Incubator Tool Library

A collection of vetted tools and resources to help impact incubators run smarter, scale bigger, and better support their entrepreneurs.

Pollinate Impact Tool Library

Welcome to your shortcut to the good stuff.

When we say “tool”, we mean anything that helps incubators thrive—software, templates, handbooks, or any resource that lets you level up your game. We’ve curated the best for impact incubators across the Global South, so skip the search, grab what you need, and get back to making magic happen. 

Share your tool! If you have a tool, template, or resource that others could benefit from, submit it for review. 

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Fundraising Handbook

Fundraising is both an art and a science, and Black Fox Global has mastered both. Drawing on decades of experience mobilizing resources for mission-driven organizations, the Fundraising Handbook distills proven strategies, field-tested practices, and expert insights into one trusted guide.

Organization: Black Fox Global

Mentor Onboarding Form

This is a sample mentor onboarding form that can be used to learn about new mentor interests, expertise, and availability to serve as a mentor.

Organization: Purdue Innovates

Indicator Tool

We’ve compiled this tool to help make that process a little easier. While by no means exhaustive, the indicators in this database are drawn from a wide range of sources and have relevance across a variety of intervention models and the full spectrum of SDG sectors.

Organization: Segal Family Foundation

Screening Selection & Due Diligence

A collection of templates that are utilized by incubators to screen and select the right entrepreneurs to their program.

Organization: Miller Center / Villgro / Villgro Africa / Villgro Philippines / Impact Hub Abidjan

New Leaders: Here’s how to hire a top talent

A great hiring strategy can have a positive impact on a manager’s career. While you may not always have the power to choose your team, learning how to spot and appeal to high-performing candidates can fundamentally impact your trajectory.

Organization: HBR - Ryan Renteria

Supporting Women Entrepreneurs in Developing Countries: What Works

This paper summarizes the evidence base on women’s entrepreneurship
and serves as an update to the 2022 version, Supporting Women
Entrepreneurs in Developing Countries: What Works?

Organization: We-Fi

Developing a Data Collection Plan

This guide provides accelerators with an overview of how to approach designing a data collection plan to generate actionable insights.

Organization: GALI

Conducting Layoffs with Purpose

A guide providing a structure to conducting layoffs responsibly

Organization: Rippleworks

Defining Success for your Accelerator Program

This presentation provides an introduction to using a Theory of Change to clearly articulate what your program hopes to achieve, and an example of what an accelerator Theory of Change could look like.

Organization: GALI

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Empowering FP/RH innovations for scale – Tool Kit

Empowering FP/RH Innovations for Scale is a set of resources to provide an approach to stakeholders to better assess and support the scale-up of FP/RH innovations and accelerate progress towards FP/RH goals. Along with a summary, this includes a scale-up guide, toolkits and templates, and scale-up lessons and case studies. These resources are not exhaustive and build off and reference other tools and resources.
Resources include –
1. Summary and user’s guide
2. Scale-up guide
3. Toolkit & Templates
4. Scale-up lessons and case studies

Organization: USAID & MOMENTUM Innovation Accelerator

Empowering FP/RH innovations for scale – Scale Up Guide

Empowering FP/RH Innovations for Scale is a set of resources to provide an approach to stakeholders to better assess and support the scale-up of FP/RH innovations and accelerate progress towards FP/RH goals. Along with a summary, this includes a scale-up guide, toolkits and templates, and scale-up lessons and case studies. These resources are not exhaustive and build off and reference other tools and resources.
Resources include –
1. Summary and user’s guide
2. Scale-up guide
3. Toolkit & Templates
4. Scale-up lessons and case studies

Organization: USAID & MOMENTUM Innovation Accelerator

The GSBI Methodology for Social Entrepreneurship

The Global Social Benefit Institute (GSBI®), a pioneer in social enterprise capacity development, has continuously improved its methodology since its founding in 2003. The lessons GSBI has learned from working with 365 social enterprises are broadly applicable to capacity development efforts across
sectors and geographies. This paper introduces GSBI and explains the GBSI® methodology, with the goal of helping the global social enterprise movement create more exits from poverty.

Organization: Miller Center for Global Impact

The Incubation Toolkit for Africa

The Incubation Programme Toolkit for Africa is a free, practical guide designed specifically for hubs, incubators, and ecosystem builders across Africa. It helps them design, implement, and improve incubation initiatives that deliver measurable business outcomes and stronger support for early-stage startups.

Organization: FATE Foundation

How to Measure the Gender Impact of Investments: Using the 2X Challenge Indicators in Alignment with IRIS+

A guidance resource for incubators, accelerators, and investors to measure and report gender impact using the 2X Challenge criteria, aligned with IRIS+ indicators.

Organization: GIIN

Gender Toolkit

Gender Toolkit is a free, practical online resource designed to help investors, companies and other stakeholders integrate gender-smart approaches into their processes and decisions. It offers guidance, tools, templates and sector-specific insights to support gender-inclusive strategies and investments — with the ultimate aim of advancing women’s economic empowerment and gender equality

Organization: British International Investment

A framework to Drive Impact

This explains how your Theory of Change can be an effective framework to drive impact. The video also highlights three points to keep in mind when creating your theory of change.

Organization: DUKE

Igniting Innovation: A comprehensive handbook for incubators and accelerators

Standardized templates and guidelines can greatly assist these entities in establishing a
governance structure, defining eligibility criteria, developing application
processes, and creating agreements with startups in a consistent and
efficient manner. By adopting these resources, incubators can improve
operational efficiency, reduce the risk of non-compliance, and align their
operations with industry standards and best practices. Pg. 377 onwards

Organization: Gulf Organization for Industrial Consulting (GOIC)

Lab to Market Commercialization Playbook

This resource covers the entire commercialization process in one place with highly practical tools, tips, and resources Include general and stage-specific guidance, and pertains to any university or research institution and any technology/sector, with a focus on energy & mobility

Organization: William Davidson Institute at University of Michigan

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