Leading EDGE

Join fellow university students for inspiration, motivation, and information on career opportunities in the nonprofit sector! Featuring one-on-one meetings with industry mentors and a student town hall to discuss some of the issues most important to you.

Read more and watch the recordings!

All college students can look through our Mentor Directory for one-on-one guidance from nonprofit industry professionals (no internship or other program participation required). Simply search and click on each profile to learn more about their background then fill out the form to request mentorship through us.

Read more and start searching here. Or download our FAQs for students.

1.    Open internships are posted on TNPA.org/Leading_EDGE/
2.    Students apply
3.    Employers schedule interviews and make offers
4.    Selected interns are placed with their host employer for a 10-week internship over the summer with additional support from the Leading EDGE program for ongoing professional development, networking, and learning opportunities about the nonprofit sector.

If hired, Leading EDGE will then act as your guide throughout your internship by providing professional development activities and resources designed to teach you about working in the nonprofit industry. Your internship host/employer will pay the listed wage for your time, provide you with a supervisor to introduce you to key staff, assign your day-to-day activities, evaluate your performance, and provide you with opportunities to apply your academic education to real-world tasks that allow you to grow professionally.

Yes! In addition to summer internships, Leading EDGE also offers year-round resources such as micro-internships, webinar events, mentor directory, and networking opportunities to all university students. So everyone can still learn about the nonprofit sector, even if you’re not hired for a summer internship.

All college students can look through our Mentor Directory for one-on-one guidance from nonprofit industry professionals (no internship or other program participation required). Simply search and click on each profile to learn more about their background then fill out the form to request mentorship through us. We’ll then get back to you with your mentor’s availability, contact information, and suggested guidance for how to make the most of your time together.

Other requirements include at least 3-months of availability for you and your mentor (unless otherwise agreed between you and your mentor for a different timeframe).

Read more and start searching here. Or download our FAQs for students.

All Leading EDGE employers are required to pay their interns at least $17.00/hour, the national average.

Once hired by a Leading EDGE employer, student interns can then benefit from:

• Prospective job-placement options after graduation
• A stable, paid internship all summer from June – August
• Career guidance and mentorship for navigating the nonprofit/social good field
• Real-world, hands-on experience in the field
• Networking with industry professionals and leaders
• Student membership in The Nonprofit Alliance for continued access to career resources
• Access to the Leading EDGE Intern group on LinkedIn for peer engagement and program updates

• 2/1 to 4/5 – Internships will be posted for students to apply. Resumes will be sent to employers for review and interviews.
• 4/26 – Final student selections are due
• 5/20 to 5/31 – Virtual orientations for students and employers (recordings will be available for those who can’t make it)
• 6/3 – Internships begin the week of June 3rd and go until August 9th

• Must be able to pay a stipend or hourly wage of at least $17.00/hr.
• Must assign an intern supervisor/manager to ensure your program runs smoothly and provide feedback to TNPA. This person should also assist in the hiring process of your intern, conduct orientations, collaborate with the intern to develop learning goals, and regularly evaluate the intern’s performance.
• Must be responsive to TNPA communications and willing to provide feedback via periodic emails or calls/Zoom check-ins
• Must provide a learning experience where students can utilize the knowledge they’ve acquired through their academic education, receive guidance and feedback to facilitate the learning process, and engage in ongoing contemplation of learning objectives throughout the course of the internship.

For summer 2024, we are focusing our student recruitment on D.C. and New York City area schools with most of our in-person and hybrid placements in these two areas. Remote positions could also be offered by employers outside of the D.C. and NYC areas.