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PROJECT INQUIRIES

Working With Community Partners

When nonprofits seek results-oriented advice, they turn to us for pro bono assistance. What we offer is unmatched: thoughtful analysis, actionable solutions that are tailored to the needs of each client organization and delivered free of charge by teams of Harvard Business School alumni.

SEE LIST OF NONPROFITS WE'VE HELPED

OUR IMPACT

In 2023, HBS alumni volunteers made significant contributions to strengthen the nonprofit community, sharing their business skills with leaders of local organizations.

impact

4472+

Hours

Provided in pro bono consulting and Skills Gap Initiative activities during 2023.

11

Projects

11 pro bono consulting and brainstorming projects in 2023

42+

volunteers

In 2023 42 HBS alumni volunteered for pro bono consulting and Skills Gap Initiative activities.

SEE OUR RECENT PROJECTS

We Offer Four Distinct Types Of Pro Bono Assistance

Brainstorming Sessions

A two hour, high-energy meeting of 4 or more alumni volunteers, guided by an experienced moderator and gathered together to address a clearly-defined challenge or opportunity. Our alumni team session includes leaders from the client organization. Team Leader delivers a post-session summary of recommendations made to our client organization.

Duration:

  • 2 Hours, One Event

Traditional Consulting Projects

A well-structured and comprehensive project lasting approximately three or four months, with a Team Leader working closely with the Executive Director and key staff of the nonprofit. Our work is anchored by a customized, phased project plan, including interim meetings and a final report and presentation of the team’s findings and recommendations.

Duration:

  • 2-3 Hours Per Week, 3-4 Months

Client Working Sessions

A series of meetings over a 2-3 month period with the client board or task force to get alignment or direction on a specific issue. Meetings structured and led by the CP team, with work between the sessions by the task force and CP team.

Duration:

  • 3-4 Sessions, 2 Hours

Mini-Projects

Generally reserved for past clients or smaller nonprofits. Address a specific question – CP team researches and advises on the client’s question in a one-time meeting.

Duration:

  • 1 Session, 2 Hours:

What Our Clients Say About Our Work

"We truly cannot begin to express our gratitude for taking the time to provide guidance to Winning Ways. The insights you and your team provided were invaluable and will not only contribute to the growth and expansion of Winning Ways, but also the personal and professional growth of the three of us. We are eager to implement the suggestions and increase positive change in our communities."

Benjamin Backes

Co-Founder & President, Winning Ways

"Community Partners exceeded our expectations in every way! Your team provided the expertise and vision to guide The Community Fund of Darien into the next three years by developing a detailed strategic plan based on initiatives. It was time for our treasured 70-year-old organization to focus on its future and HBS delivered. We could not have done it without the HBS team.”

Janet King

Executive Director, The Community Fund of Darien

"I can reiterate the compliments for the previous consulting project Community Partners did for Malta House in Norwalk, CT. I was on the board at the time. You will be happy to know we are still following the recommendations. We are moving into a new home next year, also in Norwalk, which will allow us to increase our services by 50% in an even better environment."

Laure C. Aubuchon ’76

Board Member, Malta House

"We are grateful for the expertise and support provided by our CP team. Because of this project, we now have measurable strategies to put into place that will increase our impact on our student population."

Krisy Jelenik

Executive Director, Housatonic Community College Foundation

"At the tender age of eight months, our new 501(c)3 organization adopted its first strategic plan with CP's support. CP's help was invaluable as the plan was designed, edited and re-edited. Our CP team was smart, focused, respectful and economical with everyone's time, for which this overworked ED is very grateful. Thanks, CP!"

Joy Haenlein

Executive Director, CLICC

"Thank you for an engaging discussion on the ALICE Marketplace. We walked away with great ideas as well as some cautionary steps to take…These brainstorming sessions are a wonderful service to the community, and we feel fortunate to have had this opportunity…I will keep you all posted as we build momentum! work with."

Kimberly Morgan

CEO, United Way of Western Connecticut

"I wanted to let you know that based on the HBS project we did together, we implemented your feedback and executed a Susan M. Ross New Executive Director Institute in September 2020 that served 20 new Executive Directors of Fairfield County nonprofits. We collaborated with the Nonprofit Support Center to run this program."

Danielle Marchione

Manager, Center for Nonprofit Excellence, Fairfield County's Community Foundation

"We can't think of a more-worthy recipient [of the Humanitarian Award sponsored by the donor-advised Thumbelina Fund] than the HBS Community Partners. Their commitment to elevating the performance of the nonprofit sector is having a positive impact on the thousands of lives that are touched by these agencies each year."

Bob Arnold

CEO, Family Centers

"[Your project] will benefit the agency for years to come."

Mary Guerrera

Executive Director, Fellowship Place

"I can say that we would not have moved as comprehensively and rapidly as we have without their guidance and leadership. They support the executive level work of the initiative through countless hours of meetings and documenting and organizing the movement along with the backbone staff."

Mara Silada

Executive Director, Stamford Cradle to Career

"The CP team's consultation helped our organization clarify the necessary steps to take in planning for the transition of a senior administrator, who after over 25 years in the organization, performed integral roles in many areas outside of his sphere of responsibilities. The CP team provided us with assurances that we were on the right path and aided our decision on which choice of direction would benefit our organization's future."

