Greater Washington

Business Professionals

Make an impact in your community

Our flagship pro bono consulting programs leverage your professional skills to support a nonprofit facing a unique strategic challenge. Become a volunteer and gain invaluable experience, build your network, and chart a path to nonprofit board service, all while supporting one of our fantastic nonprofit clients.
On Track 4-month

Business professionals are assigned to a team of five volunteer consultants to serve on a project for one of our nonprofit clients. View the client list and project descriptions here. Projects run from late January through May. Project Leader applications are due 1/12 and Team Member applications are due 1/18.

Volunteer Roles

Our volunteers are enthusiastic and empathetic business professionals who are prepared to partner with nonprofits for the entirety of the project. It’s critical that volunteers enjoy team-based work and have the availability to attend regular team meetings. We do not accept anyone currently enrolled in undergraduate or full-time graduate programs.

Volunteer teams are composed of five/six volunteers: one Project Leader and four/five Team Members

Project Leader Profile:

  • Project Leaders should have an MBA or similar advanced degree, and/or significant management consulting or business experience 
  • 3-5+ years of consulting/project management experience preferred 
  • Availability to dedicate 4-6 hours per week for the entirety of the project

Team Member Profile  

  • Professionals at all stages of careers with expertise in a variety of areas, including consulting, strategy, law, finance, marketing, technology, data analytics, nonprofit management, organizational design, entrepreneurship, and more. 
  • Availability to dedicate 3 hours per week for the entirety of the project
  • At least one year of relevant work experience

Serving on a Project

At the start of the projects, volunteers are required to attend our virtual Volunteer Orientation and Service Line trainings. We also provide access to research and past project materials in an online Toolkit.

Each team decides when to hold regular team meetings; most team meetings will be conducted virtually. However, we strongly encourage teams to visit client sites and gather in person in accordance with public health guidelines.

On Track 8-month

Business professionals are assigned to a team of nine volunteer consultants to serve on a project for one of our nonprofit clients. Projects run from late September through May. View our nonprofit client list.

The application closed on October 2.

Volunteer Roles

Compass Pro Bono seeks professionals who have expertise in strategy, finance, marketing, operations, technology, HR, fundraising, legal, and numerous other areas, as well as individuals with board and nonprofit experience. We do not accept students currently enrolled in undergraduate or full-time graduate programs.

Teams are composed of nine volunteers: one Project Leader, one Deputy Project Leader, and seven Team Members.

  • Project Leader Role
    Project Leaders should have an MBA, a similar advanced degree, and/or significant management consulting experience. Project Leaders should expect to commit 4-6 hours/week from late September through May leading a team of seven volunteers with the support of a Deputy Project Leader. Project Leaders must attend two trainings. New applicants may be contacted for a video conference interview, so applying early is appreciated.
  • Deputy Project Leader Role
    Deputy Project Leaders provide additional team leadership. Applications for Deputy Project Leaders are by invitation only to returning volunteers.
  • Team Member Role
    Team Members must have at least one year of post-undergraduate professional experience. Team Members should expect to commit an average of 3 hours/week (including team meetings) from late October through May and must attend the two virtual trainings.

Serving on a Project

We are looking for enthusiastic and empathetic business professionals prepared to partner with local nonprofits. It’s critical that volunteers enjoy team-based work, have the availability to attend regular team meetings, and are fully prepared to meet the engagement expectations outlined above. Your team, client, and Compass Pro Bono will be counting on you to show up and contribute for the duration of the project.

The Compass Pro Bono program will be hybrid this year. All Compass Pro Bono trainings will be provided live over Zoom, and we will hold some social and networking events in person. At the outset of the project, each team will decide when to hold regular meetings, based on what works best for them. Volunteers can expect that most team meetings will be conducted virtually. Throughout the project, teams are required to hold at least three meetings in person, which can include the clients. Teams should plan to visit client sites as early as possible.

On Demand

On Demand engagements are short-term (eight weeks) pro bono services in which Compass matches one volunteer with one nonprofit to address an immediate strategic challenge. Volunteer application opening soon, for more information visit the On Demand page.

For more information, please read our FAQs or contact Beverly Ross, Program Director, at bross@compassprobono.org
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