Each year, approximately 30 MBA students and alumni participate in this program. Students are selected through a rigorous application process and matched with an alumnus based on experience and interest. Project topics have included:
- Community Development: Develop a business plan to create new revenues relating to a business involving labor from assisted program participants.
- Education: Rebuild the organization’s financial model to reflect changes in the way they provide services to charter schools; conduct competitive mapping to determine primary competitors and how to measure success.
- Public Radio: Assist a brand development project and a customer experience comparison across five key markets to determine differentiating aspects and what works in each area.
- Young Women: Conduct thorough board of directors evaluation on effectiveness and underlying metrics used to judge success; Recommend more effective ways to communicate and simplify evaluation metrics.
- Healthcare: Conduct an ROI analysis of all fundraising activity including gala events, mailings, phone drives, etc; benchmark against comparable organizations.
Past Projects: 2018-19 | 2017-18 | 2016-17 | 2015-16 | 2014-15 | 2013-14 | 2012-13 | 2011-12 | 2010-11 | 2009-10 | 2008-09 | 2007-08 | 2006-07
2019–20 Projects for Nonprofit Boards
9/11 Memorial & Museum: John Paluska ’21
John Paluska ’21 worked with mentor Russ Carson ’67 and the 9/11 Memorial & Museum to develop an advisory board geared toward military families. The 9/11 Memorial & Museum is the country’s principal institution concerned with exploring 9/11, documenting its impact, and examining its continuing significance. Honoring those who were killed in the 2001 and 1993 attacks is at the heart of our mission.
Abilis: Tyler Gamble ’21, Mercedes Li ’21, and Sophie Zhang ’20
Tyler Gamble ’21, Mercedes Li ’21, and Sophie Zhang ’20 worked with Abilis, a nonprofit services and residential provider targeted towards individuals and their families with disabilities in the Lower Fairfield County that provides support, advocacy, and transitional programs at all stages of the individual’s life. The project specifically focused on Abilis’ expansion into other areas in the community to increase its scope of offerings while maintaining its commitment to providing the best in class services it currently offers.
Blue Engine: Thomas Angiulo ’20 and Gabriel De Santis ’20
Thomas Angiulo ’20 and Gabriel De Santis ’20 worked with Blue Engine to research public funding opportunities and identify potential funding models. Blue Engine is an education nonprofit based in New York City that empowers schools to create or support multi-adult classrooms to accelerate learning for all students affected by educational inequity.
Brady Campaign: Dicarlos Davis ’21 and Dallas Poulson ’21
Dicarlos Davis ’21 and Dallas Poulson ’21 worked with mentor Kevin Quinn ’91 and the Brady Campaign to accelerate Brady’s engagement with a broader range of partners aligned with their growth priorities and to enable the Brady Campaign to identify these unlikely partners in the future. The Brady Campaign is a nonprofit that works to reduce gun violence 25 percent by 2025 through a comprehensive plan that will eliminate the epidemic.
Bronx Arts Ensemble (BAE): Jenna Masi ’20 and Minna Schilling ’21
Jenna Masi ’20 and Minna Schilling ’21 worked with mentor David Nussenbaum ’81 and the Bronx Arts Ensemble (BAE) to identify opportunities to strengthen their individual donor contributions and develop fundraising strategies to cultivate recurring individual donations. BAE brings music and related arts to Bronx communities through live performance series and in-school arts education programs.
CaringKind: Michelle Ferber ’20 and Emily Stoopler ’20
Michelle Ferber ’20 and Emily Stoopler ’20 worked with CaringKind to conduct a cost benefit analysis to provide transparency for foundations and donors on the impact of their donation. CaringKind is a nonprofit that works to deliver and promote comprehensive and compassionate care and support services for individuals and families affected by Alzheimer’s disease.
Center for Open Hiring at Greyston Bakery: Jeremy Seah ’21 and Eric Shu ’21
Jeremy Seah ’21 and Eric Shu ’21 worked with the Center for Open Hiring at Greyston Bakery to develop a go-to-market strategy to assist leadership in their decision-making process. The Center for Open Hiring is aspiring to become the “go-to” partner to help companies understand the potential of open hiring.
Cristo Rey New York High School (CRNYHS): Alex Meyers ’20 and Sophie Song ’20
Alex Meyers ’20 and Sophie Song ’20 worked with mentor Bill Cody ’88 and Cristo Rey New York High School (CRNYHS) leadership to develop a marketing program to attract more work-study corporate partners and donors. CRNYHS provides students from low-income families with rigorous academic curriculums and work-internship programs, helping students graduate from college and become professionals.
Day One Agency: Kerry Meyer ’20 and Roshan Prakash ’20
Kerry Meyer ’20 and Roshan Prakash ’20 worked with Day One Agency to develop a strategic and operational board governance plan. Day One seeks to end dating abuse and domestic violence through preventive education, supportive services, legal advocacy, and leadership development.
