Interested in Giving Back?
Interested in Giving Back?
Become a Pro Bono Advisor
Interested in Giving Back? Volunteer Your Pro Bono Services
Who’s The Right Pro Bono Advisor?
You want to give back to your local community by mentoring small businesses using your professional skill set
You have expertise in one or more of the following areas: financial analysis & budgeting, marketing & communications, business development, strategic planning & analysis, operations & human resources, or general management consulting
You’re looking to further hone your leadership and teamwork skills
You’re excited about networking with local entrepreneur leaders and other professionals volunteering their time to provide valuable business advising support
You want to build the extracurricular and nonprofit experience aspects of your resume
You’re able to dedicate 2-4 hours per week for an eight-week period
Upcoming Opportunities & Deadlines
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November Info Session
Learn how to make a transforming impact on entrepreneurs joining our 8-week Flagship program and prepare for the next advisor application deadline in this virtual session. The upcoming application deadline is February 9.
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January Info Session
Learn how to make a transforming impact on entrepreneurs joining our 8-week Flagship program and prepare for the next advisor application deadline in this virtual session. The upcoming application deadline is February 9.
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How to apply
Attend an Orientation or Information Session
Have a virtual meeting with an NYPACE staffer who can answer your questions and put a face to the name (we get a lot of applicants!).
Get Matched
Several weeks prior to the next cohort start date, you’ll receive an email giving you access to view potential projects you could volunteer on. Receiving this email doesn’t guarantee placement, so respond promptly to increase your odds of being placed.
Attend an Orientation or Information Session
Have a virtual meeting with an NYPACE staffer who can answer your questions and put a face to the name (we get a lot of applicants!).
Get Matched
Several weeks prior to the next cohort start date, you’ll receive an email giving you access to view potential projects you could volunteer on. Receiving this email doesn’t guarantee placement, so respond promptly to increase your odds of being placed.
Pro Bono Advisor Impact
Our NYC-based pro bono advisors change entrepreneurs’ lives by helping them work on their business, not just in it. If you feel a deep sense of commitment to paying it forward, our program is one of the most rewarding avenues to make a real-world, tangible impact. Apply today to become a pro bono advisor and use your skills to help hard-working community entrepreneurs grow.
Help entrepreneurs build their confidence: 92% of entrepreneurs felt more confident running their business after their project
42% of entrepreneurs reported less stress, better time management, or greater social support within six months of completing NYPACE’s eight-week program
Make an immediate personal impact on community entrepreneurs’ lives – “I remember praying there would be days like this–having the luxury of this team of professional folks committed to working with us to help us win in the marketplace.” —Dawn Kelly, Owner, The Nourish Spot
“I’m very grateful to have continuously been a part of NYPACE’s advisor program. Every project, I am amazed with how passionate and kind the entrepreneur is and how knowledgeable they are in their respective fields yet are very open minded to new ideas from the advisor team.”
Aaser Sadek
Operations Consulting, NYPACE advisor since 2022
“It was very rewarding to see how receptive the small business owners were to the advice the team collectively presented. They were very open-minded and appreciative of all the insight and discussions. It showed me how impactful the NYPACE organization can be to these types of small businesses who do not have the resources others may have.”
Grant Hosking
Investment Banker, first-time NYPACE advisor
“The best thing about the program is honestly giving back to the community and making a difference in an entrepreneur’s business. It is one thing to use my expertise for large corporations in my day-to-day work, but to positively and visibly impact small businesses is very rewarding.”
Bre'Shauna Brown
Strategy Consulting, first-time NYPACE advisor
“This program is incredibly rewarding. Across all projects, there was an immense gratitude expressed by the entrepreneurs for the tools that advisors delivered. This type of work is routine for many of us in our jobs, but it is amazing to see the impact it can have on these businesses.”
Cole Hattler
Private Equity, NYPACE advisor since 2023
“I love connecting with other advisors, as they typically are similar level peers. We are able to network outside of the program, and it is incredibly valuable to work towards a common goal for the entrepreneur.”
Heather Huh
Business Development, NYPACE advisor since 2023
“It’s always very rewarding to see our final presentations help the entrepreneurs think through things in a new way and understand different business practices. The experience also helps me think in ways different from my day-to-day. It’s always a great learning experience of different business models and different problems aspiring entrepreneurs face every day.”
Moynawk Gangopadhyay
Mergers and Acquisitions, NYPACE advisor since 2020
Frequently Asked Questions
The program is eight weeks in length, with a celebration presentation in the ninth week. There are no set time requirements other than those agreed upon between the advisor team and their entrepreneur. However, on average, advisors spend 2-4 hours per week helping their entrepreneurs. We understand that pro bono advisors have demanding schedules, and we do all we can to accommodate them while enabling them to provide their highly valuable business mentorship to our entrepreneurs.
You’ll be able to coordinate with the entrepreneur you’re working with to schedule mutually agreeable meeting times. Meetings can be scheduled during regular working hours or outside of them.
A real person looks through every advisor application. If your application is accepted, you’ll receive a welcome email. Being accepted as an advisor doesn’t mean you’ll automatically be assigned to a project.
Once you receive the welcome email, you must attend an advisor orientation to learn more about the time commitment and expectations. You’ll receive an email before the cohort launch asking you to pick a project. If you’re ready to participate as a volunteer for your first cohort, select your project; otherwise, you can opt out of the current cohort. While we encourage you to pick a project that appeals to you, this also doesn’t guarantee placement. We match volunteers to cohorts based on a combination of skills, industry expertise and interests.
During the cohort kickoff event, the advisor team and entrepreneur review the agreed-upon project scope. The project scope dictates the specific work that needs to be accomplished in the eight weeks. The group schedules a weekly meeting, which they typically attend virtually. Advisor teams may schedule an additional check-in depending on the complexity and interconnection of the project tasks. There are also three standard advisor check-in calls, each 60 minutes in length, at the beginning, middle and end of a program.
At the end of the formal program, you’ll be asked to submit a survey to assess your experience so that we can improve our program. After six weeks, we’ll send you a brief update on your entrepreneur. If they request additional assistance in using the tools you provided, we may ask that you meet with the entrepreneur in a sprint format. But you’re not obligated to do so. Unless you opt out, you will stay in our advisor pool, so you have the opportunity to volunteer again with a new project.
Yes! Although not part of the structured program, if you and your entrepreneur want to stay in touch, you may absolutely do so. We always encourage you to stay connected with your entrepreneur and their business on social media.
