Current Projects
Brainstorming Sessions
Brainstorming sessions are 90-min meetings focused on solving a specific issue or generating ideas involving 4-8 HBS alumni with targeted skills and interests who can help the nonprofit organization.
Thursday, June 19 - Virtual
110:00am - 11:30am Pacific
100% For the Children
100% for the Children is a Denmark-based nonprofit dedicated to breaking the cycle of poverty and discrimination for vulnerable children and youth, particularly in urban informal settlements in Kenya, Ghana, and Malawi. The organization supports access to inclusive education, child protection through strong community networks, and health initiatives to reduce barriers to school participation. As part of its localization strategy, 100% for the Children is now working to establish locally self-governed NGOs that remain aligned with the international organization's mission and values.
Focus Question: What governance structure would best support the development of locally self-governed NGOs while maintaining alignment with the international organization and the Danish board? What are the strengths/ gaps of any options?
Consulting Projects
Consulting Projects are three-four month strategic consulting engagements with a group of 3-5 alumni who conducts a deep dive to tackle a broad challenge or opportunity. Meeting dates and formats are decided by the team throughout the engagement.
Kickoff: February
Duration: 4 month consulting project
Format: remote
Applied Epi
Applied Epi is a nonprofit organization focused on improving global public health by providing high-quality training, tools, and support for applied epidemiologists, with a particular emphasis on low-resource settings. Since its founding, Applied Epi has become a leading provider of epidemiological training, including expertise in the widely-used open-source software "R." Their programs include free online materials, paid synchronous courses, a multilingual support desk, and community forums, serving over 850,000 individuals globally.
Project with Community Partners: Applied Epi seeks help with long term financial planning, more specifically with two deliverables: 1) co-create a financial strategy addressing revenue diversification, fund allocation, and a pricing model for global markets 2) a detailed plan to budget for an expanded scholarship program that accommodates participants from low-resource settings.
Kickoff: February
Duration: 4 month consulting project
Format: Remote
Center for Excellence in Nonprofits (CEN)
Center for Excellence in Nonprofits (CEN) is a nonprofit organization that helps other nonprofits through professional development and organizational consulting. CEN offers workshops, training programs, and customized consulting services focused on leadership development, board diversity, and inclusion. Each year, it serves thousands of nonprofit leaders across 18 states, helping to build a more effective and representative nonprofit sector.
Project with Community Partners: CEN seeks assistance in evaluating and refining its programming to better align with the needs of the nonprofit community. Despite high participant satisfaction, there is a gap in retention and repeat attendance. The proposed project includes identifying the most impactful aspects of CEN’s offerings, gathering insights into unmet needs, and developing strategies to enhance participant engagement and create lasting connections. The goal is to produce a report with key findings and recommendations to strengthen CEN’s programs and expand its impact regionally and nationally.
Kickoff: February
Duration: 4 month consulting project
Format: hybrid; client located in Oakland, team decision on meeting format
Centro Community Partners
Centro Community Partners, based in Oakland, CA, is dedicated to advancing equity, economic justice, and financial empowerment for underserved communities. Centro offers entrepreneurship education, financial literacy, and access to capital for low-income individuals, particularly women, BIPOC, and immigrants. Their bilingual programs include business coaching, mentorship, and technology-based tools such as the Centro CEO App, designed to provide culturally relevant resources to support microenterprise growth.
Project with Community Partners: Centro seeks assistance with two deliverables: 1) Business Model Optimization: Identify opportunities to diversify revenue streams, including potential earned income models 2) Scalable Growth Strategy: Develop a roadmap for sustainable expansion that balances program delivery with cost-effective resource allocation
Kickoff: February
Duration: 4 month consulting project
Format: hybrid; client located in Mill Valley; team decision on team meeting format
City of Mill Valley’s Digital Services and Open Gvernance project
The City of Mill Valley is embarking on an exciting initiative to transform its digital services, reimagining how residents, businesses, and City staff connect with local government. Currently, the City faces inefficiencies and limitations due to fragmented and outdated digital systems that hinder operational workflows, public engagement, and service accessibility. Modernizing these systems through integrated platforms, automation, centralization, and smart technologies will significantly enhance efficiency, transparency, and inclusivity for both city staff and community members.
Project with Community Partners: The Digital Services and Open Governance Project encompasses both public-facing services and internal operations. It includes technology upgrades, process improvements, policy development, and community engagement strategies to position Mill Valley as a leader in modern municipal governance. The City seeks expert assistance to conduct discovery, analyze findings, and provide recommendations along with a strategic work plan to address these challenges effectively.
Kickoff: February
Duration: 4 month consulting project
Format: hybrid; client located in San Francisco; team decision on team meeting format
Immigrant Institute of the Bay Area (IIBA)
Immigration Institute of the Bay Area (IIBA) is the largest nonprofit provider of immigration legal services in Northern California, with seven offices across six counties. Founded in 1918, IIBA serves approximately 10,000 clients annually, offering low-cost or free legal support to immigrants, refugees, and their families. Their services help individuals gain legal status, work authorization, protection from deportation, and family reunification, with a strong focus on client-centered support and equity.
