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Golub Capital Nonprofit Board Fellows Program

Golub Capital Nonprofit Board Fellows Program

Build Board Capacity. Cultivate Leaders. Thrive in Community.

Become a Golub Capital Nonprofit Board Fellows Program Partner: Collaborate with Passionate Students & Increase Board Capacity!

Expand the capacity of your nonprofit board in partnership with innovative graduate students from the University of Michigan. Since 1999, we have matched 800+ Board Fellows as non-voting members with over 300 nonprofit boards.

How It Works:

  • Application & Matching: Apply to become a nonprofit partner before the June deadline, followed by an interview with program staff to determine if the program is the right fit, scope a project, and identify what you’re looking for in a Board Fellow. When students return in the fall, we interview and match two graduate students with your board.
  • Board Service & Projects: Board Fellows then serve for an academic year (Oct.-Apr.) as non-voting board members who attend meetings, serve on committees, and take on a governance-driven project with a scope of about five hours per month per Fellow.
  • Resources & Support: Program staff and faculty offer board resources, project scoping and support, and student guidance.
  • Community & Events: Both Board Fellows and Nonprofit Partners engage in workshops and networking events focused on various topics of board governance: fund development, board recruitment, and more!

Eligibility:

  • Your organization is registered with the IRS as a 501(c)(3) and is in good standing.
  • Your board meetings are held no more than an hour’s drive away from Ann Arbor, or you have hybrid/fully virtual meetings.
  • Your board will hold at least two meetings between October and April.
  • Your organization has an operating history of at least two years.
  • Your board has at least five active members, at least one of whom has the capacity and interest to mentor Board Fellows through their experience (commitment of one hour/month).

Interested? Request the info session recording and application link.

Other questions? Email [email protected].

Share our info sheet with your board

Timeline for Nonprofits

Request more information below, including our info session recording and application link.

Request Information

  • May – Information sessions. Live sessions have now concluded; watching the recording is required to apply.
  • May – Nonprofit application distributed
  • June 19th, 2026 – Nonprofit applications due
  • May-July. – Interviews with program staff
  • Early Sep. – Student applications due
  • Late Sep. – Student applicant interviews, Board Fellows matched and announced
  • Late Sep.-Early Oct. – Orientation for Board Fellows and Board Mentors
  • Oct.-Apr. – Students serve as Board Fellows

 

New & Returning Partners

We welcome both returning and new partners each year. Our 40+ board partners include Alternatives for Girls, Brilliant Cities, Cadillac Urban Gardens, Community Action Network, Michigan Nonprofit Association, North Star Reach, Playworks Michigan, and Ypsilanti Meals on Wheels. 

300+
BOARDS SINCE 1999
800+
BOARD FELLOWS PLACED
10+
U-M SCHOOLS REPRESENTED
27
COHORTS

If you are a nonprofit considering applying to the Golub Capital Nonprofit Board Fellows Program, there are a few critical elements to ensure a successful experience:

Board Fellows voluntarily commit a similar amount of time per month as a voting board member (no more than 10 hours/month); they attend board meetings, committee meetings, and complete governance projects. We strongly encourage the Board Fellows and their designated mentor(s) to set a regular meeting and communication schedule during their engagement.

To ensure an effective and mutually beneficial working relationship, the organization must:

  • Assign a board member to serve as the Board Fellows’ primary mentor (commitment of one hour/month)
  • Provide a formal introduction to the organization and the expectations of board members
  • Enable the Board Fellows to participate meaningfully in all board meetings during the Fellowship period (minus voting)
  • Enable the Board Fellows to complete one or two impactful projects

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"The Board Fellows program never ceases to deliver exceptional candidates who take genuine interest in the functioning of nonprofits and how to improve this. We will never not want to participate in this amazing opportunity!"
- Brilliant Detroit
“This program is a wonderful exchange of learning and capacity building for Fellows and nonprofits alike. Highly recommend!”
- Nonprofit Enterprise at Work (NEW)