Thanks to significant demand from students, alumni mentors, and nonprofit executives, the year-long NBLP has grown to engage more than 50 student fellows per year, paired with 25+ nonprofit partners through a rigorous application and matching process.
Applications and Matching (June-September)
Nonprofit partners submit their applications over the summer, supported by informational meetings with Tamer Institute program leadership. Applications can be submitted online and must be received prior to the start of the academic year (August 15).
Nonprofit partner profiles and project descriptions are then available to students, who carefully consider and rank their preferences in the student fellows’ application (due in September). Through this competitive process, we strive to match all interested students and nonprofit partners based on mission alignment, skills, and shared goals.
All applicants are notified by early October if there is a successful match. Successfully matched student teams and nonprofit partners are introduced in October, through a celebratory opening reception and orientation event.
Projects and Mentorship (October-April)
After matches are announced, student teams and nonprofit contacts are expected to establish a work plan for the year, focusing on two primary components:
- Consulting Project: Students work directly with a staff project lead at the nonprofit, applying MBA skills and tools to creatively solve problems, identify opportunities for their partner organization, and explore their potential impact in a nonprofit setting. For additional guidance and examples of past projects, see the NBLP Projects page.
- Mentorship: Students are matched with a board mentor (typically a CBS alum or close friend of the School) to learn about their experience. Students observe board or committee meetings, ideally with some relevance to their project. Additional engagement with the mentor and the organization is encouraged.
We encourage student teams to complete a thorough onboarding meeting with their nonprofit partner as soon as possible after the matching process to set expectations and ensure a clear plan for projects and mentorship. In these initial meetings, students, mentors, and project leads should mutually determine a regular meeting schedule that works for all involved (we recommend a standing biweekly meeting time for the nonprofit project lead and students); a plan for observing board meetings; and a detailed project scope and work plan. NBLP leadership is available to support this process through advising meetings with all student teams. We will also require submission of Project Scope and Partnership Agreements by each team (template provided), to be completed no later than Thanksgiving
Complementary programming supports the 50+ student fellows and is often open to the wider student and alumni population to increase exposure and learning opportunities about nonprofit board engagement. These educational and networking events enrich the experience for students, nonprofit partners, and alumni Board Mentors
Final Presentations and Program Closing (April)
To close the school year, student fellows are invited to present their final projects to a distinguished panel of expert judges, including CBS faculty and alumni practitioners. This final competition offers students the chance to showcase their work, learn from the judging panel, and hear about the full range of projects conducted by their peers.
Students fellows should also organize an independent final presentation with their nonprofit partner, to share findings and formally complete the year-long engagement.
All students and nonprofit contacts are invited to celebrate the end of the program year at a special Closing Reception, including a recognition ceremony to acknowledge exceptional project and partnership outcomes.
"Through the Nonprofit Board Leadership Program, students have the opportunity to apply their business talents and energy to real-world projects and come away with insights into board management gained through first-hand experience. The program provided our organization with invaluable skills to complete critical research and compile leading edge industry data. The work completed will be transformative for our organization.”
Melissa Raso '96
“I am learning as much from the students as they are from me and I feel lucky that some of these friendships will last a lifetime. It is an honor to be part of the NBLP, Columbia Business School’s best kept secret.”
