Nonprofit Board Leadership Program - Student Application

NBLP Background

The Nonprofit Board Leadership Program was started in 2006 with the understanding that many students will eventually serve on a nonprofit board. The program was designed to offer students a unique glimpse into the important work of nonprofits and specifically the opportunities and challenges of serving in a governance capacity. Facilitating this relationship are accomplished Columbia Business School alumni currently serving on nonprofit boards who act as a mentors throughout the year-long program.

The program seeks to offer students:

  • Practical experience to better understand the strategic and tactical issues facing nonprofit boards in a ‘real-world’ setting;
  • Insights into the various roles of board members and nonprofit managers and the daily challenges both parties encounter in driving the nonprofit’s success;
  • Inspiration and training for students who will contribute as future board members.

*We do our best to match students’ experiences, preferences and skills with organizations’ needs.

Application Timeline

Application Due / Wednesday, September 12 at 5:00pm
Email to Courtney Catallo –
Notification / Monday, September 17 via email

Identifying Information

Name:______

Program (MBA/EMBA): ______Year of Graduation: ______

Telephone: ______CBS Email: ______

EXPERIENCE

Please check the box(es) indicating the skill sets you possess:

Financial planning / Budgeting / Accounting
Consulting
Marketing
Strategic Planning / Business Planning
Fundraising / Development
Operations
Information Technology
Program Planning/Management
Urban Planning / Real Estate
Human Resources
Government / Public Policy / Law
Other, please specify: ______

FOREIGN LANGUAGES SPOKEN

Yes

No

If yes, please indicate language and fluency level:

Language: ______

Beginner

Intermediate

Fluent

CAUSE PREFERENCE

Please mark your top three areas of interest, ranking them 1, 2 and 3:

__ Arts/Culture: Specify type of arts ______ / __ Education / __ International
__ Children/Youth / __ Environment / __ Social Services
__Community Development / __ Healthcare / __ Women
__ Other: Please specify______

GEOGRAPHIC PREFERENCE

Some of the organizations with which we partner are outside of Manhattan. Please mark all of the locations of organizations with which you would be willing/able to be matched. Please keep in mind that you will not be required to be onsite weekly, but you will need to travel there occasionally to meet with the nonprofit as needed to complete your project)

____ Only Manhattan / ____ Queens / ____ Westchester (NY)
____ Brooklyn / ____ Connecticut / ____Washington, D.C.
____ The Bronx / ____ New Jersey

MISCELLANEOUS

Any health or other conditions that we should know about that could affect which organization we match you with?

Yes

If yes, please explain:______

No

Comfort level working with politically liberal organizations:

Comfortable

Uncomfortable

Comfort level working with politically conservative organizations:

Comfortable

Uncomfortable

COMMITMENT

  1. Please provide your current one-page resume, indicating your volunteer/extra curricular activities as well as your professional experience;
  2. Please list the other extra-curricular activities that you intend to participate in next year, and briefly explain your level of involvement in each;
  3. In no more than 500 words, please answer the following questions:

a)Why would you like to participate in the Nonprofit Board Leadership Program? What specifically do you hope to gain from the experience?

b)What experiences and skills (for profit, nonprofit or personal) do you believe make you a good candidate for the program? Please explain how you will contribute to the program.

c)Describe a time when you experienced a setback and explain how you dealt with it.

d)To help us match you with an appropriate mentor, briefly explain your career interests and goals.

By submitting this application I understand that Columbia Business School alumni have generously volunteered their time and energy to this program and that this will be a 2-3 hour weekly time commitment over the course of the school year.

As a participant in this program, I recognize that I will be an ambassador of Columbia Business School. I will participate in all of the following activities:

  • One academic year commitment as a NBLP participant;
  • Attendance at the NBLP participant Kick-Off meeting, NBLP Closing event and 3-4 other program sessions;
  • Individual meetings with alumni board mentor (at least one per semester) and relevant members of the nonprofit organization;
  • 1-2 volunteer / service delivery events of the nonprofit organization;
  • Participation in 2+ board meetings (at least one per semester);
  • Participate in two 15 minute face-to-face update meetings with NBLP Team (1 per semester);
  • With guidance from the alumni mentor or an identified nonprofit staff member; identify/execute an individual mini-consulting project to benefit the nonprofit;
  • Respond promptly to email inquiries;
  • Maintain the confidentiality of the organization with which you are matched;
  • Submit periodic feedback to the NBLP Team, often via email; and
  • Submit project summary/deliverables at the end of the academic year.

HONOR CODE

Finally, by submitting this application, I disclose that I have not been involved, nor am I currently involved in an honor code dispute. If selected to participate in the NBLP, and during my participation I become involved in an honor code dispute, then I understand that I will automatically be expelled from the program.