By the IFA Foundation

Franchising has long been one of America’s most powerful engines of entrepreneurship — a proven model for building wealth, creating jobs, and strengthening communities.

But for many talented, motivated individuals from underrepresented backgrounds, the path from aspiration to ownership has remained out of reach. Too often, the barriers aren’t a lack of ambition or capability — they’re a lack of access: access to capital, to networks, to the knowledge and mentorship that can make all the difference.

The IFA Foundation launched the Franchise Ascension Initiative (FAI) to change that.

A Program Built for Real Readiness

FAI is a six-month accelerator program designed to equip qualified individuals from underrepresented groups with the education, mentorship, resources, and support needed to successfully launch a career in franchise ownership. The program is built on the belief that franchising is a viable path to wealth creation for all — and that the first and most important step on that path is education.

FAI is built around three interconnected components designed to prepare participants for long-term success in franchising. The first is Education, delivered through structured online courses that cover franchise fundamentals, business management, leadership, and other essential topics, while fostering engagement with instructors and fellow participants. The second is Mentorship, where each participant is paired with an experienced franchise professional with at least 10 years of industry experience, providing personalized guidance, practical insights, and ongoing support throughout the program. The third component is Access to Networks, achieved through participation in two IFA conferences, where participants connect with franchise executives, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders, expanding their professional network and gaining firsthand exposure to the broader franchise community. The program is fully funded for participants, with no cost to apply or participate. That design is intentional. By removing financial barriers to the program itself, the FAI helps remove barriers to entering and succeeding in the franchise industry.

Cohort 2: By the Numbers

The 2025–2026 cohort, the program’s second class, has delivered results that speak for themselves.

Every single graduate increased their understanding of franchise sourcing, evaluating, and funding. That’s a 100 percent improvement in knowledge across the three domains most critical to making an informed ownership decision. Ninety-six percent of participants said they would recommend the program to others. And 86 percent reported that they intend to pursue franchise ownership immediately following graduation.

Perhaps most strikingly, participants’ professional networks grew by 400 percent over the course of the program. In an industry where relationships are currency, that kind of network expansion isn’t just meaningful, it’s transformative. These graduates aren’t entering the franchise landscape alone. They’re entering it connected.

The cohort also reflected the diversity the program was designed to cultivate, with women, U.S. Veterans, and military-connected families represented among the graduates, drawn from 16 states across the country.

What Participants Said

The numbers tell a compelling story, but the voices of graduates bring it to life.

“Before FAI, I had a more limited understanding of what financial success looked like,” said Alaa El-Bashir, a member of the 2025–2026 cohort. “The financial sessions forced me to think like an owner and helped me build confidence in evaluating opportunities, asking smarter questions, and recognizing that financial literacy is empowerment.”

For Brooke McGilvery, the program opened doors she hadn’t imagined. “This opportunity has been beyond anything I could have imagined,” she reflected. “Having access to so many resources, mentors, and lived experiences has been remarkable. I am an inner-city girl from Dallas, Texas, with a vision that once only existed in my mind, and now I have the opportunity to bring that vision to life.”

These aren’t just success stories, they’re proof of concept. When opportunity, mentorship, and determination intersect, lasting impact follows.

What This Means for the Industry

FAI isn’t just good for participants. It’s good for franchising.

The franchise industry grows stronger when more people have access to it, specifically when the next generation of owners reflects the full breadth of American entrepreneurial talent. Every FAI graduate who goes on to open a location, hire employees, and serve their community is adding to the economic vitality that franchising creates nationwide. Every mentor who invests their time in a cohort member is helping build the bench strength that will define franchising’s future.

The program is made possible by a committed group of founding sponsors and partners — companies and individuals who understand that investing in diverse ownership is investing in the long-term health of the franchise model itself.

The Path Forward

The 2026–2027 cohort begins in August 2026. The program welcomes candidates from a wide range of backgrounds: college graduates and students, experienced business managers, existing business owners exploring conversion franchising, professionals navigating career transitions, and high-performing franchisees ready to scale.

FAI is rooted in a simple belief: the American Dream of business ownership should be accessible through franchising to anyone with the drive to succeed. Cohort 2 proved that when aspiring entrepreneurs are equipped with the right knowledge, mentorship, and support, opportunity follows. As the program continues to grow, so does its potential to open doors for more individuals, strengthen communities, and make the promise of franchise ownership more accessible than ever before.

To learn more or join the program’s interest list, visit franchise.org/franchise-ascension-initiative.