Sustainability Outreach & Grant Research InternAt — 1 Plastic Life

The Sustainability Outreach & Grant Research Intern will participate in a structured, supervised internship designed to provide hands-on experience in nonprofit outreach, sustainability initiatives, and grant research.

The intern will support 1 Plastic Life’s mission to reduce plastic waste and expand environmental education by assisting with research and outreach on potential K-12 school partnerships, community events, and researching potential grant opportunities. The intern will also help document outreach efforts and track grant opportunities using the organization’s CRM system.

The internship will begin with an initial virtual training meeting with the supervisor to review outreach procedures, research methods, and CRM documentation. After this training, all internship tasks will be completed remotely with ongoing supervision and weekly check-in virtual meetings.

This internship is designed to support academic learning outcomes related to communications, nonprofit development, research, and community engagement.

Tasks:

Students will complete professional tasks that support nonprofit development and sustainability outreach.

Tasks may include:
School and Community Outreach Research
Research K-12 schools and educational institutions that may benefit from sustainability education programs or recycling initiatives.

Professional Outreach Communication & Documentation
Assist in drafting professional outreach emails and calls to introduce the organization and its environmental programs to potential partnerships. Document outreach efforts within the organization's CRM system.

Grant Research & Tracking
Identify and evaluate potential grant opportunities aligned with the organization’s mission, environmental programs, and community impact goals. Track the grant opportunities within the internal CRM system.

Community Event Research
Research community events, sustainability fairs, and educational events where the organization may participate to expand environmental awareness and partnerships.

Weekly Progress Meetings
Provide updates on research findings, outreach efforts, and identified opportunities during scheduled weekly virtual meetings.

Training:

Students will receive structured training and mentorship throughout the internship to support professional development and academic learning outcomes.

Training will include:
Organizational Orientation
An introduction to the organization’s mission, environmental initiatives, recycling programs, and community partnerships.

Nonprofit Outreach Training
Guidance on professional communication practices, partnership outreach strategies, and relationship-building with community organizations.

Grant Research Training
Instruction on how to identify, evaluate, and track grant opportunities using the internal CRM system.

CRM and Documentation Training
Students will learn how to track outreach efforts, organize partnership data, and document grant opportunities using the internal CRM system.

Weekly Mentorship Meetings
The intern will participate in regular one-on-one virtual meetings with the supervisor to review progress, receive feedback, and discuss skill development.

Learning Outcome:

Students will demonstrate competency in nonprofit outreach research by identifying schools, community organizations, and partnership opportunities aligned with environmental initiatives.

Students will develop professional communication skills by drafting outreach messages/calls and documenting partnership development efforts.

Students will gain experience researching and evaluating grant opportunities that support nonprofit environmental programs.

Students will strengthen professional skills in organization, outreach, and research documentation.

Students will develop an understanding of how nonprofit organizations build partnerships, secure funding, and expand community impact.