Who We Are

Community Partners is a program of the Harvard Business School Club of New York. Founded in 1998, our mission is to create constructive partnerships between Harvard Business School alumni and nonprofit organizations in the greater New York City metropolitan area that seek assistance with business and management issues.

In addition to our Board, our leadership consists of sector-focused committees led by experienced volunteers who organize our pro bono work, recruit alumni to volunteer, and serve as Managing Directors in these areas: Arts & Culture, Education, Environment & Health, Social Services, and Workforce Development.

By donating time and management skills, HBS alumni offer nonprofits cost-free access to the kind of professional expertise they may otherwise not be able to afford. In turn, our client nonprofit organizations offer HBS alumni volunteer opportunities to serve the community in which they live or work in a truly meaningful way.

A Resource for Under-Resourced Communities

Community Partners volunteers are dedicated to improving outcomes in our shared community.  We seek to strengthen nonprofits by offering their leaders pro bono business advice, based on our experience and the best of what Harvard Business School has to offer. 

Ours is a tradition of ‘giving back’ and of volunteer service. 

Volunteer Leadership

Community Partners is governed by a Board of HBS alumni committed to promoting public service and volunteerism within the alumni community.

Our leadership also consists of experienced volunteers who organize our pro bono work, recruit alumni to volunteer, and serve as Managing Directors on working committees focused on Arts & Culture, Education, Environment & Health, Social Services, and Workforce Development. Our alumni also serve as content experts/practitioners in Digital Strategy, in DEI, and in Nonprofit Governance.

Board Co-Chairs

  • Charley worked for most of his career as a management consultant, serving clients in the healthcare industry, primarily pharmaceutical and medical device companies.  Prior to that, he held various manufacturing management positions in the electrical products industry.

    Charley now serves on a number of non-profit and for-profit Boards, including Haverford College, his undergraduate alma mater, where he is the Board Chair.  He also serves on the Boards of Eisai Corporation of North America; the American Federation for Aging Research; and myFace.

    Charley’s Community Partners involvement began in 2014 on a governance-related assignment for the State University of New York, where he was on a team led by Leo Corbett.  Since then, he has worked primarily on assignments for educational organizations, an area of particular interest.  He has served as the co-chair of the Education Committee of Community Partners, and he also worked with members of the HBSCNY Board to update the Club strategy in 2021.

  • Jeff SmithPMD '95

    Jeff Smith has a background in financial services with 40 years of experience in the US and Europe, primarily with JP Morgan. His experience includes developing and delivering services to global financial institutions. He had senior management responsibilities in Investment Banking and Securities Services for client management, sales, consulting, marketing, strategic planning, staff development, and product management and development.

    Jeff is actively involved in providing management consulting to non-profit organizations. For the past seven years, he has been leading engagements for HBSCNY Community Partners with projects aimed at improving organizational design, financial management, fundraising, staff planning, operational efficiency, and management reporting. Additionally, Jeff is the Treasurer of the Larchmont Avenue Church, Vice Chair of the board of Family Services of Westchester, and a big brother in the Big Brother Big Sister program.

    Jeff has a BA-Economics from Colgate University; an MBA-Finance from Fordham University; and attended Harvard University Graduate School of Business’ PMD Program.

Board

Board Members

Emeritus Members

Pro Bono Consulting Leadership

Arts & Culture

Education

Environment & Health

Social Services

Other Initiatives

Skills Gap Initiative

Staff

Nonprofits We've Helped

Community Partners has worked with a varied group of nonprofits in the New York area on a wide range of issues. To learn more about the breadth of our work, see our List of Nonprofits and brief descriptions of some of our Recent Projects.

Know Nonprofit Leaders We Might Help?

Tell Us. We welcome learning of organizations we might help if they are located in the Greater NYC area.

Social Enterprise Initiative at Harvard Business School

The work of Community Partners is inspired by the Social Enterprise Initiative of the Harvard Business School led by Co-Chairs, Professor Herman B. “Dutch” Leonard and Professor V. Kasturi “Kash” Rangan. HBS SEI celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2019 and its work has grown significantly in recent years. Currently over 90 HBS faculty members are engaged in social enterprise research, teaching and program activities.

