Volunteer/Internships

Internships

2025 AforS Intern Job Description

PLEASE MAKE SURE TO READ ALL OF THE FOLLOWING:

We have a limited number of internships available for the summer and will prioritize people who will continue working with us during the school year.

We receive many applications but the only applications we consider are completed ones submitted through our online Intern Application: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeXwdx1ILJv7YqbFrVQzrSzTNOezJYxdCZZ22sjhB6XLOTCtg/viewform

 

We are seeking dynamic, collaborative and committed interns that want to make a difference and help change the world. We value your skills and will support you in learning new ones with a diverse, positive and supportive team.

We operate virtually through Zoom and Slack with a combination of twice-a-week staff meetings and then various team meetings with work shared through Slack, Google Drive and Canva. There are occasional in-person events and a hybrid virtual/in-person Annual Planning Retreat during the summer.

We’re seeking people who either have needed skills or seek to learn them. These can range from research, writing, editing, education, marketing, public policy, fundraising, grantwriting and crowdfunding to project & event management, op-eds, public speaking, website development, graphic design, videos, mainstream and social media (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube), database management, business outreach, finances, accounting and HR.

Our primary focus is on our Campaign for Sustainability, Health, Equity and Kindness (S.H.E. Kindness) bringing about fundamental systems change through personal and organizational transformation and impactful policy. We have four main program areas: Policy, Business, Akepa Youth & School and Outreach & Communications for impact.

Interns play an active role helping to lead meetings and projects. Each intern participates with two or more of our 8 teams: 1) Akepa Youth & School Program; 2) Business Program; 3) Policy Program; 4) Development; 5) Newsletter; 6) Communications and Marketing; 7) Book Editing & Production; and 8) Administration:

1. Akepa Youth & School Program – Presentations, eBook and other resources, website, prizes, SHE Kindness Creativity Prize, software development for backend, Students for Sustainability, School and Organization Sustainability Teams and curriculum
2. Business Program – Outreach to businesses, Sustainability Partnerships, 1% for the Planet, presentations, trainings and consulting
3. Policy Program – Take Actions, MN and DC advocacy days, corporate campaigns, and both national and state partnerships with leading nonprofits on policy issues
4. Outreach & Communications for Impact: Communications & Marketing – Oversee marketing plan, create and edit posts and videos for our five social media channels, manage website, conduct webinars and Town Hall Meetings, produce news releases and op-eds, arrange for TV, radio and print interviews, produce Annual Report, assist with graphic design, and assist with fundraising events
5. Outreach & Communications for Impact: Newsletter & Substack – Write and edit weekly Transformative Sustainability e-newsletter, seek publishing opportunities in mainstream and other media, and manage engagement with articles posted on Substack
6. Development – grant research and writing, major donors, fundraising, Give to the Max, Giving Tuesday, 1% for the Planet, crowd-funding (GoFundMe and Kickstarter), Friends Program, Sustainability Partners Program with business and fundraising events
7. Book Editing & Production – Help edit and produce our books, including Art & Song of the Week, and Sustainability Tips, as well as explore Kickstarter and other crowdfunding promotion and fundraising
8. Administration – Work with Databank Database for Friends and donors, contact management (email program), QuickBooks (finances), reporting, HR, website tech, cyber security, events and all troubleshooting with all software and hardware systems.

This is an outstanding opportunity to both learn about the internal operations of a nonprofit and have a big impact, while also getting great references and job referrals while even opening up possibilities for employment with the Alliance if there is adequate funding.

Qualifications

Knowledge of various aspects of sustainability and commitment to sustainability, health, equity and kindness in your personal and professional life

Experience with Microsoft Office, Google Suite applications and Zoom, plus ideally Slack and Canva

Strong written, verbal, speaking, editing and inter-personal communications skills

Positive, professional and respectful attitude with honesty, integrity, openness, flexibility, responsibility, creativity, interest in personal growth and ability to listen, learn and contribute

Ability to work independently, productively and collaboratively, while problem-solving, learning new skills as needed, and remaining highly organized

To Apply You MUST Complete our online Intern Application: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeXwdx1ILJv7YqbFrVQzrSzTNOezJYxdCZZ22sjhB6XLOTCtg/viewform

It is a top priority to have a diverse, inclusive and equitable team with an environment that is welcoming, positive, respectful, supportive, empowering and collaborative in order to accomplish our mission. We seek highly motivated, capable and responsible people that will help broaden our culture as we co-create a world of sustainability, health, equity and kindness. We strive to foster an environment where everyone can bring their whole selves, by their own definition. And we strive to provide all candidates with an equitable and accessible recruitment process.

This is an unpaid remote position but we provide invaluable training, experience, connections and references. If you are seeking academic credit, please get approval from your school. If adequate funds are raised, we have a priority on paying existing interns and even hiring them as regular staff. Finally, if you work adequate hours you can qualify to receive a President’s Volunteer Service Award.

The position can begin at any time based on our availability. If it is during the school year it is expected you will work 8-15+ hours a week and more if it is an internship for credit. Over the summer, we would expect 20-40 hours a week. The times of work are flexible except for two weekly staff meetings and the agreed upon Team meetings. The intern will work with the President and other staff.

Please understand that we receive a large number of internship requests and have a limited number of positions. Due to the amount of training required, our absolute minimum is four months but we give a strong preference to interns who can work with us for longer periods of time so they can help us make more of a difference.

Given our commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, we seek to have a diverse group of interns.

About the Alliance for Sustainability (www.afors.org)

We were created as a tax-exempt nonprofit in 1983 by visionaries from around the world with a mission to co-create sustainability on a personal, organizational, and planetary level. We’ve always defined sustainability as being ecologically sound, economically viable, socially just and humane, embodying our highest values in terms of how we treat people, animals and the planet.

We are a dynamic, growing, diverse, inclusive and high-impact social enterprise co-creating, catalyzing and scaling an alliance for a healthy, equitable, thriving and kind world of sustainability from an openhearted center of deep listening, empathy, compassion and collaboration. We are committed to the fulfillment of every person’s fundamental needs and achievement of large, measurable goals through our Campaign for Sustainability, Health, Equity and Kindness (S.H.E Kindness) bringing about fundamental systems change through personal and organizational transformation, impactful campaigns and public policy.

Commitment to Diversity

The Alliance is committed to having a diverse, inclusive team and an environment that is welcoming, positive, respectful, supportive, empowering, equitable and collaborative. We seek people who will bring their whole selves and broaden our perspectives and culture as we co-create a world of sustainability, health, equity and kindness. The Alliance is an equal opportunity employer with an equitable, accessible recruitment process.

Complete the Intern Application Form

Qualified candidates should complete the Intern Application sharing your skills and background for the position so we have all your information in one place, including your resume and a cover letter expressing your interest and availability, summarizing your qualifications and specifying your hours and start and end dates. If you have any questions, you can contact Terry Gips, President, Alliance for Sustainability Email: info@afors.org

Check with your Internship Coordinator BEFORE accepting to determine how you might do this internship for credit.

Download our 2025 AforS Intern Job Description or check out Handshake.

Please apply by using the Google form link. Please have a cover letter, resume, two short writing samples, and desired internship start and end dates before filling out the form.