Since 2015, Booth alumni volunteers have partnered with BANC to provide pro bono strategy, planning, and advisory services.

From helping to reduce patient stress and uncertainty at the Illinois Medical District Guest House to helping the nonprofit Loaves & Fishes Community Services expand its service of providing in-need families with access to healthy meals, BANC’s impact has reached across industries and made a real, lasting impact in people’s lives.

Here’s a look at some of the work they’ve done.

Case Studies

Growth Strategy - Finding the Right Partners for a Social Service Agency

Apna Ghar works to end gender violence through critical, culturally competent, services. Given the pervasiveness of gender violence, the board sought to increase the organization’s reach and diversify its revenue sources. Strategic partnerships were an option, but what kind? Apna Ghar needed a plan. Click here for a summary of the project.

A Strategic Plan for a Mental Health Agency

The National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) DuPage plays a vital role in supporting and empowering all people impacted by mental health conditions to live life with purpose and meaning. To support a change in leadership, NAMI DuPage sought help with foundational work to review the business, assess priorities, and establish a three- to five-year strategic plan. Then COVID-19 hit. Click here for a summary of the project.

Estimating Future Demand for Services in the Healthcare Space

For patients and their families facing the uncertainty associated with serious illness and care for complex healthcare conditions, Illinois Medical District (IMD) Guest House eases the stress and financial burden by providing comfortable, affordable, and convenient lodging throughout treatment. IMB Guest House sought out BANC to understand the social services referral systems; assess barriers of access; discover new lines of service; and identify areas of growth. Click here for a summary of the project.

Illuminating a Path to Sustainability for a Mental Health Program

Thresholds help people with mental health and substance use conditions reclaim their lives. Their unique approach: clients don’t come to them, Thresholds’ teams go into the community and meet people where they are. BANC consultants were brought in to analyze program financials and illuminate a path to profitability. Click here for a summary of the project.

Client Survey and Program Evaluation for a Business Development Center

With a clear vision, thoughtful groundwork, passionate leaders, and the sound reputation of Chicago Booth as a foundation, Gayle Haller and Judy Maley set out to launch the first round of BANC projects five years ago, in 2015. With help spreading the word about the pilot program from the Rustandy Center for Social Sector Innovation at the University of Chicago, BANC found and confirmed one of its first two clients: the Women’s Business Development Center (WBDC). Click here to read a summary of BANC's first project for this organization, and here to read a summary of the second project completed two years later.

New Financial System for a Workforce Development Agency

Maria Kim, CEO of Cara, was in the right place at the right time. As a Chicago Booth alum and nonprofit leader, Maria was working closely with the Rustandy Center for Social Sector Innovation when she was presented an opportunity to initiate a project with the newly formed Booth Alumni Nonprofit Consultants (BANC). Taking a chance as one of the first BANC projects would ultimately help build a foundation that today strengthens and supports Cara’s ability to deliver on its mission. Click here for a summary of the project.

KPI’s and Data Dashboard for a Healthcare Advocacy Group

Founded in 1908, Prevent Blindness brings Americans to eye care, touching millions of lives each year providing outreach to people at the highest risk of vision loss, quality vision screenings for children, access to professional eye care for low income families, and ongoing research and advocacy to fight blindness and save sight. With annual spending of more than nine million dollars, a robust network of contributors, and a vast network of partners and stakeholders, Prevent Blindness and its affiliates sought a way to better capture and highlight high-level progress through data-driven metrics. For an objective perspective and strategic expertise, Prevent Blindness sought help from BANC. Click here for a summary of the project.

Evaluation of Service Area and Operational Model for a Food Pantry

The coronavirus pandemic changed how we live and work—essentially overnight. For Loaves & Fishes Community Services, a Naperville-based not-for-profit and an essential service, it was a perfect storm of market forces: demand for food grew dramatically and food supply decreased due to supply chain interruptions. On top of that, due to COVID social distancing requirements, the labor force had to be reduced by 80%, and the in-person shopping model was no longer feasible. Loaves & Fishes did more than simply adapt, they transformed their operations to offer curbside pickup, expanded their market, and increased service to more than 1,000 families per week, while remaining true to their mission of providing healthy meals. Click here for a summary of the project.

BANC Clients

We’ve been honored to work with the following clients, some multiple times, as well as others not listed to maintain confidentiality.

Get Involved

Whether you’re a Booth graduate who wants to use your management skills to support nonprofits or a nonprofit professional in the market for pro bono consulting support, we’d love to hear from you.