Social Enterprise Academy
The UCLA Social Enterprise Academy is a six-month program that pairs undergraduate teams with local nonprofits to build new earned-income ventures. Over Winter and Spring quarters, you’ll work as a consultant on a real nonprofit’s growth challenge, train with UCLA faculty and industry professionals, and pitch your venture for cash and pro bono prizes.
The application for the 2025–26 program is closed. Watch this page for the next application timeline.
What you’ll do as a team
Each team of five undergraduates is matched with one nonprofit and works closely with its leadership for the length of the program. Across Winter and Spring quarters, your team will:
- Develop the strongest enterprise idea for the organization
- Conduct market research
- Build a business plan
- Pitch the venture to compete for cash and pro bono prizes
The Academy combines teamwork, expert training, and individualized coaching so each team has what it needs to build a venture the nonprofit can actually run.
What you’ll learn
Training is led by UCLA faculty, alums, and industry professionals from the Academies of Social Entrepreneurship. The curriculum covers the skills behind any working venture:
- Idea generation
- Market research
- Financial planning
- Business planning
Our nonprofit partners
Almost every nonprofit is looking for new ways to grow income and impact. Since 2011, the Social Enterprise Academy has helped more than 40 local nonprofits develop social enterprises that do both. The program is run as a partnership between UCLA Alumni Career Engagement, the UCLA Department of Economics, and the Academies of Social Entrepreneurship.
How to apply
The application for the 2025–26 program is closed. Watch this page for the next application timeline.
Stay connected
Sign up for Bruin Edge and follow Alumni Career Engagement on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for upcoming events and programs.
Contact
For questions about the Social Enterprise Academy, email ace@support.ucla.edu or use our contact form.