Forest Foundation Internship Programs: Launching a Career in Public Service
The Forest Foundation offers comprehensive summer internship programs designed to cultivate the next generation of leaders dedicated to public service. These programs provide undergraduate students with invaluable experiences in the non-profit sector, combining hands-on work with professional development and community engagement. Through paid internships, venture grants, and operating grants, the Forest Foundation supports both aspiring leaders and emerging non-profit organizations.
A Summer of Impact: The Internship Experience
The cornerstone of the Forest Foundation's offerings is its summer internship program. This program encompasses paid internships for undergraduate college students at non-profits in the Boston area. These internships are full-time, and last for 10 weeks, typically starting in late May. Interns are expected to reside in or within commuting distance of Boston for the duration of the program.
Through a summer-long fellowship including a non-profit internship, interns make a difference in the lives of others. They learn about the larger non-profit sector and their role in it- along the way. Interns gain an insider's perspective on the industry and mission as they intern at an effective non-profit agency for 10 weeks.
Compensation and Logistics
Interns receive compensation for their work, totaling $8,000 for 400 total hours of work (internship plus series of workshops) over the summer, before tax. Forest Foundation grants this money to the host non-profit which in turn pays the intern directly. It is important to note that compensation does qualify as taxable income. Interns may need to self-sustain for a couple of weeks, as there may be a delay between starting internships and receiving first paycheck from the host agency.
Matching Interns with Host Agencies
The Forest Foundation carefully pairs paid summer interns with exceptional non-profit agencies in Greater Boston, ensuring that the agencies' missions align with the intern’s passion, skill sets, and academic path. Much effort, communication, and thought goes into this process. Both intern and host agency must agree on the placement.
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Most host agencies will require a telephone or zoom interview at a minimum and possibly an in-person interview. Students overseas or living beyond Greater Boston in the period between being selected and being placed may use Zoom or another platform for interviews. Interns and host agencies have to agree upon each other, so an interview is very instructive for both parties.
Flexibility is possible depending on the unique needs of the intern or agency. Traditionally, internships have been full-time, 5 days per week for 10 weeks starting early June. In-person workshops and Zoom meetings are counted among the weekly full-time hours (and are not added onto a full 5-day work week). Early starts or late finishes are allowed if an agreement is established with the host agency, intern, and Forest Foundation. The interns must work the full time to receive full compensation.
What to Expect During the Internship
Intern experiences vary depending on the nature and mission of the host agency. The intern’s skills, experiences, and expectations also impact the position.
If for any reason, during the matching process and subsequent internship, the intern is unhappy with their placement, Forest Foundation staff will help remedy the situation but cannot guarantee another placement and may suspend the position and remaining compensation grant.
Community and Professional Development
Interns join a cohesive community of young people who, like them, want to change the world. Throughout the summer, they gather with this community for days of networking, workshops, reflections, and professional development. These gatherings provide opportunities to learn about the broader non-profit sector, develop professional skills, and reflect on their experiences.
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The Forest Foundation Summer Fellowship Program is comprised of three core programs; a summer long internship, a series of professional and personal workshops, and a team-based grant writing project and presentation to our board on behalf of a local non profit agency.
The Group Grant-Writing Project
Within the summer long internship and series of program/workshops, students are, among other things, required to complete a group project as part of the program: The Group Grant-Writing Project. Interns are placed in small teams, receive grant-writing training, and then write a real grant for an actual non-profit organization. *A real-world, small-group grant writing project, with Forest Foundation scaffolding and support, to research, organize and create grant proposals on behalf of actual Greater Boston nonprofits.
FF Ventures: Funding for Young Non-Profit Initiatives
Beyond internships, the Forest Foundation supports young leaders through its FF Ventures program. This initiative provides college students and recent college graduates with the opportunity to submit grants for up to $10,000 of funding for a new non-profit initiative.
Forest Foundation, through its FF Ventures program, invites grant proposals from current undergraduate college students and recent college graduates who have created an emerging or new non-profit in the New England/New York states. These are funding grants to aid in the start-up and/or continued momentum of the early stages. Early grant funding is rare and critical to the frail stability of developing programs.
Grantees will then work with Forest Foundation staff to take the non-profit to the next level of sustainability.
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Housing and Relocation Assistance
Many interns come from other areas and have found reasonably priced housing through local colleges, regional sublet postings, social media, and online sites such as Craigslist. Forest Foundation does not provide housing but we have local resources to assist you in your search. Local Alumni networks form your college can also be a resource for subletting/renting a room from alumni.
Eligibility and Application
Forest Foundation fosters the next generation of public service leaders through paid summer internships at non-profits in the Boston area, venture grants to young leaders with new initiatives, and regional operating grants to new and emerging non-profits.
Making a Difference
In our 30 years of grant making, we have directly supported non-profits who work to uplift the neediest and most diverse communities. You make a difference in the lives of others through a summer-long fellowship including a non-profit internship.
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