Community Development Consulting Program
Business Impact Group's Community Development Consulting Program (CDCP) provides free consulting services to small businesses and community-based organizations. Through this program—which is entirely student-run—we aim to accelerate economic and social growth, with a focus on underserved regions of the Puget Sound region and the Pacific Northwest.
What is Business Impact Group?
Business Impact Group is the University of Washington's largest undergraduate consulting organization. A registered student organization (RSO), Business Impact Group mobilizes undergraduates at the Foster School of Business and across the university to help small businesses. Through our existing partnership programs, we have run 73 unique engagements and subsequently provided 350 student involvement opportunities since Autumn 2021.
What can the Community Development Consulting Program do for me?
If you are the owner/operator of small business or community-based organization in the Pacific Northwest, the Community Development Consulting Program can organize a team of student consultants to support your business goals. Projects include creating marketing strategies, assessing your financial position, researching consumer preferences, or developing a growth strategy (see more information below).
Projects are 6-week engagements that conclude with a final set of recommendations. Projects can extend across multiple quarters. Note that this program is entirely student-led.
How much does this cost?
This program is free of charge, however, you can donate to support our impact.
What small businesses and community-based organizations are eligible for the program?
We welcome inquiries from any small business or community-based organization. We primarily service the west coast but are open to those outside of it. In particular, we strongly welcome businesses and organizations from economically underserved neighborhoods.
How do I learn more and get started?
To learn more, please fill out the form below or contact Ash Arora by email. If we believe that we can help your business, we will schedule a follow-up conversation to discuss program specifics. We look forward to hearing from you!
Ash Arora
President, Business Impact Group
aarora3@uw.edu
Where We Drive Impact
2) We then pair your company with a 5-person team of student consultants and a Project Manager.
4) The team will meet weekly with the client (or submit a written deliverable) to receive updates on progress and ensure that deliverables align with business needs.
1) We begin by understanding your main pain points and how we can provide value.