Have questions? Here are some answers to commonly asked questions.
The Arc Collaborative is a 4-month fellowship program that provides customized support to consultants of color to design their own individual paths to sustainability. The program provides a community of peers, skill building, coaching and whole-person support to ensure providers can build and grow their work.
The program kick-off will happen on March 10, 2021 at 4pm PT to 6pm PT. The program will end in late June.
The program is for equity-focused providers of color who help organizations become more diverse, inclusive or equitable, bring an equity focus to their work in education, or bring technical expertise to BIPOC-led organizations.
The program includes personalized coaching and wellness support, access to a network of peers, a monthly speaker series, live workshops and an individualized curriculum to build and refine business skills. The program will also offer optional consultancies and office hours to help participants tackle the business challenges they are facing now.
The pilot program is free to all participants and is being funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
The program is 100% virtual.
The time commitment will likely vary but we anticipate that that most participants will spend up to 5 hours a week with the program.
Unlike most “accelerator” programs, there is no set curriculum for the Arc Collaborative. Participants will engage with the content most relevant to them and the business challenge they are facing.
Interested participants will complete an online application and submit a video response to a series of short questions. The Catalyst:Ed and Goodbets team will then conduct short interviews with those who are selected to move forward.
10-15 participants will be selected for each cycle.
The word “arc” has a double meaning - it is both the internal change a hero experiences as they journey through their story and a curve that allows travel from one place to another. We see our participants as heroes on this journey of creating and building a sustainable business, all on their own pathways to their unique destinations.
The goal of the program is to help consultants of color build business resilience, create a community of peers and provide tailored coaching to ensure providers can make the impact they seek to have.
We are looking to support promising consulting practices who bring unique skills and a commitment to equity to public education. Participants should be interested in collaborating with peers and in contributing to the learning and development of the cohort and should bring a growth mindset and a desire for coaching and feedback.
The program is being supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which connected Catalyst:Ed with Goodbets due to Goodbets’ history of supporting consultants of color. Goodbets Founder Nicole Jarbo is, herself, a consultant of color who has learned firsthand how to build a sustainable and thriving business.
Most programs to support providers and provide skill-building and coaching have a set structure that tells participants when and how to learn and engage with content. We believe that to truly help providers, we must support them to tackle their real-life challenges now and to allow them to choose what they most want and need. We also believe that for businesses to thrive long-term, their leaders must also thrive as people. We have designed our program to support providers in both business skill development and wellness coaching to ensure they are able to lead into the future.
We will host two informational sessions - one will take place the week of 12/14 and one will take place in January.
Monthly speakers will engage with participants, help broaden the cohort’s network and provide inspiration and encouragement. They will come from a variety of backgrounds and fields and will include entrepreneurs, consultants, foundation executives, venture capitalists, and creatives.