Center for Social Innovation

Introduce Stanford MBA students to board service and gain new ideas and energy from future business leaders. Host students for an experience as a nonvoting board member where they can observe firsthand how to use business skills in the boardroom. Board Fellows apply learning by completing a limited consulting project on one of your board’s strategic challenges.

What do Board Fellows bring to my organization?

Business Tools to Accelerate Social Change Penninsula Family Service (formerly The Family Service Agency of San Mateo County) has 59 years of experience delivering educational and financial services to thousands of low-income recipients. What it didn’t have was business expertise. Board Fellows helped change that.

Board Fellows bring business skills and perspectives to the boardroom. Over the course of six months, they typically work on a targeted project addressing a key strategic issue facing the organization. Project examples include:

• A marketing plan for new membership programs
• An assessment of new program opportunities
• A cost/benefit assessment of major activities

How can my organization host a Stanford Board Fellow?

Note: We will not consider new host organizations in 2010-2011. Please contact us in the Spring of 2011 for the 2011-2012 school year.

Application Criteria

The program seeks a range of boards from every sector, including those with local, regional, and national orientations. The host organization must be a high-performing Bay Area nonprofit with:

• At least five active board members
• At least two paid staff members
• Two or more board members willing to serve as mentors
• A schedule of board meetings that can reasonably fit within the student’s academic calendar

In addition, we will look for the following when reviewing applications:

• Potential for a positive experience for both the Board Fellow and host organization
• Evidence of support of board members willing to serve as mentors
• A well-conceived proposal for the project to be undertaken by the Board Fellow

Application Process

If you meet the above criteria, we encourage you to apply by taking the following steps:

• Request Board Fellows application directions
• Talk with a Board Fellows representative to determine if the program is right for your board
• Apply by September 19 @ 9 p.m. PDT

Board Fellows Calendar

• Any time: Submit Interest Form
• September 19 @ 9 p.m. PDT: Host applications due
• October: Selection of host organizations
• Early November: Board Fellows recruitment, selection and matching with hosts
• Mid-November: Kickoff reception—meet your new Board Fellow
• November–May: Board Apprenticeship
• January: Finalize project scope
• May: Fellow completes project and presents results to the board