Need-Based Fellowships for Women
OnBoard is committed to creating pathways for women who may not have previously considered board service or had access to these opportunities. Our dedication to broadening access to opportunities where hardship or access was a challenge began when Onboard was founded in 1993.
OnBoard contributes to expanding board access through Need-Based Fellowships, powered by Southern Company. Through this initiative, we offer:
- OnBoard Accelerator Fellowship – Two spots in each OnBoard Accelerator cohort (10% of participation) is reserved as a fellowship for a woman leader who may not otherwise have access to board opportunities, at no cost to the participant. This program equips women with the tools to position themselves for corporate board service.
- OnBoard Ignite Fellowship – One Spot in each Onboard Ignite cohort is reserved as a fellowship for a woman who could benefit from a transformative leadership program designed to help them advance into senior leadership and C-suite roles.
- Sponsored Next OnBoard Memberships – Ten Next OnBoard memberships are available as sponsored placements for early and mid-career professionals, providing education on board governance and expanding professional networks.
Beyond these programs, OnBoard actively recruits top talent for leadership, including board members, speakers, and candidates, ensuring that our work reflects the full breadth of our membership community.
If you know a qualified candidate for one of these fellowships or have insights to share on our advocacy efforts, we welcome your input. Please contact Lisa Robinson, at lisarobinson@onboardinc.org.
Thanks to our Need-Based Fellowship Sponsor
OnBoard exists to increase gender parity on corporate boards and to advocate for professional women at all stages of their careers. While the corporate world has made great strides in growing the representation of women in leadership roles, profound racial inequities remain. As it stands, only 3.4% of total board seats in Georgia are occupied by a Woman of Color leader. As such, OnBoard is committed to advocating for racial equity by developing avenues of success for BIWOC professionals both internally and externally.
After a challenging year of compounding crises that spotlighted workplace inequities and drove millions of women from the workplace, OnBoard stands ready to rebuild our female workforce. Founded in 1994 with the mission to increase the number of women on corporate boards and in leadership roles, we are positioned to lead the effort to equalize the corporate environment for professional women in Georgia and beyond.
Led by the Board of Directors, OnBoard develops programs that will further equitable representation on boards across Georgia and the nation through the following initiatives:
- The Accelerator gives women the tools to market themselves for service on a for-profit board. A cohort comprises ten women, and two spaces are reserved for fellowships for Black Women.
- Next OnBoard provides motivated, early- and mid-career professionals with opportunities to connect with senior executive women and men interested in OnBoard’s mission, learn about board governance, and expand their professional networks. Thanks to Southern Company’s support, we offer ten young Black Women memberships to Next OnBoard.
- We will continue to deliver relevant programming such as the Women of Color on Corporate Boards: How Do We Move the Needle? - a fireside chat with Mayor Shirley Franklin and Maria Saporta. We have a lot of listening to do, and as a board will consider new programs and ways of working with our corporate partners.
To recommend a woman for the fellowships noted above, please contact Lisa Robinson, OnBoard CEO, at lisa.robinson@onboardnow.org.