Board Fellowship Program
The Nonprofit and Public Management Center's Board Fellowship Program places qualified graduate students in our three partners schools as Board Fellows on the governing boards of nonprofit organizations in Southeast Michigan. The program is designed to create a cadre of professionals ready to take on board leadership roles upon graduation. It provides graduate students in Business, Public Policy, and Social Work with firsthand insight into the workings and procedures of an actual board, as well as opportunities to contribute to the board's success.
Students apply to participate in the program and are matched to organizations based on the mutual interest of both parties. Students participating in the program must have:
- A record of academic and professional excellence
- Knowledge and skills relevant to the particular agency
- Sensitivity and commitment to issues of community needs, financial concerns, and confidentiality
- A commitment to serving the nonprofit sector
Responsibilities of a Board Fellow
- Serve as a non-voting board member for one academic year from mid-October to April
- Attend all board meetings and serve on a board committee
- Help with and attend special events
- Utilize analytic and management skills to complete a board-level project that is designed to meet the needs of the organization
- Commit approximately the same amount of time to the board as a full board member (typically 4-8 hours per month)
Benefits of Being a Board Fellow
- Meaningful opportunity to participate in the governance of a nonprofit organization
- Professional knowledge and skill in board governance
- Skills for effective collaboration with community leaders
- Opportunity to integrate tools learned in the classroom with the fellowship experience
Responsibilities of the Organization
- Provide a member of the board and staff who will serve as the Board Fellow's primary contacts and mentors
- Provide a formal orientation to the organization's work and expectations for board members
- Keep the board fellow informed about organizational developments
- Communicate consistently and provide feedback about the progress of the Board Fellow's project
- Conduct a final wrap-up meeting with the fellow
Benefits for the Organization
- Addition of new perspective and input in board decisions
- Access to students' knowledge and skills in a project to benefit the organization
- Relationship with potential candidates for future board and staff positions
- Linkage to the University of Michigan community
Types of Projects
- Conduct cost/benefit analysis
- Develop marketing plan for new memberships or sponsorships
- Formulate strategic plan for new initiative
- Design process to assess customer satisfaction
- Create volunteer management training for new programs
- Evaluate funding opportunities and revenue sources
- Identify potential collaborators and competitors
Important Dates
- June - August: Nonprofit recruitment and application process
- September: Student recruitment and application process
- October: Student acceptance notifications and matching to organizations
- Mid-October - April: Board Fellows placed on boards
If you are affiliated with an organization that would like additional
information about having a Fellow on your board, click here.
For a complete list of sites where Board Fellows have successfully completed fellowships, click here.