Film at Lincoln Center: Elizabeth Mauban ’20 and Jenny Tromski ’20
Elizabeth Mauban ’20 and Jenny Tromski ’20 worked with mentor Ronnie Planalp ’86 and Film at Lincoln Center on an owned content strategy to support its strategic marketing plan and generate additional revenue. Film at Lincoln Center supports and elevates the craft of cinema by making film discussion and appreciation accessible to a broad audience through programming, events, and publications.
Futures and Options: Joao Matias ’20 and Joana Pires de Lima ’20
Joao Matias ’20 and Joana Pires de Lima ’20 worked with mentor Christopher Snyder ’12 and Futures and Options leadership to help them design a license model of its operations to scale their business. Futures and Options provides job training and career opportunities for young adults of underserved communities and helps companies find the right talent while decreasing their initial investment by filling the skill gaps in entry-level jobs.
Knology: Hande Oney ’20 and Sandra William ’21
Hande Oney ’20 and Sandra William ’21 worked with Knology to develop a customer targeting strategy to increase its philanthropic funding revenue stream. Knology is social science research entity that provides practical research and advisory services to partners.
Literacy Inc. (LINC): Julia Dean ’21 and Jake Van Namen ’20
Julia Dean ’21 and Jake Van Namen ’20 worked with mentor Shari Levine ’87 and Literacy Inc. (LINC) to develop a comprehensive donor segmentation strategy for capturing preferences and demographics that enable tailored communications and targeted interactions to increase individual donations. Throughout New York City’s five boroughs, LINC’s educational programs connect family, school, and community to address the literacy crisis in high needs neighborhoods through programming to ensure children have access to reading and reading support.
National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS): Patrick Chen ’21 and Nisha Datta ’21
Patrick Chen ’21 and Nisha Datta ’21 worked with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) to conduct a nonprofit trends assessment and lifestyle assessment to inform future fundraising strategies and ensure they are engaging, competitive, and successful. The NMSS is a nonprofit that works to empower those impacted by MS and further its vision of a world free of MS.
Rick Herrema Foundation (RHF): Liam Byrne ’21, Elizabeth Dorsey ’20, Ryan Leach ’20, and Charles Tricomi ’21
Liam Byrne ’21, Elizabeth Dorsey ’20, Ryan Leach ’20, and Charles Tricomi ’21 worked with mentor John Anderson ’13 and the Rick Herrema Foundation (RHF) to develop a business plan for using a traveling, mobile obstacle course as a fundraising activity and means of publicity for RHF. RHF strengthens relationships and builds community for the military family through fun, quality activities.
Riverside Hawks Youth Basketball Organization: Jenny Forrest ’21 and Anthony Villamagna ’19
Jenny Forrest ’21 and Anthony Villamagna ’19 worked with mentor Les Franks ’95 and the Riverside Hawks Youth Basketball Organization to conduct a competitive analysis on youth sport educational programs in the New York area and create a Middle School educational program implementation plan. Riverside seeks to empower youth through basketball to achieve academic success and promote character development.
The Charter High School for Law and Social Justice (CHSFLSJ): Stephanie Lin ’21 and Wineeta Paul ’21
Stephanie Lin ’21 and Wineeta Paul ’21 worked with The Charter High School for Law and Social Justice (CHSFLSJ) to develop and implement capital budgeting and financing roadmap for the next five years of the charter school facility. The roadmap was aimed at advancing CHSFLSJ's mission, which is to break the school to prison pipeline by instilling a charter school to develop youths into lawyers, providing students with a comprehensive high school education for future careers in law.
The Door: Taylor Perkins ’20 and Sarah Russell ’20
Taylor Perkins ’20 and Sarah Russell ’20 worked with The Door to produce a board development and governance recommendation, ensuring that The Door maintains a board with the ability to meet the financial and knowledge-based needs of the organization going forward. The Door’s mission is to empower young people to reach their potential by providing comprehensive youth development services in a diverse and caring environment.
The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History (GLI): Meg Johnson ’20, Conor O’Boyle ’21, and Letty Perez ’21
Meg Johnson ’20, Conor O’Boyle ’21, and Letty Perez ’21 worked with The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History (GLI) to propose a strategy for GLI to transform its online resources and digital content into a source of earned revenue. GLI promote knowledge and understanding of American history among teachers, students, and the general public through its archive of 70,000 documents and extensive network of eminent historians.
WIN NYC: Caitlin Herling ’20 and Rebecca Schwartz ’21
Caitlin Herling ’20 and Rebecca Schwartz ’21 worked with mentor Jessica Kearns ’92 and WIN NYC to complete an inventory and process assessment of the laptop/desk procurement process for WIN employees, as well as research best practices around future refresh options. WIN is the largest provider of family shelter and supportive housing in New York City, running 18 properties across the five boroughs. The nonprofit offers transitional shelter housing and permanent supportive housing for women and their families, coupled with programs and services developed to support long-term housing stability.
