Fund Details
Yawkey Community Service Fellowship
Award Amount
$5,500
Competition Type
Yale

Brief Description:

The Yawkey Community Service Fellowship provides internship support to first year, sophomore, junior and seniors attending Yale College. Applicants must propose a summer 2026 internship working for a community-based nonprofit organization headquartered in a New England state, particularly Massachusetts and Connecticut. Organizations within Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine will also be considered. The duration of the internship must be for a minimum of 8 weeks for 30 working hours minimum/week. There is a $5,500 stipend. This is a competitive fellowship and not everyone who applies will receive funding. Please read full description for additional requirements and more information.

Description:

The Yawkey Community Service Fellowship will support students proposing to work at community-based nonprofit within the New England states, particularly Massachusetts and Connecticut. Organizations within Rhode Island, Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont will also be considered. The internship does not need to be secured before the Yawkey Community Service Fellowship application deadline as most nonprofit internships are not determined until middle- to late- spring.

The fellowship is funded by the Yawkey Foundation and the proposed internship must align with one of its six areas of giving: health care; human services; arts and culture; education; youth and amateur athletics; and conservation and wildlife. The Foundation carries on the charitable legacy of Tom Yawkey and Jean Yawkey by providing grants to nonprofits, and these areas of giving represent the dedication to helping those who need it most which the Yawkeys exemplified during their lifetimes. Explore the Areas of Giving on the Yawkey Foundation website for examples of the types of nonprofits the Foundation supports. You can also visit the Yawkey Foundation on social media for the latest news about nonprofit partners it is supporting: LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

Please note that the proposed fellowship does not need to be for one of the Foundation’s grant recipients. The examples on their website are solely to give the applicant a better idea of their past funding. Students will be able to serve across New England (MA, CT, RI, ME, VT, NH), with preference going to fellowship proposals that serve the most disadvantaged/underserved areas/communities within Massachusetts and Connecticut.

In your Yawkey application, you will be able to detail up to three different internships that you are asking the committee to consider when evaluating your application. If you have multiple proposed internships, rank their preference in your description.



Application Information:

Applicants for the Yawkey Community Fellowship must meet every criteria and provide all of following information by the application deadline. Note that this is a competitive fellowship with a limited number of awards. Not everyone who applies will receive funding. If there is any component missing by the deadline, including the letter of recommendation, the application will not be reviewed by the committee:

1.  Project Proposal: 
In your proposal, you may detail up to three different internships that you are asking the committee to consider when evaluating your application. If you have multiple proposed internships, rank the preference in your description. The proposal description must be 1-2 pages single-spaced or less. It should include the following details: Employer name, a detailed account of what you will be doing, where you will be doing it, for how long, and for how many hours each week. It should include an account of why you think this activity is important and how it will help the community. The description should also explain who you will be working with and who your supervisors, if any, will be.

2.  Personal Statement:  A personal statement which is from 1-2 pages single-spaced or less. This statement should explain what led you to where you are now and how the proposed internship will enhance and diversify your personal and academic goals. 

3.  Resume: 
A current résumé, including significant extracurricular activities, work experience, and leadership experience (one-page maximum). Your resume must be uploaded and submitted electronically.  You must include your GPA on your resume. Visit the Office of Career Strategy's website on creating a strong resume.

4.  Letter of Recommendation: 
One letter of reference from a Yale Community Member (Faculty/Staff) or a former supervisor from an organization outside of Yale to be submitted electronically via the Student Grants Database. You will be able to solicit this letter once you begin your application. Letters are expected to be received prior to the application deadline. If a letter of recommendation is not received by the application deadline, that application will be considered incomplete and will not be reviewed. We advise you to stay in conversation with your recommender to assure that your letter will be submitted on time.

Contact Information:

For questions about this application, please contact Jorimel Zaldivar at jorimel.zaldivar@yale.edu

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