Position: Community Foundation Fellow Student Intern

Location: In-person in downtown Athens office location

Hours: Flexible; Recommended 15-20 hour per week minimum

Supervisor: Vice President, Strategy & Operations

Position Summary

The student intern will work to support the philanthropic and community-based goals and initiatives of the Athens Area Community Foundation, collaborating on projects and tasks related to the foundation’s grantmaking and community leadership.

Position Overview: Essential responsibilities may include but are not limited to the following:

Signature Project(s):

• Each fellow will be assigned a signature project to complete with specific deliverables. These projects will be designed based on the needs of the community foundation as well as the interests of each student to provide a meaningful experience throughout the semester.
• Projects have included:
• Planning, coordinating, and communicating for our Nonprofit of the Year Award,
• Researching Impact Investing and Community Foundation partnerships, benchmarking other examples, and developing a one-pager and video presentation for the board of directors.
• Project management of special events for nonprofit partners, community foundation fundholders, and community stakeholders.
• Topical one-pagers researching local data and philanthropic suggestions to connect donors with local impact.
• Supporting grantmaking and grant cycles from the lens of the funder, learning key components of applications, rubrics, and evaluation methods.

Outreach and Communications:

• Engage in proactive and creative planning for messaging and branding.
• Support the management of social media accounts.
• Act as an ambassador for the community foundation, prepared to share about philanthropic initiatives and projects when asked.
• Join staff at one community or partner meeting per month (4 meetings per month), and attend one standing community meeting per month of your choice.

Research:

• Conduct research using timely, relevant, and reliable sources.
• Create reports and graphics after conducting literature reviews.

Data-Driven:

• Work with the Athens Wellbeing Project (AWP) team to gather relevant data points to be used for press releases, external communications, infographics, and grant activities.
• Assisting the AACF staff with the management of statistical data and creation of reports, presentations, and communications.

Other Responsibilities

• Attend staff, board and committee meetings as requested, prioritizing availability of Monday morning staff meetings each week.
• Partner with staff to create and execute project goals, working together to prioritize, plan and implement the key programs, policies and procedures that are vital to grant-making work.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Students interested in this position should be:

• Curious about community development, grant work, and communications
• Value a collaborative spirit and an openness to diversity
• Flexible and adaptive to change, responding to actively updated requests
• Comfortable with working independently and with some autonomy
• Willing and quickly able to learn new programs, platforms, and skills as needed
• Able to pass a background check

Ideal Skills and Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree IP in relevant field (example: public health, communications)
• Interest and/or experience in project management, evaluation, delivery
• Openness and willingness to learn
• Proficient in Microsoft applications and Zoom
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, ability to present to and effectively work with various stakeholders
• Social networking and communication software skills (examples: Canva, MailChimp, WordPress)

Benefits of Internship:

• We think we are fun and think you will have fun too.
• Opportunity to work hard, see results, and be a contributing member of our staff.
• Awesome addition to your resume when finished.
• Networking with local nonprofits, board members, and donors.
• Real work experience on community issues, ideas, wants, and needs.

Foundation Overview

Our Mission: The Athens Area Community Foundation helps passionate donors leave permanent legacies, serves as a well-informed grant-maker, and shapes effective responses to community needs through collaboration with local stakeholders.

Our Vision: We envision a community with sufficient philanthropic resources, harnessed to enhance civic engagement, a vibrant regional economy, a nimble workforce, effective schools, affordable housing, accessible healthcare, efficient public transportation, supportive services for the most vulnerable, strong cultural amenities, and environmental sustainability.

Our Why: We grow giving for the community you love.

Our History: We are rooted in the trusted leadership and focus of community members committed to mobilizing resources for the greater good. Established in 2008, we have over a decade of remarkable development and growth. With more than $35 million in assets under our umbrella, we are focused on expanding our ability to serve as a public grantmaking foundation partnering with donors, nonprofits, and institutions to grow, preserve, and share philanthropic assets.