Build a credible path to growth
The Arlington Growth Accelerator is a selective, cohort-based leadership program for established Arlington businesses ready to scale. In partnership with SCORE, the program includes six half-day sessions where participants develop a practical, four-year growth plan grounded in strategy, operations and financing — and built for execution.
The program combines expert instruction, peer learning, and one-on-one mentorship to help business owners move from ambition to action.
Who should apply
This program is designed for Arlington-based businesses with:
- $500,000 to $5 million in annual revenue
- At least two years of operations
- A team of three to 50 employees, including contractors
- A commitment to growth and a willingness to be coached
What you’ll gain
Participants leave the program with:
- A four-year growth plan, including strategy, resources and financial projections
- Clear strategic direction using a structured growth framework
- A detailed Year One execution plan with measurable milestones
- A defined capital strategy, whether using internal resources or external financing
Program format
- Six half-day sessions held every other Friday
- Sept. – Nov. 2026
- A mix of in-person and virtual sessions
- Dedicated SCORE mentor support between sessions
- An optional Capital Matching Day that connects participants pursuing external financing with lenders aligned to their growth strategy
What makes this program different
The Arlington Growth Accelerator is designed for business owners who cannot step away from day-to-day operations. The program emphasizes:
- Actionable outcomes, not theory
- Peer accountability within a small, curated cohort
- Real-world application between sessions
- Flexible capital pathways, recognizing that not every business needs external funding
Dates
- September 25 — Know Your Starting Point. What’s blocking your growth – your offer, awareness of it or how hard you are to buy from – and the four numbers that tell you the truth about your business. (In person)
- October 9 — Facing the Truth. What your buyers actually value, and why it’s so easy to miss. You leave knowing which constraint is really holding you back, and how you’ll test it. (Virtual)
- October 23 — Lock the Plan. Build, borrow or buy – pressure-tested by your peers, not just your mentor. You leave with the decision made and a real draft of your growth plan. (In Person)
- November 6 — Build the Engine. The sales operation and the financial plan that turn the decision into revenue. (Virtual)
- November 20 — Make It Run. The weekly operating rhythm that keeps a growing business on track, plus your 90-Day Action Plan. (Virtual)
- December 4 — Fund It and Launch. The Capital landscape matched to your plan, your funding decision and your commitment – signed and witnessed by the cohort. (In Person)
Capital Matching Day (optional) — early January 2027
Most businesses aren't denied financing because capital isn't available. They're denied because they approach the wrong lender, at the wrong time, without the information a funder needs to say yes.
Capital Matching Day helps you change that.
You'll leave with a clear growth plan, a realistic understanding of your capital needs and a financing strategy tailored to your business, whether that's a community bank, SBA-backed loan, line of credit or vetted online lender.
Then you'll meet directly with capital providers, turning cold outreach into informed conversations with the right people.
Capital Matching Day is not a funding guarantee. It's an opportunity to be prepared, make meaningful connections and understand your options. Even if you choose to self-fund, you'll leave with a clear picture of what growth will cost and how to finance it.
This is where preparation meets opportunity.
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Price: $499