GIV Fellowship

Youth enacting change in the philanthropic sector through a paid internship in a foundation.

The Program

The GIV Fellowship is a philanthropy internship program. Fellows work with host foundations to gain hands-on philanthropy experience while meeting weekly as a cohort to learn more about the sector. 

The GIV Fellowship:

    • Provides opportunities for youth to discover and explore potential careers in the philanthropic and nonprofit fields
    • Improves the ability of the philanthropic sector to meet community needs by including youth voice, expertise, and wisdom in foundation strategies
    • Develops a pipeline for youth from communities underrepresented in philanthropy to enter the field

The GIV (Growing Insight and Voice) Fellowship provides a paid internship opportunity for young adults to learn about the philanthropic sector including grantmaking processes, impact investing, the nonprofit field, community engagement and more. The fellowship opportunity is open to young adults ages 18-24 who are passionate about making the world a better place. The fellowship primarily serves young adults from communities underrepresented in the field of philanthropy, or otherwise disadvantaged or marginalized communities.

Upcoming Cycles

The GIV Fellowship runs every fall from August to December. We are currently recruiting for the Fall 2024 cohort! During the fellowship, fellows are placed at a host foundation based on location and interest. Fellowship is a hybrid structure of remote and in-person work. Fellows attend weekly 2 hour cohort meetings with YouthRoots staff, where they learn about the history of philanthropy. Fellows then spend ~4 hours a week working on projects with their foundations, both in person and virtually. 

See all details about hosting the Fall 2024 cohort here! 

Meet our Fall 2023 GIV Fellows! 

Contact Anna Regan, GIV Program Manager, with any questions: anna@youthroots.org 

 

Applications for the fall 2024 cohort will open this spring.

Interested in future opportunities to be involved? Complete the form below: 

 FAQs

Does the Fellowship Pay?

Yes! Fellows will be paid $22/hour for 8 hours per week for the duration of the fellowship. A $300 stipend will be paid out in two installments; $150 in the first paycheck and $150 in the middle of the fellowship. With hourly pay and stipend, a total of $2,574 will be earned over the duration of the fellowship.

What is the Commitment?

A: Fellows will work 6 hours/week for 15 weeks (8/26/24-12/6/24). About half of those hours will be scheduled meetings with your cohort and supervisor (during a typical work day), the other half will be more flexible to fit your schedule.

Do I need to be located in a certain area?

A: Residency requirements will depend on the service areas of participating host foundation. The host foundations of this cohort serve the Denver Metro Area and Seattle, Washington. We will be recruiting in these specific areas and geographic location will determine placement. Host foundations change each cohort which changes our geographic focus so check back for the next cohort and those focuses!

What does "underrepresented in philanthropy" mean?

Philanthropy has a loaded and complicated history. The GIV fellowship seeks to prepare youth from communities underrepresented in the philanthropic sector for effective careers in the field. “Underrepresented” may include youth who are BIPOC, LGBTQ+, immigrants, first-generation college students, or living with a disability. It might also mean someone who has had a formative experience that gives them a unique perspective. If you consider your voice to be “underrepresented in philanthropy or decision-making,” just explain why in the application.

I’m a full time student and/or have a job. Can I participate?

Absolutely! Because the schedule is fairly flexible, you plan the hours around your schedule. Keep in mind that fellows must be available for a 2 hour cohort meeting on Mondays 1pm-3pm MST and 6 hours per week with your host foundation. Please note any commitments or anticipated schedule conflicts in your application so we can determine the best fit for you and the host foundations.

What kind of work will I do during the fellowship?

The fellowship is a deep dive into the operations of foundations. You’ll learn all about what goes into reviewing grant applicants and selecting grantees, foundation finances and programming, and critiques and innovation in the field of philanthropy. You’ll finish the fellowship by completing a capstone project with your host foundation.

Do I have to be a US Citizen?

No, you don’t need to be a citizen, but you do need to be legally eligible to work in the US. DACA recipients and anyone with employment authorization are welcome and encouraged to apply.

Can I choose which foundation I intern with?

Fellows will be placed at a host foundation based on their location and funding areas of interest. Please select all areas that you are interested in working on in your application. Final placement will be at the discretion of YouthRoots and the host foundation(s).

What do you mean by hybrid structure?

Cohort meetings will be Mondays 1pm-3pm MST virtually via zoom. The 6 hours of the foundation time will be broken down by 1-2 hours in person (for staff meetings, supervisor meetings, etc.) with 4-5 hours flexible to in-person or remote working.

What materials do I need to participate?

Fellows will be provided with all of the information they need to know about their host foundation and the work they will be doing at the start of the fellowship. Fellows will need access to a device (tablet, computer, etc) and the internet. There’s space in the application for you to let us know if you don’t have access to a device and internet (this will not impact your application).

Host Foundations

Thank you to all the current and previous host foundations who partner with YouthRoots to make this important pipeline program a reality!

AJL Foundation

Animal Assistance Foundation

Caring for Colorado Foundation

Colorado Gives Foundation

Craig-Scheckman Family Foundation

Gary Community Investments

Gates Family Foundation

Johnson Family Foundation

Kenneth King Foundation

Next Fifty Initiative

Rocky Mountain Health Foundation

RootEd

Sheng-Yen Lu Foundation

The Colorado Health Foundation