Columbus, OH (November 6, 2019)—The Columbus Foundation is seeking college and graduate students with interest in the nonprofit sector, offering a 10-week, paid fellowship to build work experience and develop skills for a future nonprofit career through its Summer Fellowship Program. The program, now in its tenth year, will match eligible students with 15 Franklin County nonprofits.
“The Foundation recognizes the importance of providing opportunities to build the talent pipeline for future leaders in the nonprofit sector,” said Mark Lomax II, D.M.A., Community Research and Grants Management Officer at The Columbus Foundation and leader of the Foundation’s Fellowship Programs. “The Summer Fellowship program provides real-life learning for students while also supporting programs and projects that are important to nonprofits and our community as a whole.”
The Fellowship Program will run from June 2–August 14, 2020. Fellows are matched with a nonprofit based on interests, skills, and the nonprofit’s specific needs or objectives, and are required to attend five professional development sessions culminating in an end of summer presentation on August 14. Fellows will receive a $6,000 stipend upon completion of the program.
The deadline to submit a student application online is Wednesday, December 18, 2019. To qualify for a Fellowship, applicants must be a college junior, senior, May/June 2020 graduate or graduate student in the fall of 2020, and
(1) a Franklin County high school graduate, or
(2) pursuing a degree at a Franklin County college or university.
Highly desired qualifications for Fellows include a strong academic record (preferably a 3.0+ GPA) and strong verbal and written communications skills.
These fellowships are made possible by the generosity and vision of many Foundation donors.
APPLY NOW, LEARN MORE, or share this link with a student: columbusfoundation.org/summerfellows
The following nonprofits were chosen through a competitive application process.
| Nonprofit Organization | Fellowship Project |
| A Kid Again, Inc. | To assist with data management, event planning, new volunteer onboarding, and onboarding of new families. |
| Bridgeway Academy | To develop and produce digital library content and interviews to share organizational impact. |
| Central Community House, Inc. | To work with staff to complete three grant proposals and strategy papers, create marketing content, and build the capacity of a social enterprise. |
| Columbus Children’s Theatre | To assist staff with operation of the summer camp programs. |
| Columbus Metropolitan Library Foundation | To assess and recommend improvements to the current donor stewardship program. |
| Economic and Community Development Institute, Inc. | To provide support for the Food Fort, community garden, and workforce initiatives. |
| Equitas Health | To assist with planning, logistics, marketing, and solicitation of event-related materials for the Art for Life gala. |
| Ethiopian Tewahedo Social Services | To help plan and implement a six-week summer camp and provide marketing support for the annual youth summit event. |
| Friends of the Lower Olentangy Watershed (FLOW) | To support website development, communication, and help develop efficiencies around use and storage of volunteer and donor information. |
| Huckleberry House, Inc. |
To develop and implement a speakers bureau to train volunteers to represent Huckleberry House at community events. |
| IMPACT Community Action | To assist staff with a data systems integration project that aggregates all organizational data into a centralized location. |
| Community Arts Project, Inc. dba The King Arts Complex | To administer the summer youth STEAM academy. |
| Muslim Family Services of Ohio | To assist staff with developing and launching a digital marketing campaign. |
| Venture for America, Inc. | To work with staff to connect VFA Fellows with jobs at startups and companies in central Ohio. |
| YWCA Columbus | To help the Women's Residency Program prepare for its reaccreditation process by organizing materials, updating timelines, and aggregating data. |
Learn more about being a Summer Fellow or being a nonprofit host site.
About The Columbus Foundation
The Columbus Foundation serves nearly 3,000 individuals, families, and businesses that have created unique funds and planned gifts to make a difference in the lives of others through the most effective philanthropy possible. The Columbus Foundation is Your Trusted Philanthropic Advisor® and one of the top 10 largest community foundations in the United States.