The Community Foundation serving SW Colorado will again offer a paid summer internship opportunity to 10 local high school students which also benefits 10 selected Durango nonprofits. Through the CAUSE (Community Action Utilizing Service Experience) Youth Internship Program, participating nonprofits will receive a complete marketing/social media campaign for their 2024 SW Colorado Gives outreach and an operational grant of $2,500 for marketing. The grant application for nonprofits opens on March 1, and it closes on April 1. 

The CAUSE youth internship program is funded by local philanthropists who want to provide enriching workplace experiences for high school youth, while benefiting local nonprofits.  

Selected nonprofits will host a rising junior or senior intern for four weeks in June (3-28). Interns will help the organization’s team and produce a complete social media campaign for SW CO Gives Day by the end of the internship. The work environment must be engaging, onsite, and professional. A nonprofit staff member must be assigned as the intern’s mentor and supervisor, working in-person with them four days per week (M-Th).  

To be eligible, nonprofits must be Durango-based and a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization or under the fiscal agency of a 501(c)(3). Nonprofits must have public office space. Nonprofits must also be approved on the Colorado Gives platform.   

Durango nonprofits interested in applying for this grant can visit swcommunityfoundation.org/youth-internship-grants or call Rachel at 970.375.5807 ext. 5.  Students interested in applying for this paid internship may also contact the Community Foundation to learn more.