The Kellogg Board Fellows program began in 2003 to train the next generation of civic leaders through academic coursework, board service, and fellowship. The Golub Capital Social Impact Awards recognize Board Fellows for two types of impact: meaningful change for nonprofit partners and powerful lessons for future students.
THE EMPOWER AWARD
The Empower awards recognize two projects each year that have (or will have) made an outstanding impact on the nonprofit partner. Impact, in this context, is broadly defined and can include everything from immediate benefits to long-term strategies.
- Each winning nonprofit partner receives $5,000
- Each winning Fellow receives $5,000 (Note: If the Fellow wishes to donate any portion of their award to the nonprofit partner, arrangements will be made in advance to facilitate the gift.)
- Both winning pairs will be recognized at the Board Fellows year-end celebration
CRITERIA
Empower awards will be judged according to the following criteria:
- Significance of the impact (or potential impact) resulting from the project (50%)
- Nonprofit's commitment to implementing the Fellow's recommendations (30%)
- Strength of relationship between the Fellow and nonprofit staff and Board (20%)
Note: evaluation criteria do NOT include nonprofit partner mission, size, or sophistication; the number of projects undertaken; or the project's duration or timing.
JUDGING
The application process will include two rounds:
- All applications will be screened by a committee of alumni, staff, and faculty reviewers.
- A designated panel of judges will review the finalists' applications and hear presentations to determine the winners. Honorable mentions may be awarded at the judges' discretion.
ELIGIBILITY AND SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
All Board Fellows currently enrolled in SSIM 471_Advanced Board Governance are eligible to apply. The program director will determine the eligibility of Fellows with unique circumstances (e.g., early graduation).
Empower award applicants must submit the following:
- completed application form
- final project deliverable
- letter of support from their nonprofit partner.
All application materials will be uploaded to Submittable. Documents must be in PDF format.
TIMELINE
Applications are due by 11:59 pm on April 2nd.
Finalists will be announced by email on April 17th.
Finalists will present to the panel of judges the week of April 24th.
Winners will be announced at the Board Fellows year-end celebration on May 10th.
QUESTIONS
Don't hesitate to contact boardfellows@kellogg.northwestern.edu with questions about the application process.
The Kellogg Board Fellows program began in 2003 to train the next generation of civic leaders through academic coursework, board service, and fellowship. The Golub Capital Social Impact Awards recognize Board Fellows for two types of impact: meaningful change for nonprofit partners and powerful lessons for future students.
THE WISDOM AWARD
The Wisdom award celebrates lessons learned during the Fellow's board service. Whether or not a project met its original objectives, the Fellow walks away with a changed perspective on civic leadership, board service, and/or leadership style. This award will go to the Fellow who writes the most compelling case study about their board experience.
To write a compelling case study, first consider what the critical questions or lessons were from your experience. Case studies typically start with a story or description of a moment that sets up those question or lessons. The case is then comprised of sections that describe the context, the organization, and the key challenge. The challenge should include enough information for the students to grapple with the issues and come away with the intended lesson.
The winning Fellow receives up to $1,500 and the opportunity to serve as a guest speaker in the class when their case is taught.
CRITERIA
The Wisdom award will be judged according to the following criteria:
- Potential impact of the case study on future students (75%)
- Professional, clear, and engaging writing (25%)
Note: evaluation criteria do NOT include nonprofit partner mission, size, or sophistication; the number of projects undertaken; or the project's duration or timing.
JUDGING
The application process will include two rounds:
- All applications will be screened by a committee of alumni, staff, and faculty reviewers.
- A designated panel of judges will review the finalists' applications and hear presentations to determine the winners. Honorable mentions may be awarded at the judges' discretion.
ELIGIBILITY AND SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
All Board Fellows currently enrolled in SSIM 471_Advanced Board Governance are eligible to apply. The program director will determine the eligibility of Fellows with unique circumstances (e.g., early graduation).
Wisdom award applicants must submit the following:
- completed application form
- written case study
TIMELINE
Applications are due by 11:59 pm on April 2nd.
Finalists will be announced by email on April 17th.
Finalists will present to the panel of judges the week of April 24th.
Winners will be announced at the Board Fellows spring breakfast on May 10th.
QUESTIONS?
Don't hesitate to contact boardfellows@kellogg.northwestern.edu with questions about the application process.
Instructions:
Please complete this form to initiate the first step of a multi-step verification process for each of the four (4) disbursements of your loan assistance award.
We will use this form to verify your:
- full-time employment in a federal, state or local government (United States or foreign) or an organization that is described in one of Sections 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4) or 501(c)(6) and exempt from tax under Section 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1968
- full-time employment within your non-exempt social venture
Upon verification of employment, you will receive follow-up correspondence from the Kellogg School of Management’s Office of Financial Aid and Northwestern University’s Student Financial Services to provide you with a promissory note and Truth in Lending Act document (a condition to receive each disbursement)
Each disbursement will be processed upon verifying eligibility.
Please note that employment verification is required for each disbursement, and proof that the entire disbursement was used to pay down your qualifying loans is required before each of the remaining disbursements can be processed.
Please also note, as the University makes every effort to structure assistance to be tax favorable to the recipients, we also balance the need to expand the availability of this assistance to graduates who may not necessarily qualify under the tax-free loan forgiveness rules. To the extent that the University determines the loan repayment assistance may not qualify as tax-free, the University may report the payments on a Form 1099. Please consult with your tax advisor for additional information.
Thank you for your interest in becoming a mentor and/or first round judge for the Kellogg-Morgan Stanley Sustainable Investing Challenge! This short survey serves as the application for both mentors and judges. The qualifications for both roles overlap, and we find that many professionals are most satisfied when they both cultivate and evaluate, so we encourage to sign up for both!
- If you would like to learn more about mentoring a student team, click here.
- If you would like to learn more about judging the first round of the competition, click here.
Your support helps make the competition possible, enriches the experience of the students, and contributes to the development of the field. We look forward to reviewing your information and will be in touch with more details if you are a fit for this year's program.