Serving on a Non-profit Board of Directors:

Many Community Partners volunteers join the Board of Directors of the nonprofit organization they worked with on a Community Partners project. But we also have on-going requests from previous nonprofit clients to let HBS alumni know about Board opportunities and from HBS alumni who already serve on nonprofit boards to post new openings for their organizations. HBS cites a statistic that over 75% of alumni will serve on a nonprofit board at some point during their careers.

We will list Board opportunities for current and former Community Partners clients as well as opportunities to serve on nonprofit boards offered by HBSA/NC alumni on this page. At the present time, this is simply a listing service, not a matching service. We leave it to you to follow up to find out whether the opportunity is right for you.

Most boards require a financial commitment which is something that should be discussed in further talks with the nonprofit's Board Chair.

Boardsource (www.boardsource.org) has an excellent article "What should I know before joining a nonprofit board?" that is worth reviewing before you meet with an organization to discuss serving on a nonprofit board.

HBS Social Enterprise has an extensive list of research papers, HBR articles, case studies and other materials that provide useful information about board roles and responsibilities.

List of Current Non-profit Board Opportunities:

Peninsula Symphony Orchestra is an all-volunteer orchestra that serves the community by presenting innovative, high-quality orchestral concerts at affordable ticket prices. Peninsula Symphony also encourages appreciation for orchestral music through educational programs that reach children and adults in the community. This dynamic and welcoming organization seeks board members who love music and who wish to share their love of music with others. Of particular value is experience in the areas of marketing, business development, or elementary and secondary education. For more information, please contact Executive Director Steve Carlton at 650-941-5291, steve@peninsulasymphony.org.

My New Red Shoes is a fast growing nonprofit based in Burlingame, CA that empowers homeless children to succeed in school by providing them with brand new clothing and shoes. This organization seeks a treasurer to join its active Board of Directors which meets 7-8 times each year. To learn more, contact Vice Chairperson Alison Berkley Wagonfeld HBS '96 at awagonfeld@yahoo.com.

Berkeley-East Bay Humane Society is a nationally recognized leader founded in 1927 to guarantee homes for healthy and treatable homeless dogs and cats within the community. This organization also serves as a resource for pet guardianship programs that provide in home pet care to needy individuals. The board of directors seeks members who have corporate experience in finance, law, operations and funding. To learn more, contact board member Virginia Gray HBS '81 at virginiagray@hotmail.com.

Alameda Point Collaborative located in the City of Alameda is a resourceful supportive housing provider that offers permanent and transitional housing to adults and families. Their services and employment opportunities help their 500 residents, including 280 children and youth, to break the cycle of homelessness and learn valuable skills. The organization seeks board members that are representative of the diverse community who have social entrepreneurship, finance or accounting skills and who have a passition and network to help achieve its vision. To learn more, contact Executive Director Doug Biggs at dbiggs@apcollaborative.org or (510)898-7849.

Reading Partners is nonprofit headquartered in Oakland that provides literacy intervention programs at low income elementary schools in 15 school districts throughout the state of California. The organization has grown by more than 400% over the past 3 years and is in the early stages of a national rollout of its demonstrably effective model. In parallel with organizational growth, Reading Partners is expanding its both its national board and regional boards in San Francisco, Oakland, Silicon Valley, and Sacramento. For more information contact CEO Michael Lombardo at michael@readingpartners.org or 408.945.5721.

GirlSource envisions a world free of poverty and oppression by unleashing the potential of young women to transform their lives and their communities for generations to come! We believe that to truly affect the lives of low-income teenage girls, they must receive continual, personalized support throughout high school. We provide employment, technology training, leadership, college-prep, mentoring, public speaking and other opportunities to low-income young women. We are expanding our board of directors and seeking new volunteer members. We would like to add more members who are from larger corporations in the Bay Area. We are also interested in having more legal, financial, accounting, marketing and development skills represented on the board. If you are interested in learning more about this opportunity, please contact Morgan Cosby, Board Co-President, at morgan.cosby@gmail.com.

