Board Fellows
Overview
The Board Fellows program brings valuable business skills to nonprofit organizations in the DC-metro area, while exposing graduate students to nonprofit management, operations, and governance. The student Board Fellow serves as a non-voting board member and completes a strategic project designed to further advance the mission of the nonprofit organization.
Meet last year’s Board Fellows and Nonprofit Organizations
See Board Fellows Sample Projects
Benefits for Organizations
Receive strategic support from a GWU graduate student focusing in business administration, public administration, or public policy. Fellows spend approximately 8 hours per month working with the nonprofit.
- Build your organization’s capacity in a particular area requiring business skills. For example, past projects have included work on a fundraising plan, strategic communications strategy, and operating budget.
- Bring new perspectives into your organization and reach new networks through your Fellow.
This program is for organizations that hold nonprofit 501(c)(3) status, located in the Washington, DC metro area, and have an active Board of Directors with which the Fellow can participate.
Nonprofit organizations, for more information, click here, and also see the Board Fellows FAQ document.
Benefits for Students
- Engage with a local nonprofit on a strategic level.
- Gain first-hand experience in board governance, nonprofit management, and project consulting.
- Hone skills in a sector or function of interest, and develop deeper knowledge of specific social issues.
- Build your professional network while giving back to your local community.
This program is for students who will attend all board meetings and are committed to spending approximately 8 hours per month working on their strategic consulting project. All Board Fellows must be current graduate students at GWU and official members of GWU Net Impact.
Students, for more information, click here.
2011 Timeline – Updates for this year TBA
- Nonprofit applications due: Septemeber 30, 2011
- Student applications due: November 10th, 2011
- Placements announced: late November 2011
- Kick-off meeting with Fellow: early December 2011
- Program duration: December 2011 – April 2011
Apply
- Applications consisting of short answer questions are required of both the Fellows and the organizations, in order to facilitate the best experience for all parties. Assistance will be provided to further develop project scopes during and after application submission.
- Fellows will be matched with an organization/project based on the Fellow’s skills and those desired by the organization, as well as the Fellow’s sector preference. Every effort will be made to appropriately match Fellows and boards.
- Nonprofit organizations, to access the application, click here.
- Students, to access the application, click here.
Do you know of a nonprofit that may be interested in participating? Spread the word!
Questions? Contact Tammy Ram for more details.
Training
For students interested in applying to the Board Fellows program, material from a consulting training session can be downloaded here: