Volunteer Opportunities

There Are Many Ways to Participate in Project Redwood

Sponsor a Project

Current and former participants agree that sponsorship is rewarding and enriching. 

A sponsor is a GSB alum who introduces a potential project to Project Redwood, guides the proposal through the grant application process, and provides continuity, leadership, and monitoring after a project is accepted.

Here’s what some recent project sponsors had to say.

In 2012, after several years of supporting PRW by simply writing an annual check, I finally had the time and felt the need to increase my level of engagement. Sponsorship continues to be one of my most rewarding endeavors by providing intellectual challenge, regular interaction with classmates, and real programmatic impact. Overall it’s been incredibly gratifying.

Ken Inadomi

(pictured above on a 2013 visit to grantee Village Health Works in Burundi)

Project Redwood has afforded me rewards unlike any other ‘good work’ I have done. The financial, consultative and practical support provided by classmates has touched me deeply, and continues to inspire my own work as sponsor of Development in Gardening.

Bill Westwood

Being a sponsor for Project Redwood has helped me reconnect with two groups of amazing friends from my past while doing something of great value for a community in Haiti. Does it get better than that?

Martha Parry Clark

Sponsors provide the first filter to ensure that a potential grantee would be a good fit with Project Redwood’s mission.

In general, here’s what sponsors do:

  • Usually, a sponsor identifies an organization or individual working on a project of potential interest to Project Redwood. However, sometimes we get unsolicited letters of interest, and seek out sponsors from among our classmates.
  • A sponsor guides a potential grantee through the application process by collaborating with project principals to prepare and submit an application. Some follow-up to gather clarifying information may be needed as Project Redwood’s grant review committee evaluates the pool of proposed projects.
  • After grants have been approved, a sponsor informs the applicant about Project Redwood’s funding decisions.
  • If a project has been approved, a sponsor works with the grantee to identify non-financial resources that might be needed, and helps ensure that the grantee submits timely mid-year and final status reports.

Join a Standing Committee

Several standing committees provide on-going support to Project Redwood. New members are always welcome. Join for a cycle; stay as long as you like!

Partner Development and Fundraising: Phil Jonckheer, Chair

Personal contacts among our Stanford classmates helps Project Redwood grow and thrive. This committee works to ensure that we harness the power of person-to-person conection.

Grant Review: Rick Agresta and Rich Jerdonek, Co-Chairs

Finding projects that fit Project Redwood’s criteria, and make effective use of our funds can be an eye-opening and rewarding endeavor. The Grant Review Committee convenes for about four months during each annual grant cycle; its members review, vet, and assess project proposals.

Sponsors: Bill Westwood and Gail Schulze, Co-chairs

Project Redwood partners and friends provide non-financial support to grantees, an approach that differentiates us from most other grant-making non-profits. Committee members act as liaisons to link grantees with experienced classmates for connections and advice. A few examples of how new members might help: answer grantees’ financial and audit questions; advise grantees on non-profit board governance, branding, and fundraising.

Evaluation and Impact: Amy Minella and Rich Jerdonek, Co-chairs 

The Evaluation and Impact Committee (EIC) oversees grantee reporting and evaluates our Projects and their impact. PRW places a high priority on the efficacy and impact of our grant dollars. The EIC creates interim and final report formats that grantees submit per their grant agreements and assesses the content of these reports. The EIC evaluates the success of each project relative to the goals identified in their grant applications, including the impact of projects on their communities, and submits the results to the board of directors.

Communications/Technology: Susan Miller and DJ Crane, Co-Chairs

Project Redwood’s longevity is due in part to its compelling mission. The Communications/Technology Committee develops and implements strategies and tactics for getting our message out effectively, through an annual report, periodic emails, a website and other vehicles.

Work on an Initiative

New and on-going initiatives aim to make Project Redwood grants more efficient and effective.

Here’s what we have recently undertaken:

Incubator: Dave Fletcher and Martha Parry Clark, Co-Chairs

Project Redwood partners have always sought to provide non-financial support to grantees. The goal of the Incubator team was to strengthen the ways that we apply our collective expertise, connections, and time. The team entered into a three year, pilot relationship with one grantee, and provided stepped up support in fund raising, board governance and communication, and strategic planning. This initiative led to the creation of the Sponsors Committee described in the “Join a Standing Committee” section above.

Impact: Rich Jerdonek, Chair

The Impact team reviewed Project Redwood’s entire grant-making history to assess both short- and long-term results. Learnings are now being applied to the evaluation of grant applications by the Grant Review Committee and to the analysis of grantee reporting and impact by the Evaluation and Impact Committee.

Expansion and Outreach: Dave Fletcher, Kristi Smith-Hernandez and Ken Inadomi, Co-Chairs

This initiative began in 2016 to investigate the expansion of Project Redwood and its impact through:

  • Appealing to all GSB alumni to become a part of our partnership
  • Encouraging other GSB classes to organize their own social enterprises
  • Encouraging contributions from all donors who support our social enterprise

Results during the first year include the participation of alumni from seven GSB classes.

We would love to hear from you!