FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Press contact:
Molly Day
cC @campuscatalyst.org
847.863.0465

campusCATALYST Launches Second-Year with a Grant from the McCormick Foundation

Chicago, IL, October 15 - One year ago, campusCATALYST embarked on a two-fold mission to build the capacity of local nonprofits and cultivate a commitment to civic engagement among students of all backgrounds and ambitions.

Today, that mission has blossomed into a full-fledged program that brings together undergraduates, MBA students, and community nonprofits to "change the world smarter." campusCATALYST trains students and matches them with nonprofits to collaborate on ten-week consulting engagements with topics ranging from marketing strategy to volunteer recruitment to board development. With a year under their belt and fully operational programs at both Northwestern University and the University of Chicago, campusCATALYST hopes to expand their reach and deepen their impact over this coming year.

To support this year’s program, the McCormick Foundation has selected campusCATALYST as a grant recipient. The $35,000 grant will be used to support the management and development of the organization’s core programming, which will allow campusCATALYST to engage 150 talented, passionate college students in quarterly, for-credit programs. During the quarter, professors, guest speakers and MBA mentors provide instruction on topics such as financing nonprofits, performance measurement, and cross-sectoral leadership. In turn, student teams of five, supervised by business school students, put their problem-solving skills to work through pro-bono consulting engagements with nonprofits in the surrounding community.

For 2008-2009, campusCATALYST will partner with 30 local nonprofits. “We are thrilled to work with new nonprofit clients and build upon past relationships,” says Executive Director Molly Day. “This year we are striving to engage our students and nonprofit partners in a joint effort to not only build internal capacity, but also a stronger, more cohesive social service network in the Chicago area.”

The fall will also bring campusCATALYST's first fundraising event. On October 29th, campusCATALYST will host its first annual gala at the University of Chicago's Gleacher Center. Dubbed a "Green Tie Gala" in honor of campusCATALYST's trademark color and its penchant for redefining traditions, the gala will bring together campusCATALYST participants, young professionals, and corporate partners for a night of cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, and networking between the non- and for-profit worlds. For more information on this event, please visit campusCATALYST's website at http://www.campuscatalyst.org/gala.

campusCATALYST was founded in 2007 by Northwestern University alumni Molly Day and Kunal Modi. Their organization has brought together over 100 college and business school students from Northwestern and the University of Chicago with 17 nonprofits in the Chicagoland area, generating over $181,400 of pro-bono support in its first year. For further information, please contact Molly Day at 847.863.0465.