Project with Community Partners: IIBA seeks assistance in strategically incorporating advanced technology and AI tools to enhance its capacity and streamline processes. This initiative aims to address the growing demand for immigration legal services by improving efficiency and expanding their impact. Additionally, IIBA would benefit from a staffing analysis to develop an optimal model that supports its goals.
Kickoff: February
Duration: 4 month consulting project
Format: remote with client; team decision on team meeting format
MAVEN
MAVEN Project is a national nonprofit organization addressing healthcare inequities by connecting safety net clinic providers with expert physician volunteers for medical advice, mentorship, and education. Founded in 2014, MAVEN leverages telehealth to provide specialty care expertise, offering services like clinical mentoring, accredited medical education, and consultations across 64+ specialties. In 2023, MAVEN facilitated over 14,700 provider touchpoints, saving the healthcare system an estimated $13.8 million annually.
Project with Community Partners: MAVEN seeks assistance in expanding its market to mission-aligned sectors such as prisons, university health systems, and rural for-profit clinics. The goal is to assess product-market fit of those sectors, determine the total addressable market, understand competitive dynamics, and prioritize opportunities for growth.
Kickoff: February
Duration: 4 month consulting project
Format: remote with client; team decision on team meeting format
National Foundation for Family Child Care (NAFCC)
The National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting and elevating family child care providers nationwide. Since 1982, NAFCC has worked to strengthen the profession for nearly one million home-based early learning programs, serving approximately 40% of children receiving nonrelative care. The organization offers accreditation, professional development, and advocacy to improve quality and recognition for family child care educators, ensuring that families have access to affordable, high-quality child care.
Project with Community Partners: NAFCC seeks support in redesigning its membership structure to better serve family child care providers and enhance organizational sustainability. Goals include analyzing membership data, assessing competitive models, and developing recommendations for optimized membership tiers, pricing strategies, and leadership development pathways.
Kickoff: February
Duration: 4 month consulting project
Format: remote; team decision on meeting format
Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation
Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation (FWF) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting Napa Valley’s vineyard workers through education and professional development. Since its founding in 2011, FWF has reached nearly 29,000 farmworkers, offering programs in viticulture, literacy, leadership, mentorship, and family support. By fostering personal and professional growth, FWF creates a more inclusive and equitable Napa Valley community.
Project with Community Partners: FWF seeks assistance in developing a comprehensive strategic plan to scale its programs and expand its reach to all 8,000 vineyard workers in Napa Valley. Goals include conducting a SWOT analysis, defining core values, and creating action plans with measurable KPIs.
Kickoff: February
Duration: 4 month consulting project
Format: client located in San Carlos; team decision on meeting format
One Life Counseling Center
One Life Counseling Center is dedicated to providing accessible, culturally competent mental health services. Serving over 7,500 individuals annually, One Life supports economically disadvantaged, uninsured, and underinsured populations through therapy, education, and community programs. Key initiatives include the Una Vida program for Spanish-speaking families, a food market for food-insecure clients, and school-based mental health services at 29 local schools.
Project with Community Partners: One Life seeks assistance in developing a robust framework for collecting and analyzing program impact data. The project involves designing a system to gather meaningful feedback, track progress through metrics, and assess community needs. Additionally, the organization aims to evaluate the feasibility of hiring a business operations manager to sustain long-term impact measurement and operational efficiency.
Kickoff: March
Duration: 4 month consulting project
Format: team to decide
The Jewish Contemporary Museum
The Contemporary Jewish Museum (CJM) is a unique cultural institution (located in an ideal SF location and stunning building) dedicated to exploring and celebrating contemporary Jewish life, art, and ideas. Through exhibitions, public programs, and educational outreach, CJM provides a platform for diverse expressions of Jewish identity while fostering understanding and combating intolerance. The museum has played a crucial role in engaging the broader community and educating audiences about Jewish history and culture.
Project with Community Partners: CJM is undergoing a strategic transformation during a temporary closure that began in December 2024. The organization seeks expert guidance in re-envisioning its future purpose and model (e.g. possibly a mix of permanent, on-loan & CJM-curated exhibits), its financial needs, and community engagement. Key areas of focus include attracting new major donor support, substantially increasing visitor traffic, and refining core messaging to align with its new vision. Additionally, the project will explore collaboration modalities with peer institutions to inform CJM’s revitalization and long-term sustainability.
Kickoff: February
Duration: 4 month consulting project
Format: remote
Vickery Trading Company
Vickery Trading Company (VTC) empowers refugee women through vocational training, personal development, and fair-wage employment. VTC offers comprehensive support, including English language classes, trauma-informed care, career readiness training, and social services. Its programs are designed to help refugee women overcome barriers, achieve financial independence, and build stronger families and communities.
Project with Community Partners: VTC is in the midst of a strategic transition, from serving a small population of refugees in the Dallas area with a comprehensive and intensive 21 month vocational training and employment program, to a suite of services and programs that allows VTC to offer more help to more women. Through this transition, VTC hopes to serve more refugees, better prepare them for full time employment and better address their critical needs: ESL; life skills, career support and cultural competency; and therapeutic services. HBS CP will review the operating model and develop a sustainable financial model to increase revenue, improve cost management, and maximize resources.