BVU Fellows

Connecting skilled professionals to nonprofits for capacity-building projects

We connect passionate people with opportunities to serve.

Ready to make a difference?

How it Works

The BVU Fellows program connects late-career professionals to nonprofit organizations for projects that address key strategic needs.

Ranging from 30 to 1,000 hours, Fellow projects help nonprofits build capacity, grow strategically, and make a more effective and sustainable impact on the community. Typical areas of assistance include operations, marketing, program implementation, finance, HR, technology, and governance.

Participating organizations work with BVU to outline a project, identify required skills, and create a detailed description. BVU then recruits potential Fellows, reviews applications, conducts screening interviews, and forwards top candidates to the organization for final selection.

Fellows enjoy the personal and professional fulfillment of utilizing their skills to address meaningful challenges and opportunities in the nonprofit sector, while nonprofits and those they serve benefit from the dedication, expertise, and fresh perspective of these highly skilled professionals.

Encore program fellows discuss ideas
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ELEVATE VISIBILITY

Utilizing her strong background in nonprofit management and marketing, Stephanie Allen implemented a new program to build brand awareness for the Gordon Square Arts District.

MEET COMMUNITY NEEDS

Dr. Elisa Ross, a board-certified OB/GYN with an interest in medical writing and patient communication, assisted Neighborhood Family Practice in improving health outcomes for low-income residents.

FACILITATE CHANGE MANAGEMENT:

Leonard Young, a retired corporate lawyer experienced in a variety of complex business transactions, implemented a human resources growth plan for Care Alliance Health Center.

DEVELOP A NEW PROGRAM:

Dennis Kucler utilized sales management expertise to create a workforce development program for Boys and Girls Club of Cleveland.

SUPPORT GOVERNANCE

Jennifer Goings Smith worked with NuPoint Development Corporation on a year-long project to structure their Board of Directors. Read more about her impact below!

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Define Your Next Chapter

In partnership with the Cleveland Foundation’s Encore Cleveland initiative, the BVU Fellows program supports leadership across generations, tapping into the vast expertise of late-career professionals to address critical community needs.

Typically retired or nearing retirement from their primary careers, BVU Fellows possess not only a wealth of knowledge and skills, but also the time and desire to give back to the community.

Becoming a Fellow provides an opportunity to remain active and engaged in your community, utilize your skills and expertise to support a meaningful cause, and fill your next chapter with personal and professional fulfillment.

All Fellows receive a $20 hourly stipend for their contributions. Please see available opportunities below, or reach out to us to be considered for future projects.

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Available Fellow Opportunities

Volunteer Engagement Fellow – Greenstone Lifeline Connection

This Fellow will support volunteer engagement initiatives and assist with key administrative functions, with a focus on enhancing organizational efficiency, developing volunteer strategies, and supporting the executive director in establishing procedures and organizational development.

Key Skills: Nonprofit Management, Business Development

Term: 500 hours ($10,000 stipend)

Location: 9990 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44106 (Hybrid)

Marketing Fellow – Neighborhood Pets

Neighborhood Pets seeks a Fellow to lead rebranding efforts including name, visual identity, messaging, and launch strategy to communicate comprehensive impact on pets, people, and community.

Key Skills: Marketing, Graphic Design, Public Relations

Term: 500 hours ($10,000 stipend)

Location: 3711 E 65th St, Cleveland, OH 44105 (Hybrid)

Technology Fellow – Food Strong

This Fellow will review Food Strong’s IT processes and systems and facilitate recommended improvements, including preparing the organization to pursue nonprofit IT Security
Insurance.

Key Skills: Business/Project Management, Risk Mitigation, Technology (Cybersecurity & IT)

Term: 500 hours ($10,000 stipend)

Location: 1901 Train Ave, Cleveland, OH 44113 (Hybrid)

To learn more or apply for a Fellow position, please contact Amy Ammar at aammar@bvuvolunteers.org.

What Participants Say

{Our BVU fellow has been instrumental in helping to bring structure to the organization's Board of Directors. She has created standard procedures for board communication, file storage and sharing, training for new board officers, and has supported the creation of the board committees and officers. In just one day, she helped us form committees, including the chairs, meeting dates, and priorities to work on moving forward. For board officers, she was the repository for nominations, held conversations with the nominated individuals to gauge interest in the positions, created the ballot and ran the election successfully. The end result was our newly elected 4 officers. We absolutely would recommend a BVU fellow to other nonprofits. Small organizations may not have the human capital or expertise to address areas of growth, so the breadth of knowledge a fellow brings to the organization to help build processes and support successful operations is invaluable.
Roshawn Sample
Union Miles Development Coorporation
{Like many nonprofit agencies, Achievement Centers for Children had an urgent need to launch new strategies to attract and retain a high performing workforce. We hit a home run when we secured a BVU Fellow to help us design and implement best practices in employee compensation. This work contributed to our ability to serve 20% more clients this year compared to last year. Thank you, BVU!
Bernadette Kerrigan
President & CEO Achievement Centers for Children
{We are thrilled to be working with our Fellow! In the short time we have been working together, it is clear that his background, knowledge and experience will be transformative. The insightful work he is doing on our finance project is laying the foundation for strategic improvements in our processes as well as providing a tremendous opportunity for our staff to learn and benefit from his expertise. We look forward to continuing to be part of this amazing program!
Amy Cascio
The Intergenerational Schools
{BVU's Skill CONNECT program has allowed us to work with someone of exceptional quality at an amount that we can afford. It has been so valuable to be able to focus on high-priority projects that we normally wouldn't have the professional resources to complete.
Jean Polster
(Formerly) President and CEO Neighborhood Family Practice

Interested in donating your skills in other ways? BVU facilitates a variety of Skill CONNECT programs designed to match qualified volunteers to local nonprofits in need of expertise, from hour-long virtual “Ask the Expert” sessions to more significant operational projects. Explore additional skills-based volunteer opportunities below.

Skill CONNECT