Business Expertise for a Growing Nonprofit: The Center for Independent Futures

Today, CIF is a $1.8 million nonprofit that serves more than 200 adults a year in the Chicago area. Through life skills training and supportive housing, staff teach participants everything from maintaining a household and grocery shopping to finding employment.

"There's this huge swath of people who don't need intensive support services but need just enough to be able to live on their own," said Richard Malone, CIF's Executive Director.

Business Expertise for a Growing Nonprofit

As CIF grew, the organization faced new challenges in measuring impact, evaluating opportunities and making informed investments -- all with limited resources.

In 2007, CIF began partnering with the Golub Capital Board Fellows program at the Kellogg School of Management to start tackling those issues. Through the program, MBA students serve as ex-officio board members of local nonprofits and complete a strategic project for their organization while taking courses in board governance.

"For our organization, the program brings skills to the table that we wouldn't normally be able to afford, with expertise that's more cutting-edge than we have in residence," Malone said.

Over the years, 19 Board Fellows have helped CIF address some of its most important strategic questions, from measuring mission impact to expanding supportive housing, and evaluating investments in new technology.

Measuring Mission Impact

Board Fellow Valentina Tasende, MBA '24, conducted an impact measurement project to assess how effectively CIF was supporting participants and their families. Working closely with staff and board members, she created a survey to measure participants' skill development and perceptions of CIF's services.

The findings showed high levels of satisfaction among participants and their families. "Most nonprofits have great data about who they serve, how much money they spend and where they spend it, but it's really hard to measure mission impact," said CIF Board Member John Engel. "Valentina delivered metrics that we use every day. They help with fundraising, and they help demonstrate to participants' families that we're pulling off what we say we want to do. That's been extremely helpful in terms of mission clarity and strategic focus."

When Tasende started her fellowship, she said one of the biggest challenges was understanding the perspectives of staff, participants and their families. To build trust and learn how CIF operated, she spent time in the office each week and attended events and board meetings.

Malone said Tasende's work created a lasting framework for the organization: "She created all the analytics, then put them in a system that was repeatable, so we're able to continue to do this on a yearly basis and do comparisons over time," Malone said. "That was the beginning of our impact reporting."

Tasende said attending board meetings was the most valuable part of her fellowship. During her tenure, board members were evaluating a major initiative that depended on securing a significant donation. "That was eye-opening for me -- to be in the room for the discussions about the risks involved, the possible alternatives, and the different types of roles each board member would play in trying to make that happen," she said.

For her work with CIF, Tasende won a Golub Capital Social Impact Award, an annual recognition given to Kellogg Board Fellows who make the most impactful contributions to their nonprofit partners.

After graduation, she was invited to join CIF's board of directors, despite relocating to Seattle to become an associate with McKinsey & Co. "She contributed so much in board meetings and through her project, we felt it was important to keep her on the board, even if she's not local," Malone said.

Tasende remains CIF's only remote board member and helps mentor subsequent Board Fellows.

Expanding Access to Supportive Housing

Another Board Fellow, ChiHae Chang, MBA '25, helped CIF explore one of its most pressing challenges: conducting an in-depth market analysis to examine whether CIF could expand its supportive housing model.

The nonprofit currently houses 20 adults in four multifamily residential buildings. Staff members known as "community builders" live on site, checking in with residents daily, providing support when needed and helping them socialize in the community.

CIF is one of many organizations in Illinois that offer supportive housing programs. Yet demand far exceeds supply. Adults with disabilities often wait months or even years for an opening in supportive housing to become available.

To evaluate expansion possibilities for CIF, Chang analyzed market demand, staffing costs, compensation levels, profitability and growth models. Her conclusion: CIF could extend its services beyond its own housing properties by employing off-site staff for individuals who live independently elsewhere.

As a result of her analysis, CIF launched a new service model in 2025, offering supportive services to individuals living outside the organization's residential buildings. "That's opening up a lot of opportunities, because there was this huge barrier before for people to take advantage of our services," Malone said. "Now they no longer have to live in the same building as our community builders to receive support."

The expansion also addresses a common concern among families. "Parents and siblings worry about what will happen to their family member when they're no longer around," Engel said. "Will they have the life skills they need? Who's going to take care of them?"

The project helped CIF broaden its reach while remaining aligned with its mission. "Without Chang's work, it's fair to say we would not have moved forward on that innovation," Malone said.

Taking a Look at Digital Learning

Board Fellow Jimena del Valle Sierra, MBA '23, helped shape CIF's technology strategy. In addition to in-person life skills training, the organization offers a digital curriculum developed by CIF called My Full Life™. Topics include managing money, navigating transportation, developing relationships, making decisions and advocating for oneself. The platform is licensed to schools and organizations serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Several years ago, the software required significant upgrades. CIF leaders needed to decide whether continued investment made financial and strategic sense. Del Valle Sierra conducted a market analysis examining customer demand, pricing, development costs and long-term revenue potential.

"I came to appreciate the importance of an organization's foundational principles in guiding every strategic decision, particularly for a nonprofit like CIF," she said. "It is the board's responsibility to ensure that each program, action and decision advances the organization's core mission."

Her analysis ultimately gave CIF's leaders confidence to invest in the next generation of the platform.

"We were basically at a crossroads of whether to put it on the shelf and not invest in it anymore, or invest in it and create the next generation," Malone said. "It was through that analysis that we made a decision to go forward. We now have a much better and more extendable product line that we would have otherwise."

In 2026, the curriculum had approximately 200 active users across schools and social service agencies around the country.

Board Service with Lasting Impact

For Malone, the value of the Board Fellows program extends far beyond any single project. "The Board Fellows program is not simply a 'nice-to-do' kind of thing for us," he said. "It's a 'need-to-do' because of the valuable services and ideas we get from our Fellows. They're so professional, well-trained and comprehensive in their support."

The program has strengthened the nonprofit's ability to measure outcomes, plan for growth and demonstrate accountability to donors and stakeholders, advancing the organization's mission, Malone said. That helps CIF continue the work that Branz and Doyle started more than two decades ago: supporting adults with developmental disabilities so they can live independently in their communities.