Spark is the only program in the country that addresses the dropout crisis by re-engaging at-risk middle-school students through hands-on individualized apprenticeships. These workplace-based apprenticeships-- in professions each student has identified as a "dream job"-- are implemented in partnership with schools and complemented by a Leadership Class. The Spark Experience creates a powerful sense of relevance for students, while providing the skills and confidence necessary for them to find success in high school, college, and beyond. Spark directly impacts high school graduation rates: initial studies show Spark students are retained in high school at significantly higher rates than their peers.

Spark has managed rapid growth in the past five years, with a 2010 budget of approximately $1.2 million. Spark's programs will provide individualized, high-impact services to over 300 in Los Angeles and San Francisco in 2010, with significant increases in California and other regions of the country expected in 2011 and beyond. Spark was awarded the prestigious Draper Richards Fellowship in 2008, given to five early-stage non-profits from around the world with the highest potential for "broad social impact". In January 2010, Spark won the Ashoka Fellowship, one of the top honors for social innovation worldwide.

Spark is seeking Board and Advisory Board members with the passion, strategic experience, and network to lead Spark through this phase of rapid growth in size and impact. For more information, please contact Executive Director Chris Balme at cbalme@sparkprogram.org or (415) 626-5470 x104.

NEW LISTING! The Textile Society of America, Inc. is seeking candidates for a Board of Directors Treasurer. This volunteer position offers an exciting opportunity to contribute to the successful operation of a dynamic international 650-member non-profit organization, and to work with dedicated professionals from the museum, university and art textile world.

The Textile Society of America, Inc. provides an international forum for the exchange and dissemination of information about textiles worldwide, from artistic, cultural, economic, historic, political, social and technical perspectives. TSA produces biennial symposia, as well as a newsletter and an annual comprehensive textile bibliography.

TSA board members are expected to attend four Board meetings in a two-year cycle. The Treasurer provides leadership, direction, and oversight for the financial operations of TSA and the fiduciary responsibilities of the Board, working with the TSA National Office, CPA Tax Accountant, bookkeeper, and members of the Board Finance Committee, which the Treasurer chairs. For more information, please contact TSA President Pat Hickman, phickman@hawaii.edu.

The American Land Conservancy is seeking to fill several board vacancies with individuals who are dedicated to organization's mission of protecting our natural heritage for the benefit of people and wildlife.ALC works in partnership with communities, landowners, non-profit organizations, corporations and public resource agencies to conserve wildlife habitat, open space, working farms and ranches, and other natural resources. ALC achieves its mission primarily through land acquisitions and conservation easements, but also pursues other conservation agreements and occasionally engages in habitat restoration and stewardship projects. To date, ALC has completed more than 350 projects across the United States and has protected more than 250,000 acres. For more information please contact ALC President Kerry O'Toole at 415-912-3665 or email kerry@alcnet.org.

Marin Theatre Company seeks Board Members or Advisory Board Members with an interested in the the performing arts. Entering its 43rd year, Marin Theatre Company is one of only five LORT theatres in the Bay Area, and is the largest professional regional theatre company in the North Bay. It produces an annual season of more than 200 performances on two stages. MTC provides a forum for contemporary, classic and emerging playwrights and through its Expanded Programs, an environment that introduces people of all ages to the transformative power of theatre. Through its public performances, school tours, and various educational programs, MTC serves more than 40,000 people annually. Please contact board member Dirk Langeveld'77 at langeveldus@aol.com.

Real Options for City Kids (ROCK) is a nonprofit in San Francisco providing opportunities for at-risk children. While we are a small organization, we have big future plans and are seeking new board members to help take us to the next level. Our board members are passionate people who understand what the organization is trying to accomplish. The relationship between the board and staff is exceptional and the organization has constantly moved forward each year. Ideally, our board members work in the business sector and have a great network of people/companies to support ROCK. ROCK is comprised of very talented individuals who take a strategic and business approach to running its operations. With only four full-time staff, the organization is able to make a huge impact in the lives of its participants. ROCK has become a household name within not only its community of families, but in San Francisco in general. With a limited budget, the organization has received both local and national media attention and is on track to continue its outreach. For more information about joining ROCK's board, please contact Rick Lewis '04 at rlewis@USVP.com.