Business on Board® (BoB)
Business on Board is a dynamic program designed to identify, recruit, train and place a diverse pool of high potential business professionals as board members of Greater Cincinnati arts organizations. The program is managed by Fine Arts Fund (FAF) Arts Services, whose staff and volunteers are specialists in supporting arts organizations through programs, people and resources.
Best Suited For: High Potential Employees (HPEs)—those employees who are interested in ramping up their philanthropic careers along with their professional careers and who are committed to making a lasting difference within an organization and their community at large.
Applications: Accepted once per year. 2008 deadline for applying is July 15th.
Required Addendum(s): Copy of current resume, Board Candidate Statement of Commitment (can be found online). Please refer to the “08CincyFact Sheet” for additional information.
Projects: Concurrent with training, candidates are matched with a mid-sized or stable small arts group’s board for an observership to give both parties the chance to evaluate the potential for board placement.
Project Scope: Varies, depending on involvement and interest
Training: A mandatory 20-hour training session in the fall. The sessions meet for 3 hours at a time, approximately every other Tuesday from late September through early December at various locations.
Fee: $500 (typically underwritten by employer) and an additional $500 commitment on the volunteer’s part, to go to his/her arts client, should they be asked to join the board. This donation can be cash, in-kind or any other combination of resources that amount to $500.
Candidate Qualifications
Business on Board for the Arts applicants are business professionals who are motivated, accomplished individuals that show a high potential for leadership. They have a demonstrated interest in and commitment to the arts and possess a strong desire and interest in learning new skills. Applicants should:
* Possess at least five to ten years experience in their field
* Show a high potential for leadership
* Have a strong desire to give back to the community
* Demonstrate their potential to work well on a team
* Have an interest or passion for the arts
* Be able to devote the necessary time and effort to the program.
Since its inauguration in 2004, the FAF has graduated 120 BoB candidates from a variety of major companies throughout Cincinnati including:
Champlin Haupt Architects; Children’s Hospital; Convergys; Dinsmore & Shohl; Duke Energy; Ernst & Young; E.W. Scripps Company; Fifth Third Bank; FRCH; GBBN Architects; GE Aviation; Keating Muething & Klekamp; Johnson Investment Counsel; KPMG; Kroger Company; Mercy Health Partners; Meridian Bioscience, Inc; Merrill Lynch; National City Bank; P&G; RiverPoint Capital Management; Taft, Stettinius & Hollister; Thompson Hine; Truepoint Capital; UBS; United Healthcare of Cincinnati; University of Cincinnati; US Bank, among others.
About the training
The program is offered during seven sessions for a total of 20 classroom hours in the fall. Comprehensive professional training about nonprofit board issues in key areas: staff/board relationships, legal and fiduciary duties, decision-making, fundraising, advocacy, networking and strategic planning with a special emphasis on arts board leadership.
An “observership” component of Business on Board provides participants with the opportunity to be matched with an arts client and experience the important functions of a board. This “real life” arts setting provides an environment in which to incorporate the training program’s key learnings and assignments. Follow up to the observership is provided over a two year period.
2008 Training Schedule:
Tuesday, September 9, 4-7 PM Know Theater Tribe 1120 Jackson Street, Downtown
Monday, September 22, 3:30 -7 PM Playhouse in the Park
Monday, October 6, 3:30 -6:30 PM Health Foundation, Rookwood Commons
Tuesday, October 21, 3:30 -6:30 Madisonville Arts Center, 5021 Whetsel Ave. 45227
Wednesday, November 5, 3:30 -6:30 PM Health Foundation, Rookwood Commons
Wednesday, November 19, 3:30 -6:30 PM Health Foundation, Rookwood Commons
Tuesday, January 15 - TBD
2008 Application Deadline and Fees
Applications are due by August 1, 2008.
The class size is limited for Business on Board Candidates.
Fee for participation is $500
The actual program cost of $1500 is underwritten in part by the Fine Arts Fund endowment income. Scholarships are available on a case-by-case basis. Please contact Arts Services Office to discuss this option.
APPLY to become a member of the next BoB class.
“Fabulous program! I would highly recommend it to any of my peers for leadership development. Thanks to Business on Board, I have a greater appreciation of the arts and its economic impact on the community. My desire to engage and serve my city now and in the future has been ignited. Thank you for allowing me to participate.” - Teresa Hoelle, Infintech LLC, BoB Class IV