News

The Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation has extended its deadline for 35 paid internships at North Carolina nonprofits for the summer of 2021, and Sound Rivers is one of the participating nonprofits.

Originally set for Feb. 15, the deadline has been extended to Feb. 22. All applications must be sent to the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation (contact information is below).

Formed by the merger of two of the state’s oldest grassroots conservation organizations — the Neuse River Foundation and Pamlico-Tar River Foundation — Sound Rivers has been partnering with concerned citizens to monitor, protect, restore and preserve eastern North Carolina waterways for the past 40 years. Sound Rivers is based in Washington, but its coverage area includes watersheds across 23% of North Carolina’s land mass.

According to an email from the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, interns with the Non-Profit Internship Program spend a minimum of eight weeks during the summer with host organizations. The internships offer a range of exposure and skill-building opportunities in areas such as research, community outreach, public policy, communications, fundraising and social media. In addition to the internship, students will have the opportunity to connect with other interns in the program and participate in ongoing professional development throughout the summer. Interns receive a taxable stipend of $3,200.

Historically, Sound Rivers interns have been responsible for a wide variety of tasks, from running the annual Swim Guide program, which monitors bacteria in the rivers, to supporting Sound Rivers’ three Riverkeepers in their summer projects.

While Sound Rivers’ internships generally run from 11 to 14 weeks, the nonprofit is flexible on start/end dates to match any semester calendar, according to Heather Deck, Sound Rivers executive director.

The Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation established the Non-Profit Internship Program in 2011, in an effort to diversify the pool of young nonprofit professionals in North Carolina. Since 2011, the program has awarded paid internship opportunities to more than 200 Pell grant-eligible college and university students enrolled in four-year institutions across the state. This year, the program will continue through a collaboration of funders to offer approximately 35 paid internships for the summer of 2021.

Eligible students must be:

A rising sophomore, junior or senior enrolled full-time in a four-year North Carolina college or university; or

A rising sophomore, junior or senior North Carolina resident enrolled full-time in a four-year accredited college outside the state; and

Pell grant-eligible in the academic year in which they apply for NPIP. As a part of the application process, students will be asked to upload their Student Aid Report verifying their Pell grant eligibility. Students can access this document through their FAFSA login. Click here for further directions. Students ineligible for a Pell grant due to documentation issues or criminal conviction may be eligible and should contact Maya Revell.

Students of color are encouraged to apply.

More information, including FAQs, and the application can be found at www.zsr.org/non-profit-internship. The deadline for the Non-Profit Internship Program is noon on Feb. 22.