaders in your organization for a chance to attend and grow instead.

Check out www.ChickfilAImpactAccelerator.com for more information to see when we might be in your city in the future!

Chick-fil-A covers all costs for the one-day conference event. The 10-month cohort program is made available through grants. Participants are expected to cover their transportation.

Please check our website for more information and additional resources.