Semester in the City (SITC) - Host Organization Application

PLEASE THOROUGHLY REVIEW PRIOR TO STARTING YOUR APPLICATION!

The College for Social Innovation (CFSI) aims to educate and inspire the next generation of problem solvers by facilitating hands-on learning experiences. Through partnerships with colleges and social sector organizations, we have three distinct Social Innovation fellows that host organizations can apply for to intern with them through our Semester in the City (SITC) programs. These 15-week programs provide students with experiential learning opportunities while addressing social challenges. Participants work 30 hours per week at a nonprofit, social mission business, or government agency, collaborating closely with host organizations to make meaningful contributions to their communities. Our Social Innovation Fellows receive intensive training and support, including an initial orientation and two social innovation courses, throughout the semester. Learn more here!

Host Organizations can apply for the following Social Innovation fellows:

1. Semester in the City (SITC): This fellowship program gives undergraduate students the opportunity to spend a semester in Boston learning hands-on through well-supported internships in the social sector. We are looking for Boston / Greater Boston based Host Organizations interested in hosting SITC fellows! We will review your application and match you to a student who joins us in Boston! Learn more here!

->If you have any questions for our Semester in the City (SITC) program, please contact: internships@collegeforsocialinnovation.org

2. GAP - Semester for City (SITC): This fellowship program gives students with a minimum of a high school diploma (between 18-26 years old) the opportunity to intern at a social impact organization during their GAP semester whether they are enrolled in college or not. We are looking for Boston / Greater Boston based Host Organizations interested in hosting GAP SITC fellows! We will review your application and match you to a student who joins us in Boston! Learn more here!

->If you have any questions for our GAP - Semester for City (SITC), please contact: internships@collegeforsocialinnovation.org


3. National Taiwan University (NTU) - Semester in the City (SITC): This is an exciting new partnership with National Taiwan University that branches from our Semester in the City program. International multilingual undergraduate students from Taiwan, with graduate level experience working at NGOs,  have the opportunity to further develop their critical thinking skills by spending a semester in Boston learning hands-on through well-supported internships in the social sector. We are looking for Boston based Host Organizations interested in specifically hosting NTU students for FALL semesters only! We will review your application and match you to a NTU student who joins us in Boston! 

->If you have any questions for our National Taiwan University (NTU) - Semester in the City (SITC) program, please contact: kimara.merceron@collegeforsocialinnovation.org

Social Innovation Fellow Type Selection

After reviewing our three types fellows, please select which fellow your Host Organization would like to apply for! You are welcome to select multiple! 

Please note: Through this application, we are seeking to understand how your organization would utilize and support one or more Social Innovation Fellows, as well as gather enough information to facilitate excellent match(es) with one or more of our cohort of Social Innovation Fellows. We understand that circumstances may change between now and the start of the internship placement. Please complete this application to the best of your ability using your current information and thinking. 

We have streamlined this application as much as possible to get the information we need for each program type. Please feel free to use bullet points rather than prose wherever helpful.

Review your Fellow Selection 
You have selected to apply for our Semester in the City (SITC) fellow. As a reminder, these fellows are US based undergraduate students looking for the opportunity to spend a semester in Boston learning hands-on through a well-supported internship in the social sector. 

We are looking for Boston / the Greater Boston area based Host Organizations interested in hosting these SITC fellows! We will review your application and match you to a student who joins us in Boston! 
Review your Fellow Selection 
You have selected to apply for our Gap - Semester in the City (SITC) fellow. As a reminder, these fellows are US based students with a minimum of a high school diploma (between 18-26 years old) looking for the opportunity to intern at a social impact organization during their GAP semester whether they are enrolled in college or not. 

We are looking for Boston / the Greater Boston area based Host Organizations interested in hosting these GAP fellows! We will review your application and match you to a student who joins us in Boston! 
Review your Fellow Selection 
You have selected to apply for our National Taiwan University (NTU) - Semester in the City (SITC) fellow. As a reminder, these fellows are NTU undergraduate students looking for the opportunity to spend a FALL semester in Boston learning hands-on through a well-supported internship in the social sector.

