Free Project-based Consulting for Nonprofits
About the Program
The Grassroots.org Social Venture Consulting Program pairs talented MBA students with Grassroots.org Member Organizations in semester-long project-based consulting partnerships. The program is designed to help entrepreneurial nonprofit startup organizations to increase their organizational capacity by providing them with direct access to free business consulting.
- Pairings last one school semester (three months)
- Applications are accepted in December (for spring program), and July (for fall programs)
- Three nonprofits are selected each round
- Each nonprofit is paired with one or two students
- Pairings include 3-5 meetings (phone or in-person, depending on nonprofit location) and 60-90 hours of consulting work (per project)
- Program is open to all registered US or Canadian nonprofits
Selection Criteria
MBA students from the top-ranked Smith School at UMD are selected for participation based on a variety of factors including professional experience and dedication to community service.
Nonprofit participants are Grassroots.org members selected for the project's capacity-building potential and the organization's demonstrated need for external support. Geographic distribution is varied, depending on the semester, however the split tends to be about 50/50 (with 50% of organizations located in the DC metro area, and 50% spread around the U.S.
Examples of past Social Venture Consulting Projects include:
- development of a strategic plan for an after school program
- creation a strategic marketing plan & refinement of financial statements for a clothing resale shop
- design of a financial management/donor tracking program for a human rights agency
Advantages for Students
- practical consulting experience
- the opportunity to give back
Advantages for Nonprofits:
- experienced business perspective
- a structured environment to complete a particular project
- 60-90 hours of in-kind consulting (valued at $150/hr)
How to Apply
Application for spring program is now closed. Check back in July for fall program
Have a question about Free Project-based Consulting? Contact Grassroots.org
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