AbbVie Foundation Health Equity Accelerator

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Scaling Community-Led Solutions to Expand Access to Health Care

The AbbVie Foundation, in partnership with MATTER, is now accepting applications for the 2026 AbbVie Foundation Health Equity Accelerator. This national accelerator seeks innovative, community-led nonprofit solutions that break down barriers to health care access and demonstrate early evidence of success with strong potential to scale.

📅 Application Deadline: March 8, 2026
💰 Funding: $10,000 unrestricted stipend + opportunity for an additional $50,000 unrestricted grant
⏱️ Program Length: 10 weeks (May–July 2026)

Organization

AbbVie Foundation (in partnership with MATTER)

Support Type

Accelerator program with unrestricted grant funding, mentorship, and capacity-building support

Geographic Focus

United States and U.S. territories

About the Funder

The AbbVie Foundation is committed to advancing health equity by supporting innovative, community-based solutions that improve access to care and address social determinants of health. Through its partnership with MATTER, the Foundation invests in nonprofit leaders working to remove systemic barriers to health care and scale proven models that improve outcomes in underserved communities.

What This Program Supports

The Health Equity Accelerator supports nonprofit initiatives that expand access to care and address real-world barriers across five core dimensions of access:

Affordability

Reducing financial barriers to care, including services, prescriptions, and insurance costs—such as patient cost-navigation programs or sliding-scale payment models.

Availability

Increasing the supply of needed health services and providers, including solutions that address “care deserts” in rural or underserved areas.

Accessibility

Improving physical access to care by reimagining where and how services are delivered, including telehealth and embedding care into trusted community settings.

Accommodation

Designing care models that fit people’s real lives through flexible scheduling, language access, mobile clinics, pop-up care models, and data-enabled coordination.

Acceptability

Delivering culturally responsive, respectful care that builds trust, including community health workers, doulas, navigators, and other trusted intermediaries.

Innovative solutions that align with the AbbVie Foundation’s mission but fall outside these categories are also encouraged to apply.

Accelerator Benefits

Selected organizations will participate in a 10-week intensive program that includes:

Expert mentorship from health equity, nonprofit, and industry leaders
Peer learning and networking with a curated national cohort
Increased visibility through a final showcase with funders and partners
Capacity-building resources, including a free six-month MATTER membership
Unrestricted funding, with one participant selected for an additional $50,000 grant

Eligibility & Selection Criteria

Eligible Organizations

U.S.-based 501(c)(3) public charities (including U.S. territories)
Demonstrated organizational capacity and leadership readiness
Financially stable with a clear vision for sustainability
Willing and able to report transparently on outcomes and progress

Eligible Programs

Directly address the Accelerator’s health equity challenge
Past the idea stage, with early testing or pilot results
Demonstrated potential for scale and replication
Evidence-based impact on underserved or marginalized communities

Participant Expectations

Selected organizations should expect to commit 5–7 hours per week over 10 weeks and participate in:

Weekly virtual workshops and mentoring sessions
Two in-person events at MATTER in Chicago, IL:
- Program Kickoff: Week of May 11, 2026
- Final Showcase: Week of August 3, 2026

Participants will graduate with a refined scaling strategy, a polished pitch deck, and a six-month implementation plan.

Timeline

January 27, 2026: Applications open
March 8, 2026: Applications close (11:59pm CT)
March 23 – April 3, 2026: Finalist interviews
April 13, 2026: Five organizations selected
May 11 – July 17, 2026: Accelerator program
Week of August 3, 2026: Final in-person showcase

Application Process

Applications are submitted online through MATTER. Up to 10 finalists will be invited to interviews, with five organizations ultimately selected for the 2026 cohort.

Apply / Learn More:
➡️ https://matter.health/challenges/abbvie-foundation-health-equity-accelerator-2026/