2026 Impact Internship Program

Impact Internships

Are you ready to work for a cause you care deeply about and use your time and talents to make a difference? With funding support from CESR, Leeds undergraduates can support the mission of a nonprofit working in environmental sustainability or social impact and develop important skills that will advance your career.Ìý

CESR will provide $7,000 in stipend support for up to four undergraduate students who design a full-time, unpaid internship with a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit tackling tough environmental or social issues.

  • Medium-to-large size nonprofits with a physical office location should express interest by Nov. 1 to be included in the list of recommended organizations.
  • Interested students will be assessed by CESR for eligibility (Business GPA of 3.25+; strong academic reference; and ability to receive financial aid).
  • Eligible students will contact organizations where they are interested in working, drawing from the recommended list.
  • Organizations and students work together to develop a mutually beneficial internship.
  • CESR will review all proposed internships and will select four to fund in Summer 2026.
  • Stipend recipients will be notified by March 13.
  • This is a competitive program.

The Impact Internship program will open to interested nonprofits on September 1. ÌýPlease email Sarah Arney at sarah.arney@colorado.edu with any questions.Ìý

Sept 1 - Nov 1: Interested nonprofits can complete this form to get on CESR's list of recommended organizations for students.Ìý
Nov 10 - Feb 6: Students must complete this form to confirm eligibility and get access to the list of recommended organizations for your internship search.Ìý
Feb 2 - Mar 6: After reaching an agreement with a nonprofit, students submit details of the proposed internship to be considered for the $7,000 stipend. Deadline to apply for the impact internship stipend is March 6. Ìý

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Impact Internship Eligibility

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Internship should be completed in Summer 2025.ÌýÌý

10 weeks in length for 40 hours per weekÌý

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Internship must be with a registered 501(c)3 organization (a nonpartisan registered nonprofit) in the U.S.

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Internship must be in-person and utilize a student’s business skills.

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Internships with the nonprofit should be unpaid.Ìý

CESR would provide a $7,000 stipend to the student, if selected, to enable this work.

What is an Impact Internship?

Listed below are some examples of impactful internships with nonprofit organizations that a Leeds student might propose:

Student intern might help rebuild North Carolina homes destroyed by Helene while also applying business skills to develop a recommendation for the local organization’s leaders on how to streamline operations and optimize relief efforts.Ìý

: Student intern might apply quantitative analysis to study the impact of providing a guaranteed income to families and individuals experiencing homelessness in Denver, CO.Ìý
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: Student intern might assist low-income small business owners in Texas in accessing credit to manage and grow their businesses, insurance to protect against fire and climate disasters, and other financial services.Ìý

: Student intern might engage multiple stakeholders and develop a recommendation for the organization on how to protect public lands in Colorado from the impacts of climate change.Ìý

Crafting your Impact Internship

The timeline to develop internships for this pilot program is very short.Ìý We suggest reaching out to an organization as early as possible to start the discussion. Applicants must have a written agreement from a registered nonprofit by the deadline to be considered.ÌýÌýÌý

Stuck on how to find a nonprofit or how to start the internship conversation? Look at the examples below!

Identify a nonprofit working on an issue you care deeply about. Databases like and , can help you identify organizations by issue area, size, and state.Ìý

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Reference the  a²Ô»å  toolkits for designing an internship that supports both your development and the nonprofit’s work.

If you would like additional help brainstorming nonprofits to approach based on your interests, email Sarah Arney.Ìý