Please note NTU students:
  • Are multilingual (including fluency in English)
  • Can be graduates students
  • Have at least one semester experience working on a graduate-level project with a NGO
  • Will require the prospective host organization to complete the JI-Work VISA process (however, CFSI will support!)
  • Can NOT work directly with children or elderly due to their J1-Work VISA stipulations
  • Special projects must be related to their major. We anticipate this will be very simple for humanities students, but it may take some adjustments for STEM students. Host org will work with CFSI to help finalize this.
  • Are only eligible to intern for Fall Semesters
We are looking for Boston / the Greater Boston area based Host Organizations interested in hosting these NTU fellows for the upcoming FALL SEMESTER! We will review your application and match you to a student who joins us in Boston! 

Organizational Overview

NTU Fellow Selection
Please note: You have chosen to be considered for an NTU student fellow. If matched with an NTU student, your application will be for the Upcoming Fall term only. If you have also selected another type of fellowship, we will consider this with the NTU fellow and find the best match based on your semester preferences and special projects and daily tasks.
Basic Information


If this is your first application, please select 'other - not listed' and input your organization name.





Don't forget to add specifics such as Suite Number




Who is the best person to discuss this application with and serve as the primary point of contact for your organization?









Who is the best contact for billing purposes for your organization?



Organizational Information














Approved By






Organizational Details

(1000 character limit)

(1000 character limit)

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Keep in mind where the Fellow will be placed if it is not at the same site as you
J1-Work VISA
Since you have been considered for an NTU Fellow, we require additional information to expedite the J1-Work VISA process. Kindly fill out the following details.

This DOES NOT include mission based work (ie, admin, data, operations, finance work, etc. related children or elderly)







You are answered yes, that this intern will be expected to work directly with children or elderly.
Unfortunately, due to their JI-Work VISA status, NTU students can NOT work directly with children or elderly. You will be now be redirected to fill out information for a Semester in the City fellow or GAP Semester in the City fellow based on your other selections on the previous page.

If you DID NOT select another fellow type, please go back to the previous page and do so. 

Fellowship Overview and Mentor Details

In this section, you will provide preliminary information on the Fellowship role(s) your organization can offer and the Mentors who will support the Fellows in these roles. We understand that organizational needs may change. We encourage customization of tasks and projects with individual Fellows once matched. This section is to give our Team a sense of the types of learning opportunities you have available, which will aid in the selection and matching process. 

Note: You must submit a separate position and special project (below) description for EACH Fellow you're applying for

AmeriCorps Prohibited Activities
Below is a list of AmeriCorps prohibited activities for SITC or Gap-SITC Fellows placed in nonprofit organizations. Fellows may not engage in these activities during their service to your organization.

While charging time to the AmeriCorps program, accumulating service or training hours, or otherwise performing activities supported by the AmeriCorps program or AmeriCorps, staff and members may not engage in the following activities (see 45 CFR § 2520.65): 

  1. Attempting to influence legislation 
  2. Organizing or engaging in protests, petitions, boycotts, or strikes 
  3. Assisting, promoting, or deterring union organizing
  4. Impairing existing contracts for services or collective bargaining agreements
  5. Engaging in partisan political activities, or other activities designed to influence the outcome of an election to any public office
  6. Participating in, or endorsing, events or activities that are likely to include advocacy for or against political parties, political platforms, political candidates, proposed legislation, or elected officials
  7. Engaging in religious instruction, conducting worship services, providing instruction as part of a program that includes mandatory religious instruction or worship, constructing or operating facilities devoted to religious instruction or worship, maintaining facilities primarily or inherently devoted to religious instruction or worship, or engaging in any form of religious proselytization
  8. Providing a direct benefit to
    1. A business organized for profit
    2. A labor union
    3. A partisan political organization
    4. A nonprofit organization that fails to comply with the restrictions contained in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 related to engaging in political activities or substantial amount of lobbying except that nothing in these provisions shall be construed to prevent participants from engaging in advocacy activities undertaken at their own initiative
    5. An organization engaged in the religious activities described in paragraph C.7. above, unless AmeriCorps assistance is not used to support those religious activities
  9. Conducting a voter registration drive or using AmeriCorps funds to conduct a voter registration drive
  10. Providing abortion services or referrals for receipt of such services
  11. Such other activities as AmeriCorps may prohibit.  

