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The Denver Foundation's Nonprofit Internship Program
The Denver Foundation's Nonprofit Internship Program
2009 Denver Foundation Intern Brittany Pyle welcomes interns to the "Nonprofits 101" Learning Workshop presentation on June 12th.
In 2007, The Denver Foundation launched the Nonprofit Internship Program in response to trends showing that the nonprofit sector is experiencing challenges in recruiting and retaining diverse talent. This program provides paid internships to undergraduate students for ten weeks at nonprofit organizations in the Metro Denver area. Outreach is focused on, but not limited to, students from communities that are typically underrepresented in the nonprofit sector.
Through the Internship Program, students receive not only a meaningful learning experience about how nonprofits operate, but also find ways to pursue deeper involvement in the sector. Throughout the summer, leaders from the local nonprofit sector speak to interns in a series of Learning Workshops, providing invaluable real-world perspectives on topics such as grantmaking, inclusiveness and diversity, and careers.
Since the program's inception, more than 280 college students and 230 organizations have applied to participate in the Nonprofit Internship Program. Approximately ten interns and host organizations are selected each year. Host organizations must describe their commitment to building diversity and inclusiveness and be grantees of The Denver Foundation's Community Grants Program in one of the past three years. The internships help build the capacity of nonprofit organizations, while creating a pipeline of diverse undergraduate students looking to become staff, board members, volunteers, and donors at nonprofit organizations.
Randy Davis, a 2009 intern, just graduated from Regis University. Currently interning for Doctor's Care, he starts medical school in August at Nova Southeastern College where he will specialize in Osteopathic Medicine.
"The internship fits in with my goals because when I am a physician, I would like to do service with Doctors Without Borders" Randy stated. "My internship helps me see what being a doctor in the nonprofit sector would be like."
Briana McLean, theater major at University of Southern California, says she "is having the time of her life." She is working directly with Judy Anderson, the Director and Founder of Platte Forum. Her projects include helping organize learning labs for teachers with a resident artist from Germany. She also works directly with 15 high school interns as they create their own art pieces. "It is great because I give them input but I also learn from them," Briana says about the students. In addition to pursuing a career in theater, Briana says she has an interest in working for Teach for America, a nonprofit that places new college graduates for two years as teachers in classrooms with at-risk students.
Brittany Pyle is one of The Denver Foundation's two interns this year. The position is the last step to obtaining her degree in Nonprofit Administration and Human Services from Metropolitan State College of Denver. She is working with the Inclusiveness Project and other departments at the Foundation while helping with coordination for the other 9 interns.
"This internship is such a great opportunity," Brittany states. "Last year, I worked at an unpaid internship and I had to take out a $4,000 loan to pay my expenses. "This position is great not just because it pays, but it gives me a chance to be in a professional setting where I can learn about the things I am interested in like fundraising, grantmaking, and policy and advocacy work."
For more information about this program, please contact Holly Kingsbury at 303.996.6494 or click here.
2007, 2008, and 2009 Community Grants Program grantees,
We are excited to announce that the Nonprofit Internship Program will continue in 2010. Please look for a Request for Proposals for host organizations to be sent in mid-September. The mission of the Nonprofit Internship Program is to partner with Metro Denver nonprofit organizations and local and national funders to engage diverse undergraduate students in the nonprofit sector and develop their leadership capacity by providing meaningful paid internship opportunities. For more information and updates, please visit The Denver Foundation's website.
2009 Nonprofit Internship Program
Organization Roster
Mission: Doctors Care provides access to affordable health care, through a coalition of health care providers, to the medically underserved in South Metro Denver.
Mission: to help refugees rebuild safe, sustainable lives in Denver through supportive networks of people, services, and community activities.
Mission: Growing Home stabilizes and sustains children and their families.
Mission: Our organization challenges the root causes of education inequity by exposing the economic, social, and institutional basis for this injustice, as well as developing effective strategies to shift power and achieve institutional reform.
Mission: to enable persons with disabilities to showcase their talent and abilities through live productions and to make the performing arts more accessible to everyone.
Mission: Through the creative process, PlatteForum gives hope and direction to underserved youth who collaborate with master artists from around the world. This experience transforms the lives of the youth, the artists, and the community.
Sisters of Color United for Education
Mission: To create health equity in underserved communities by embracing wellness in mind, body, and spirit.