FAQs for Alumni

What types of volunteer consulting opportunities does Community Partners offer HBS alumni?

We offer HBS alumni two types of projects:

  • A consulting project, which is a 3-4 month engagement focused on a broad strategic challenge.
  • A brainstorming project, which is typically held in one (or occasionally more than one) session that generally lasts two hours, focusing on a tightly scoped strategic issue.
What is a typical “consulting” project like?

A “consulting” project is a comprehensive project lasting 3-4 months, focusing on a broad strategic challenge facing the nonprofit’s leadership.

Each project usually involves a team of 3-8 HBS alumni, including a volunteer project manager. The team works with the nonprofit’s executive director and other staff members, and a typical project includes a project plan developed by the team, meetings with the nonprofit, independent work by the team, and delivery of a report including findings and recommendations.

We ask each volunteer to commit 2-3 hours/week for 3-4 months over the duration of the project, but expect the team to develop its own schedule and working style to cater to each member’s availability and other commitments.

For further information, see What to Expect as a Project Volunteer>>

What is a typical “brainstorming” project like?

A typical brainstorming project provides the nonprofit organization with the opportunity to explore a business issue or challenge with a team of four or more HBS alumni in a two-hour, high-energy discussion. 

Prior to the session, the volunteer Managing Director provides the team with background information which can be reviewed in about an hour. This helps everyone feel ready to kick-start the dialog when we meet with the client organization during the session.  

The session is led by an experienced moderator, who is also an HBS alumni volunteer. At the beginning of the session, the nonprofit’s executive director shares an overview of the organization and relevant issues, which is followed by an open discussion and brainstorming. 

For further information, see What to Expect as a Project Volunteer>>

What's the typical time commitment for a Community Partners volunteer?

Our two types of projects require different time commitments, but both are designed to be suitable for HBS alumni with full-time and demanding day jobs. 

  • A “consulting” project lasts 3-4 months, and we ask each volunteer to commit 2-3 hours/week for 3-4 months over the duration of the project. This includes time spent meeting with the client, conducting interviews and research, collaborating with other team members, undertaking independent work, and preparing the final report of findings and recommendations.
  • A “brainstorming” project typically consists of one session which generally lasts two hours. Prior to the session, the volunteer Managing Director provides the team with background information that can be reviewed in about an hour.
What types of nonprofits do you work with?

We work with a wide range of 501c3 organizations in the New York metropolitan area, ranging from small nonprofits serving very specific missions to large institutions well-known internationally.  We organize our efforts around five sectors: Arts & Culture, Education, Environment & Health, Social Services, and Workforce Development.

See our List of Nonprofits>> and for brief descriptions of our recent work, see Our Recent Projects>>

Is it important to have specific expertise for projects?

For each project, our goal is to assemble an alumni team with a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences. Our projects rely on the broad business and management skills developed at HBS, and don’t require specific expertise. We just ask that you bring an open mind and a willingness to participate – think “case study”.

Do I need to be a member of Harvard Business School Club of NY in order to volunteer?

No, but please note that Community Partners is funded by the Harvard Business School Club of NY, so we encourage all our volunteers to join the Club (either before, during or after a project).

If you’d like to join now, visit hbscny.org/join-renew/

Are Community Partners volunteer opportunities only available to HBS alumni?

Yes – our mission is to create constructive partnerships between HBS alumni and nonprofit organizations in our community, and as such only HBS alumni are invited to participate.

I have no experience with a nonprofit. Is that okay?

Absolutely! We are always excited to welcome new volunteers to Community Partners, and many of our teams contain a blend of first-time and experienced volunteers.

How often does a team meet for a consulting project?

At the beginning of a consulting project, we encourage the team to meet in person (if feasible), then agree on a schedule and working style that suits each team member’s individual circumstances. While much of the work on a typical consulting project can be completed independently, most teams choose to schedule regular team meetings (whether in-person or via video- or teleconferencing) once every 1-2 weeks. Note: During the Covid pandemic, all meetings will be held virtually.

We understand that our volunteers often need to travel (for both personal and work reasons) during the course of a project. Given our flexible working model, this rarely creates an insurmountable issue, although we ask that volunteers communicate clearly with each other about their availability, both upfront and during the course of the project.

