Facebook has announced the launch of its Community Accelerator program which will be available in the following countries across South Saharan Africa: South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria.  

An evolution of the Facebook Community Leadership Program (FCLP), this six-month accelerator program provides training, mentorship and funding to help community leaders grow their communities.

Up to $3 million in total will be awarded to 80 program participants worldwide.

Selected community leaders will spend three months learning from experts, coaches and a customized curriculum to create a plan to grow their communities. They will spend the next three months iterating and executing on their plans, with funding and support from their networks.

“Our mission is to empower the leaders who foster community – people who offer support, encourage others and make real change,” says Kiran Yoliswa, Strategic Partner Manager, Communities SSA at Facebook.

Yoliswa added that “We are investing in leaders because we believe and know they make significant contributions to today’s social challenges, by sharing knowledge and information, and helping people to connect with others that share same interests or passions for a good cause.”

In 2019 the Facebook Community Leadership Program provided training, funding, and support to 115 community leaders.

The leaders reported that their projects impacted over 1.9 million lives through online community support, the use of helpful resources and other activities made possible by the program. 

The 12 community leaders from Sub – Saharan Africa said their projects impacted over 80,000 lives.

Facebook also announced that it has built new tools to help community leaders add new members and moderate conversations in their groups.

The improved membership management tool improves how Group admins can manage new member requests, and content moderation features make it easier for admins to see important posts and find specific content. 

The Community Accelerator program is one of the many investments Facebook is making in community leaders.

The Facebook Community Learning Labs brings Group admins with similar goals together into a collaborative digital classroom for structured learning, a dedicated Facebook team with experience helps Group admins achieve their goals. 

The Community Hub, meanwhile, is a place where anyone can access product education and learn more about Facebook’s programmes. It includes tips and tools for starting, managing and growing a community.

If you run an impactful, established community, ready to grow using Facebook’s apps and have the time and energy to invest in this program, you can apply here before 10 April if you are 18 years and older.

Community leaders from the selected program countries, including those without a presence on one of Facebook’s apps, are welcome to apply.

African Press Organization