Nonprofit Board Fellowship of Cause Strategy Partners
Creating board service opportunities for professionals of color across the United States
Professionals of color are seeking ways to advance their skills, widen their networks, and give back to their communities through a cause they care about. Meanwhile, the biggest recruitment challenge that boards face is finding board members who deeply understand the mission and experience of the people they serve.
We're solving this together.
Cause Strategy Partners’ Nonprofit Board Fellowship was born out of our commitment to advancing authentic leadership on nonprofit boards. The Fellowship experience is designed to connect leaders of color across the United States to nonprofit board roles, and once elected, provide the training and support needed to thrive – all at no cost.
Since 2020, our team has designed ways to strengthen our board matching and training program to address the lack of racial diversity on our country’s boards. Through our efforts, 56% of the professionals that we have placed on nonprofit boards most recently through our award-winning matching program, BoardLead identify as people of color–leaps ahead of the national average of 22%.
Our Nonprofit Board Fellowship is designed for:
Mid- to senior-level professionals of color, from a variety of backgrounds
Community-driven individuals seeking to become more involved in nonprofit work and find a way to serve their cause
Rising leaders looking to further their skills and connect with others in a hands-on service environment
Selected Fellows have the opportunity to:
Be matched with a top-choice, vetted nonprofit board for consideration as a future board member through Cause Strategy Partners’ flagship program, BoardLead
Become BoardLearn Certified through our 6-hour online, best-in-class board member boot camp
Access ongoing training and experts in the board governance field
Connect with other Nonprofit Board Service Fellows on a similar journey
Receive all of these opportunities entirely FREE of cost!
The Fellowship was born out of our commitment to advancing authentic leadership on nonprofit boards. This experience is designed to connect leaders of color across the United States to nonprofit board roles through BoardLead, and once elected, provide the training and support needed to thrive.
Program Timeline: Spring 2024
Our Fellows have the opportunity to come together several times throughout the cohort experience for training, building relationships, and collaborative learning.
Explore program requirements, timelines, and benefits to serving on a board and becoming a Nonprofit Board Fellow.
Register for the WebinarCandidates must submit an application on BoardLead.com by this date.
Candidates will be informed of their acceptance status via email.
Our first training focused on translating your experiences into service.
Leveraging your professional and board skills in both environments.
How to navigate boardroom discussions and more.
Exploring your board service journey long-term and leveraging your experience to build your professional career.
Just a few years ago, the BoardSource Leading With Intent survey found that only 22% of nonprofit board members identify as people of color -- an outrageously inappropriate lack of access to the leadership ranks of nonprofit organizations serving our communities across the country. At Cause Strategy Partners, one of our top priorities is to bridge this access gap so that Boards of Directors more closely reflect the full breadth of diversity represented within the communities our nonprofit partners serve. The Cause Strategy Partners Board Fellows Program focuses our resources on this vital objective, providing opportunities for BIPOC community leaders and business professionals to take positions of leadership at social good organizations doing critical work in our society: learning together, encouraging one another, and collectively making a positive impact.
Interested in joining our next cohort?
Contact us to learn more about how you can apply for our Fall 2023 Fellowship.
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