Where do teams meet?

Many teams choose to mix in-person meetings (where feasible) with video- and teleconferencing. For in-person meetings, each team agrees on a convenient location, and in general we do not hold team meetings at client sites. Note: During the Covid pandemic, all meetings will be held virtually.

How can I find out about current volunteer projects with Community Partners?

Visit our list of Current Project Opportunities>> or for general inquiries, please contact our Program Manager at CommunityPartners@hbscny.org or Main phone: (929)596-3820, ext 105 or Direct line: (929)596-4076.

I am moving from the New York area. Do other HBS alumni clubs offer similar pro bono programs for nonprofits?

Yes, in addition to the Community Partners program here in New York, HBS Clubs in many other locations offer similar opportunities to provide pro bono services to nonprofit organizations.

Check this list of HBS Clubs>> and contact the Club nearest to you to inquire.

What if my question wasn't answered here?

Please contact our Program Manager at CommunityPartners@hbscny.org or Main phone: (929)596-3820, ext 105, or Direct line: (929)596-4076.

FAQ for Nonprofits

What types of nonprofits organizations do you encourage to apply?

We work with a wide range of clients in the New York metropolitan area, ranging from small nonprofits serving very specific missions to large institutions well-known internationally. We organize our efforts around five sectors: Arts & Culture, Education, Environment & Health, Social Services, and Workforce Development.

For examples of the clients we work with see Nonprofits We’ve Helped>>

What are the minimum criteria for nonprofits applying for a Community Partners project?

The general requirements for nonprofits are that the organization be tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and that it be located in and focuses its activities and programs in the Greater New York City Area. You can find more detailed criteria on our Nonprofits Page>>. We regret we are unable to work with nonprofits who do not meet these criteria.

Should I apply for a consulting project or a brainstorming project?

We offer two primary project types:

  • A consulting project is a 3–4-month comprehensive engagement focused on a broad strategic or management challenge your nonprofit faces. Over the course of the project, our team will typically have significant interaction with your executive director, and often will interview senior staff members and/or board members in addition to conducting research through outside sources in order to develop a final report of findings and recommendations.
  • A brainstorming project is a 2-hour, high-energy engagement (usually one, but sometimes 2 sessions) focused on a very carefully scoped challenge or opportunity of importance to the organization’s leadership. These sessions emphasize solving a single, clearly-defined problem or a group of related issues, and are aimed at breakthrough discussions that identify numerous ideas for your organization to further develop once the project concludes.

Once you complete a Project Application>>, a Community Partners Managing Director will work with you to finalize the scope and format of the project.

If I have questions about the nonprofit application, who can help me?

If you need help or have any questions, please feel free to contact our Program Manager Stephanie Lopez by phone Main phone: (929)596-3820, ext 105, Direct line: (929)596-4076, or email CommunityPartners@hbscny.org.

My organization has already completed a project with Community Partners. Can we apply for another project?

Absolutely! One of the greatest testimonials to our work is when a client organization asks to work with us again, either on a follow-up project or one addressing a different challenge or opportunity. We encourage you to reach out to your prior Managing Director, or to complete a new Project Application>>.

Can my organization submit more than one application?

We ask that you only submit a single application at a time.  If you are looking for assistance on multiple issues, we encourage you to identify those in your application; we will then work with you to refine  a project scope that is suitable for either a consulting project or brainstorming project.

My organization is located outside of the New York metropolitan area – can we still apply for a project?

Unfortunately, no – our mission is to create constructive partnerships between HBS alumni and nonprofit organizations in our community, so we require that your organization be located in and focus its activities and programs primarily in the New York metropolitan area.

We also welcome national and international organizations if they are headquartered in the New York Metropolitan area.

If our project application is not selected, can our nonprofit apply again?

Absolutely, although we ask that you ensure your organization meets our selection criteria and encourage you to seek feedback on why your application was not selected prior to reapplying.

Does a nonprofit need to have meeting space?

Not at all – while some clients offer to host certain key meetings at their offices, this isn’t a requirement.

What if my question wasn't answered here?

Please contact Stephanie Lopez our Program Manager at CommunityPartners@hbscny.org or Main phone: (929)596-3820, ext 105 or Direct line: (929)596-4076.