Restorative Entrepreneurship Intensive

A trauma-informed care learning experience in program design

The Restorative Entrepreneurship Intensive is designed to equip entrepreneurial support organization (ESO) leaders with trauma-informed care (TIC) and restorative practices (RP) framework to design programs that are more inclusive, sustainable and holistic—for both entrepreneurs and staff. Through a 12-month program, participants will learn holistic methods and tools tailored to ESOs and, with expert guidance, implement changes in practice to redesign entrepreneurial support and improve services for vulnerable and underserved populations. The fellowship will include monthly virtual meetings and one in-person retreat.

Why is this needed? Starting a business demands constant adaptation under pressure from founders, and the emotional and psychological toll can bring up things that traditional business support is not designed to handle. Trauma and chronic stress can shape how well founders communicate, process feedback, and engage with new ideas. This fellowship addresses a critical gap by helping ESOs understand these dynamics and integrate practices that support entrepreneurs not just in surviving the startup journey, but in building the conditions to thrive.

    • Learn a trauma-informed and restorative practices framework specifically developed for entrepreneurial support organizations

    • Strengthen decision-making around when to respond, when to support, and when to set boundaries

    • Reduce the emotional burden placed on individual staff members by shifting toward systemic, organizational approaches

    • Build relationships with peer ESO leaders navigating similar challenges

    • Redesign one process or program from your organization using TIC principles

    • Develop practical tools tailored to your organization

  • The Intensive unfolds in three integrated phases:

    Phase 1: Learning & Mastery: Participants build shared understanding of trauma-informed care in entrepreneurial contexts, including best practices, restorative approaches, and real-world insights from practitioners.

    Phase 2: Program Application: Participants select a project from their own work and apply TIC frameworks with support from peers and TIC experts. This phase culminates in an in-person retreat focused on refinement, feedback, and integration.

    Phase 3: Implementation & Integration: Participants focus on institutionalizing changes—moving beyond individual effort to embed trauma-informed practices into organizational systems and culture.

    • Cohort Size: Limited to 16 participants

    • Monthly Sessions: The monthly sessions will be virtual each month on the 2nd Tuesday at 12pm - 1:30pm ET from July 2026 – June 2027

    • Time Commitment: Approximately 2–2.5 hours per month

    • Retreat Dates: October 8-9 2026; location TBD

  • This Intensive is not about adding work to your plate, but finding sustainable solutions to reshape your work to make it more cohesive for you, your team, and your entrepreneurs. Virtual sessions will be structured around learning, content sharing, peer learning, and experiential learning opportunities.

    The fellowship is designed for:

    • Executive Directors and Program Directors of ESOs

    • Leaders responsible for program design and entrepreneur experience

    • Organizations seeking sustainable, inclusive approaches to supporting founders

    What it is not:

    • Not a generic trauma-informed care training traditionally designed for schools or healthcare settings

    • Not therapy or mental health service delivery

    It is an applied, research-informed, practice-driven space designed specifically for the realities of entrepreneurial support work.

  • May 30, 2026: Deadline to Apply

    June 2026: Selected applicants contacted for interviews

    July 2026: Fellowship Launch

    October 2026: In-Person Retreat

    May 2027: Graduation

  • This fellowship is lead and co-created by Dr. Sarah Crane and Jalyn Gordon, each leaders with deep expertise in trauma-informed care and entrepreneurial ecosystems. Our framework draws on the published research specifically examining trauma-informed care in entrepreneurship support paired with extensive on-the-ground implementation experience in providing entrepreneurial support programs.

    • This work showed me that empathy and compassion are not just values—they are strategic assets. I now have concrete tools and frameworks that allow us to support entrepreneurs holistically while still meeting rigorous organizational standards. — ESO Leader, CDFI

    • This experience gave us a shared language and framework for trauma‑informed entrepreneurship that we can now use across our ecosystem. It shifted the responsibility from individuals to a collective, systems‑level approach> — Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Leader

    • We fundamentally changed how we design programs—from intake to accelerators—by integrating trauma‑informed practices and new ways of measuring quality, not just volume. The result has been stronger trust and better outcomes for entrepreneurs.— Program Manager, ESO

    • This engagement pushed me to talk about trauma openly—with staff, partners, and funders—and to lead differently. It strengthened my leadership and reshaped how we think about inclusion in entrepreneurship.— ESO Executive Director

  • We understand that investing in a fellowship can be a stretch for all organizations. Below we have provided a sliding fee structure to align with annual organizational operating budgets. The fellowship fee covers all sessions, materials, and the retreat (registration, materials, and two meals). Transportation and lodging for the retreat are not included.

    • $5 million+ annual budget: $7,000

    • $1 - $4.9 million: $5,000

    • Under $1 million: $3,000

  • We will host a brief webinar on April 15th at 1pm ET to provide an overview of the Intensive and answer questions. Please click here to register. The meeting will be recorded for those unable to attend - please register to receive the recording.

Apply here by May 30