Ever thought about putting your professional skills to use as a pro bono consultant to a creative arts organization?

Business Volunteers for the Arts® (BVA), the flagship program of the Council, recruits, trains and places experienced business professionals on pro bono consulting projects for small to mid-sized nonprofit arts organizations throughout the Chicago metropolitan area. On a project-by-project basis, volunteers contribute professional skills and resources to enhance the management capacity of arts organizations with limited resources. In return, business volunteers enrich their lives – by building their personal and professional networks, strengthening their business skills, and becoming an integral part of the behind-the-scenes world of the arts.

Join a Select Group of Experts
Each year, a select group of business professionals joins the Business Volunteers for the Arts program. The Council specifically looks for candidates with:

A minimum of five years of professional experience Expertise in marketing, public relations, strategic and business planning, accounting/financial management, IT, and human resources An interest in the arts Willingness to commit 5-10 hours per month

Preparing You for Success
Nonprofit arts organizations have a unique operational structure. New business volunteers attend a mandatory orientation program to familiarize them with the key components of nonprofit arts management and the art of effective consulting in a mission-based environment. We offer the training program twice a year in the Spring and Fall --- on a Thursday evening (a get-to-know-you reception) and Saturday morning (a content-driven training session) --- for a total of eight hours.

Team Consulting
Once participants complete the orientation, they receive bi-monthly bulletins listing available projects. If interested, BVAs with complementary skills are assigned in two/three member teams to a specific project. Projects typically require five-ten hours of work per month and last from two to eight months. The actual time commitment depends on the nature of the project, but all parties agree on an anticipated outcome and completion date at an initial project meeting.