As the year comes to a close, many people reflect on what they have supported and why it mattered. At The Acceleration Project, year-end giving is more than a financial milestone. It is a moment that directly shapes the trajectory of small business owners heading into the year ahead.

For under-resourced entrepreneurs, timing matters. Decisions made at year-end often determine whether businesses enter January with clarity, confidence, and a plan or with uncertainty and stalled momentum. Year-end support helps ensure that small business owners do not face those decisions alone.

Capital opens doors. Direction keeps them open.

One of the clearest lessons from TAP’s work is that capital alone is not enough. Funding can create opportunity, but without guidance, systems, and accountability, that opportunity often goes unrealized.

In 2025, TAP paired investment with expert coaching across strategy, finance, operations, marketing, and the capital lifecycle. The result was a measurable and sustained impact. TAP delivers a 10:1 social return on investment, meaning every dollar invested generates ten dollars in economic value through revenue growth, job creation, and local economic recirculation.

To see how this model translated into real outcomes for entrepreneurs across the country, we invite you to explore the full 2025 Impact Report: A Year of Momentum and Modernization.

What impact looks like in practice

The data from 2025 tells a powerful story of what happens when support is timely and tailored.

• 87% of clients are women, and 75% come from under-resourced communities.

• 93% of TAP Deep Dive businesses remain open one year post-program, far exceeding the national five-year failure rate of 48.5%.

• 90% of clients report job creation or preservation, supporting workers and families.

• 93% report increased confidence, a critical driver of long term growth.

  
  

Behind these numbers are business owners who are better prepared to manage capital, navigate uncertainty, and build companies that support their families and communities. Additional stories, program highlights, and organizational milestones are detailed in the 2025 Impact Report.

Why year-end giving is a catalyst

Year-end giving allows TAP to enter the new year ready to respond to demand, staff programs efficiently, and deliver support when it matters most. It fuels early year coaching, capital readiness work, and strategic planning that helps business owners start strong rather than play catch up.

In 2025, year-end support also enabled TAP to invest in innovation and infrastructure. This included launching new program models, integrating AI to shorten the time from intake to service delivery, expanding TAP’s geographic reach, and strengthening systems that allow the organization to serve more entrepreneurs with greater precision.

These investments do not happen in isolation. They are the result of partners and donors who understand that sustainable growth requires both resources and direction.

Investing in momentum, not just outcomes

Year-end giving is often framed as closing a gap. At TAP, it is about creating momentum. It is about ensuring that under-resourced small business owners have access to guidance, clarity, and trusted support as they navigate the year ahead.

Your generosity equips small business owners with the practical tools to succeed, igniting lasting change for the families they support and the communities they anchor. To continue powering this work, we invite you to donate through a range of giving options including Donor Advised Funds and be part of what comes next.

As we look toward the future, the need for this work continues to grow. With continued investment, TAP can scale its reach, deepen its impact, and help more entrepreneurs turn opportunity into lasting success.

Year-end giving matters because it powers the systems, people, and partnerships that make small business growth possible.