Carol Bohnet

President & CEO, Allied Community Services

"The HBS CP team creates tremendous value for the individual organizations they support as well as an at yet, immeasurable collective impact, across the region. We are constantly seeking ways to improve our ability to deliver services and improve the lives of older adults in need of community support. HBS CP has helped us establish our North Star and numerous initiatives along the way."

Kathleen Bordelon

CEO, SilverSource, Inc.

"The Zoo has thoroughly enjoyed working with CP. CP listened to our needs, gave clear and concise direction and worked with us to ensure the project was complete. CP is truly an asset to our nonprofit community. THANK YOU!

Jessica Summers

Director of Development & Marketing, Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo

“We simply cannot say enough about CP and the work they did for us here at Connecticut Foodshare over the past year. With their help, we were able to develop a multi-year plan that will completely revamp and reinvigorate both our programs and our presence down in Fairfield County. Their research and observations were rooted in both quantitative and qualitative analysis, and their ultimate recommendations were rooted in practicality. We are incredibly thankful for the opportunity to work with CP, and we look forward to sharing our results with them in the years to come.”

Jason Jakubowski

President & CEO, Connecticut Foodshare

“As a not-for-profit startup, our team needed help to create a more sustainable business model. The CP group researched the space we are in and led a strategy session with our team which produced valuable and tangible results. We successfully tweaked our revenue model – doubling our monthly revenue in six months, and we will likely build on that and make even more adjustments using their feedback. Our team is sincerely appreciative of CP’s assistance as they have made a tangible difference to the sustainability of our new kind of library.”

Elliot Sloyer

Founder & CEO, Wheel It Forward

“Our staff, board and community leaders were hugely impressed with the professional and informative outcome that HBS Community Partners (HBSCP) provided to our organization for our three-year strategic plan. Together we have a vision of services and programs that our cities, towns and clients verbalized to the HBS CP team. This has been our second opportunity to work with HBS CP and commit the resources to data analysis, and conversations with municipalities, our staff, and our constituents. Having a pathway to help us succeed will strengthen our communities and organization.”

Debra Greenwood

CEO/ President, The Center for Family Justice

scholarship

Lee Barnes Memorial Scholarship for Non-Profit Leaders

For each of the past 20 years, the Harvard Business School Club of Connecticut Community Partners has invited applications and granted scholarships to Connecticut nonprofit leaders to attend the Harvard Business School’s Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management executive education program (SPNM). Click this LINK to learn more about SPNM.

Some 31 of our State’s recognized best nonprofit leaders have attended this program and unanimously report that SPNM was the most “outstanding executive education experience of their entire careers”. The SPNM program is an intensive 6-day program taught by the Harvard Business School faculty. Over 150 nonprofit leaders from around the world, representing a wide range of nonprofit sectors, make up the student body.

In 2021, we renamed our scholarship to honor Lee Barnes, one of the most significant contributors to the success of Community Partners. During the 16 years Lee worked with us, he volunteered on 42% of our projects and 53% of our volunteers worked on at least one project with him.

We will be accepting scholarship applications for the 2025 SPNM program next year. They will be due by March 31 2025. A fill-in application can be downloaded by clicking below on “Application”. Please complete the application and then email it to  [email protected].  Be sure to get a confirmation from us of receipt.  Feel free to contact  [email protected] with any questions and/or to introduce yourself.

There are only 2 prerequisites:
• Applicants must have served as Executive Director or Chief Executive Officer of their organization for at least 1 year, and have at least 10 years of professional experience.
• Their organization must be of significant scale and complexity, generally an annual budget in excess of $1 Million.

Application    SPNM Past Scholarships

awards

Robert Whitby Turbo Award

The Turbo Award is a $20,000 grant given to a high-performing nonprofit organization in Connecticut.  It is meant to provide a funding catalyst for a significant program that takes the nonprofit organization forward in pursuit of its mission, i. e. Turbo-charge the program implementation and growth. Funds can be used either to improve an existing program, to launch a new initiative, or to enhance overall organizational effectiveness.   Frequently, smaller awards have been given to one or two additional applicants.   Over $100,000 has been awarded to date.

DR Bank, headquartered in Darien, has generously collaborated with HBS Community Partners to fund this grant.  The awards will be presented at a reception hosted by DR Bank at their Darien headquarters in December.

Applications for the 2024 Turbo Award are due by November 19.

Eligibility:

The Turbo Award is open to all legally-designated 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations operating in the State of Connecticut that meet the following criteria:

The organization must provide programs or services to benefit the residents of Connecticut. Chapters or subsidiaries of national or international organizations may apply so long as the specific proposal addresses work to be undertaken within the state, using local staff and serving local communities. Nonprofits that are simply headquartered in Connecticut are not eligible.
The organization must have a full-time Executive Director (or equivalent), at least two additional full-time staff members, and a fully constituted and engaged Board of Directors.
The organization must have been in existence at least three years, have an established track record of service in Connecticut, and have broad-based support as evidenced, for example, by a balanced mix of public and private funding.
The organization may work in any field of endeavor (e.g., social services, health, arts, education, environment, etc.)
Faith-based organizations may not apply unless they can demonstrate that their mission is not primarily religious, that the clients they serve are not selected on the basis of religious affiliation, and that their clients are not subjected to proselytizing in order to receive services.
Political organizations or those affiliated with political causes may not apply.

Application    Past Robert Whitby TURBO Award Winners