Real-world business education, practical skills, and a community that helps you turn what you already know into the career or business you want.
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We don't teach you to start over. We help you build on the skills, experiences, and ideas you already have.
— The 12 Fruits approach, since 2004
What We Do
For neighbors with limited English or limited tech experience, learning to navigate a smartphone, email, or job site can unlock everything else. We teach the digital basics that open the door to better jobs, online income, and confidence using technology.
We coach men and women rebuilding their lives after incarceration. With the right support, returning citizens become employers, mentors, and community leaders — and we help them connect the dots between their experience and what they can build next.
From first-time founders selling on Instagram to family-run shops ready to grow, we help BIPOC business owners get organized, price their work fairly, market themselves online, and access the resources that mainstream programs often miss.
Our Programs
Whether you're looking for a one-time workshop or a full 6-week cohort, there's a 12 Fruits program for your stage, schedule, and goals.
Hear from entrepreneurs and professionals who've done it. Honest conversations about wins, mistakes, and the things business school doesn't teach.
Drop-in workshops on sales, branding, pricing, leadership, and digital skills. Show up for one, or come back for more. No long commitment.
A structured 8-week program for small business owners ready to grow revenue, get organized, and reach more customers.
A six-session cohort for workforce, reentry, and onboarding programs. Available as a licensed curriculum or led by our team.
Peer coaching groups, accountability circles, and 1-on-1 mentorship. The people who keep you going when motivation runs out.
Who We Are
12 Fruits Foundation is a nonprofit serving the Black, African American, African immigrant, and African diaspora communities of King County, Washington. We teach business skills through real-world stories, hands-on workshops, and mentorship — meeting people where they are and helping them build from there.
We work with first-time entrepreneurs, returning citizens, recent immigrants, and career-changers — all people often left out of mainstream business programs.
Read Our Story →
Voices From Our Community
"I came in thinking I had nothing to offer. By the end, I had a real business plan and the confidence to use it."
"12 Fruits taught me how to price my work, post on social media, and actually charge what I'm worth."
"Be! sessions feel like sitting down with a friend who's been exactly where I want to go."
"I came in thinking I had nothing to offer. By the end, I had a real business plan and the confidence to use it."
"12 Fruits taught me how to price my work, post on social media, and actually charge what I'm worth."
"Be! sessions feel like sitting down with a friend who's been exactly where I want to go."
Our Partners
Get Involved
Sign up for a program, volunteer as a mentor or facilitator, or partner with us to bring 12 Fruits to your organization or community.