Programs Coordinator Devon Stein spoke with Karen Schub Epstein of PennPAC, a member organization of Nonprofit New York. We will continue to highlight the work of our members because we believe when your nonprofit is stronger, all of us are stronger.
Tell me about the organization and what you do.
PennPAC works with nonprofit organizations to help solve their business challenges through the engagement of Penn alumni who serve as pro bono consultants . Our primary program is the 8-10 week consulting project that staffs 6 consultants on “full” projects (3 consultants on “mini” projects) each fall and spring. Most engagements address one of the following business challenges: Marketing Strategy, Growth Planning, Program Analysis, Funding Strategy, Financial Analysis, Organization Structure or Operations Strategy. In addition, we offer one-night ImPACt events (deep-dive brainstorming sessions) and Coaching (targeted guidance to start up or small nonprofits from experienced leaders).
How many are on your team?
In addition to our Executive Director, we have a Deputy Director and Program Coordinator. We also have many volunteers who support the operations of our organization through leadership roles in addition to providing consulting to our nonprofit clients.
Servicing how many of the nonprofit population?
Each year, PennPAC works with 40+ nonprofits (majority in NYC, with projects also in Philadelphia and the Bay Area) to provide pro bono consulting valued at $1M+.
Where do you see your organization in the next five years or ten years?
PennPAC is working to grow the number of nonprofits we serve and the number of pro bono consultants we engage. Programmatically, we have been able to pivot to work virtually during the pandemic and expect that some of our work will stay virtual long-term, allowing us to serve more organizations and engage more consultants as well as grow the geographic area we can reach.
How has partnering with Nonprofit New York helped you succeed?
Nonprofit NY has been a great partner in helping us get the word out to the nonprofit community about the PennPAC offering. Nonprofit NY events have also provided us with opportunities to learn best practices from our peers. We have participated in the DEI Learning Lab and plan to build on what we learned there as we launch an internal Task Force focused on this important topic.
What are you currently working on that you want us to mention to our membership?
We encourage all organizations to consider how a PennPAC project can improve their efficiency, effectiveness and/or sustainability. Anyone interested can go to our website to learn more and apply.