NEW ORLEANS – Propeller’s Impact Accelerator, celebrating its 15th year of programming, has won the 2026 United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (USASBE) Model Community Entrepreneurship Accelerator/Incubator Award, which recognizes the critical role of business accelerators in the overall entrepreneurship education ecosystem.
Propeller CEO Jessica Allen accepted the award at the USASBE annual conference in Salt Lake City on February 21, 2026. “We’re grateful for the opportunity to share our impact and connect with leaders advancing entrepreneurship across the country. This national recognition celebrates the strength of our model and the incredible entrepreneurs and partners who make our work possible,” says Allen. In addition to the outcomes of Propeller’s work, the judges made note of the intentionality of the person-centered approach of the Propeller Impact Accelerator curriculum.
Founded in 1981, the United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (USASBE) is an inclusive community of educators, researchers, and entrepreneurs advancing entrepreneurship education through bold teaching, scholarship, and practice.
Previous winners of the USASBE Model Community Accelerator/Incubator Award include the University of St. Thomas Community Entrepreneurship Program, the Veterans Florida Entrepreneurship Program at Florida Gulf Coast University, and the 24/7 BLAC Black Business Entrepreneurial Accelerator (BBEA) at the University of Northern Iowa.
Propeller’s Impact Accelerator is sponsored by Baptist Community Ministries, Capital One, Clif Family Foundation, Entergy Charitable Foundation, Gulf Coast Bank & Trust, Liberty Bank & Trust, New Orleans City Council-Cox Communications, Patrick F. Taylor, Target, UNFI Foundation, Women United, and W.K. Kellogg Foundation.
Applications are now open for the 2026 Impact Accelerator: Growth Track. Growth-stage entrepreneurs working in one of Propeller’s five focus areas — community economic development, education, food, health and water — who are seeking to expand staff and scale revenue are encouraged to apply. Information about the 2025 Impact Accelerator class and Propeller’s ongoing initiatives is available at gopropeller.org.
About Propeller
Propeller is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that supports entrepreneurs working to address social and environmental disparities. The organization focuses on building a more inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem in New Orleans while supporting ventures designed to respond to community needs and advance long-term economic opportunity.