We offer business consulting programs ranging from 1-week to 7-months. During these programs, students and professional mentors work side-by-side with business owners on projects that improve the bottom line and stimulate new growth.
Our target: businesses owned by people of color, women, LGBTQ, veterans, and those located in under-served communities.
Through more than 500 hours of assistance businesses receive accounting and financial management assistance, mentoring from business executives, and access to cutting-edge business management techniques that solve challenges and capture growth opportunities. This program begins each Fall and runs through May.
CONTACT
Gabriela Michan, [email protected], (206) 543-9545
Program Overview
The Board Fellows Program places MBA an MPA students as non-voting board members of local nonprofit organizations. Nonprofits receive short and long-term benefits; gain new perspectives and ideas on key organizational issues, receive access to resources at the University of Washington, and build the next generation business and civic leaders.
Student fellows attend monthly board meetings, join a board committee, complete a board-level project, and participate in seminars taught by UW Foster School of Business faculty.
Eligibility
- Nonprofit must have an established board of directors
- Nonprofit must have at least one full-time paid staff member
- Board must hold monthly or bimonthly meetings*
- Board should have at least one standing committee
- Organizational stability – nonprofits who have not been in operation for at least a year will not be considered
- Capacity to support the Board Fellows project
- Nonprofits agree to host two selected student Board Fellows
- Nonprofits must appoint a board mentor to guide and coach Board Fellows
*Boards who meet bimonthly (every other month) will be considered if they have active committees. Because students receive credit for this program, they are required to spend a minimum of 6 hours per quarter attending board or committee meetings.
Application Timeline and Notification Dates
| Start Date | End Date | |
|---|---|---|
| Nonprofit Application Opens | December 16, 2019 | February 14, 2020 (11:59 pm PST) |
| Nonprofit Application Review* | December 16, 2019 | February 28, 2020 |
| Board Fellows Application Opens | March 2, 2020 | April 3, 2020 (11:59 pm PST) |
| Board Fellows’ Applications Reviewed by Nonprofits | April 6, 2020 | April 20, 2020 (11:59 pm PST) |
| Interview Schedule Available | April 27, 2020 | |
| Interview/Matching Day | May 8, 2020 @ 1:00 pm | |
Note: A Board member, the executive director or a designated staff member should complete the application.
*Nonprofits’ applications will be reviewed simultaneously between December 16, 2019 and February 28, 2020.
Matching Process
BENEFITS
The program provides nonprofit boards:
- Gain new skills and a fresh perspective from MBA, MPA, and MSW students
- Experience recruiting and working with young leaders
- Leverage student expertise to advance a special board project
- A foundation for the next generation of board leadership
Nonprofit organizations host two student Board Fellows who will serve as non-voting members of the board from September through May. The nonprofit board appoints a board mentor who should anticipate spending about one hour per month to guide and coach the Board Fellow. Often the board mentor is a committee chair or other committee member that is working with the Fellow on their board project.
We appreciate the support of Wells Fargo Bank, UPS and the Neil and Nancy McReynolds Endowment for support of the Board Fellows Program.
CONTACT
Vy Nguyen, [email protected], (206) 543-3681
CONTACT
Wil Tutol, [email protected], (206) 616-1216
CONTACT
Vy Nguyen, [email protected], (206) 543-3681
CONTACT
Vy Nguyen, [email protected], (206) 543-3681