Create an opportunity for Stanford business students to gain insight into how organizations create social and environmental impact.
Impact Labs associates apply classroom learning in real-world environments by completing a project that addresses one of your organization’s strategic challenges. Students can observe firsthand how to use business skills for social and environmental change, through projects such as:
- Performing an environmental scan, research, or benchmarking of a specific field for your grant-making organization
- Conducting a strategic assessment of a new program opportunity on behalf of the board of your nonprofit organization
- Creating a communication strategy for a core program of your social enterprise
- Performing due diligence of a proposed investment for your impact investing fund
The program seeks a range of high-performing organizations from applicable sectors — nonprofit, philanthropy, impact investing, and responsible business — including those with local, regional, and national orientations.
Application Criteria
All Impact Labs
- Potential for a positive experience for both the Impact Labs associate and host organization
- Board members or employees willing to serve as mentors
- A well-conceived proposal for the project to be undertaken by the Impact Labs associate
- Mentors who have regular on-site meetings or offices located in the San Francisco Bay Area are preferred but not required
Board Governance Lab (Additional Criteria)
- Located in the San Francisco Bay Area
- At least five active board members
- At least two paid staff members
- One or more board members willing to serve as mentors
- A schedule of board meetings that can reasonably fit within the student’s academic calendar
- A board committee structure to support the student project
Application Process
If you meet the above criteria, we encourage you to apply by taking the following steps:
- Request an Impact Labs application
- Talk with Impact Labs representative Loretta Gallegos (650-723-7872) to determine if the program is right for your organization
- Apply in the fall
The number of host partner applications often exceeds the number of students, and therefore, we cannot guarantee that your project and organization will be selected.
