W.K. Kellogg Foundation Invests in Acelero Learning

BATTLE CREEK, Mich., Feb. 25, 2009 — The W.K. Kellogg Foundation is investing $500,000 in Acelero Learning, as part of its mission-driven investment strategy.

Acelero Learning is a for-profit company that brings an innovative approach to supporting local Head Start programs in Nevada and New Jersey. At the heart of their approach is a business model that works to partner with volunteer local leaders and to bring efficiency and higher impact to Head Start programs. They design and deliver systems to support the improvement of outcomes for children, raise teacher salaries, and increase the number of children served. The Kellogg Foundation’s investment will help support Acelero’s continued refinement of their approach and expansion to new communities.

This is the Kellogg Foundation’s first direct private equity investment under its mission-driven investment strategy. Anne Mosle, the Foundation’s vice president for programs, said the Foundation will invest $100 million over the next five years in companies like Acelero Learning that simultaneously create social benefit while generating a financial return.