For for-profit organizations 

Fellows that are matched with a for-profit organization cannot be an AmeriCorps Member. They will not qualify for the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award (approximately $2,000); CFSI will award them an education award of the same value. Additionally, fellows placed at such organization will need to continue to adhere to the guidelines of the prohibited activities, if you have any questions or concerns, reach out to Kimara Merceron, the Senior Manager of Internships Recruitment at Kimara.merceron@collegeforsocialinnovation.org.
Fellow Position Details 

How will you refer to the Fellow when you introduce them? (E.g. Social Media Fellow, Energy Research Fellow, Etc.). Please note, we may change these titles to align across the cohort.


E.g., Fellow needs to be able to read and write in Spanish.
Position Structure & Resources 
We will be prioritizing internships that are accessible via public transportation and are either fully in-person or hybrid format with opportunities for students to make in-person connections.

Please give us a sense of the flexibility in the structure/location of this position:




Mentor Contact Information











Mentor Desire and Qualifications







Position Specifics

As part of their learning experience, Fellows should spend approximately 10% of their time  participating in professional development or observation, approximately 40% of their time
on a Special Project, and approximately 50% of their time on general capacity-building tasks. The questions in this section ask you to detail how each of those time allotments will be spent and are integral to selection and matching. 
Please rank the top three professional development/observation opportunities you will be able to provide your Fellow:







Special Projects


Special Projects all share the following characteristics:
  1. Project is large enough to account for 12 of 30 Fellow internship hours per week
  2. Project meets a real need for the organization -- not just “make work”
  3. Fellow takes the lead in planning and implementation
  4. Fellow has an opportunity for real responsibility, real success and real failure
  5. Project goals and objectives are clearly articulated
  6. Produces a product that can be evaluated by both the Mentor and a member of the CFSI staff Team to contribute to cross-cohort parity for internship grades
  7. Please review the AmeriCorps Prohibited Activity (above, if applicable) as you create your special project description

SPECIAL PROJECT CATEGORIES:
  • Direct Service: Fellow manages a portion of the organization’s direct service delivery, particularly when existing systems are in place to support college age students or young adults in these roles. (Example: Create a series of workshops for an after school program and produce an implementation guide with lesson plans and a program evaluation)
  • Event Planning: Fellow designs, organizes, and leads their own special event (not a regular or annual event). (Example: Put on the first Assistive Technology Resource Fair for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing for Easter Seals then create an outcomes report and memo about how to replicate)
  • Report or Analysis: Fellow does a research or analysis project and produces a report/presentation (Examples: Research and write a handbook about urban chicken care for Green City Growers; Analyze program data and produce and deliver a presentation to staff about recommended program revisions)
  • Social Media: Fellow develops and implements a social media strategy for the semester (must include significant opportunity for design and planning, not just executing existing plans). (Example: Manage social media strategy and implementation for Playworks including launching a new Snapchat channel then create a style guide for future use)
  • Strategic Project: Fellow develops and implements a particular strategy that is self-contained, but supports the broader goals of the organization. (Examples: Launch a new Spanish language newsletter to increase outreach to Latinx communities for Union Capital Boston; Create and implement a strategy to recruit 25 new volunteers from Boston University for a day of service; report on outcomes in brief write up.)
  • Other:





Lowest
Highest



"General Tasks" and capacity building will encompass at least half of the Fellows time. This means assisting with any tasks that provide a learning opportunity for the Fellow while contributing to the function of the organization broadly. Please review the Americorps Prohibited activity above as you create your general tasks and capacity description.  

Unlike the special projects, Fellows are welcome to serve in an assistive capacity during their General Task time, for example: 
  • Tutoring students one on one (direct service)
  • Staffing tables at outreach events (outreach and communication)
  • Weeding vegetables in a community garden (direct service)
  • Helping to plan for an annual fundraising gala (program planning and design)
  • Assisting with a mailing for an annual appeal (computer/administrative)
  • Running attendance reports for an event (data and evaluation)
GENERAL TASKS CATEGORIES:
Please rank the top three "general tasks" categories that this position will work on:
  • Data and Evaluation
  • Direct Service
  • Computer Based/Misc. Admin Work
  • Outreach and Communication
  • Program Planning & Design
  • Social Media (not related to a special project) & Marketing
  • Finance and Operations 
  • Other
















If your organization would like to host more than one Fellow this semester please click the link below to create the additional position(s).  

Placement Considerations

To aid us in selection and placement of fellows, please answer the statement below to give us a sense of your organization's support needs. 


Waitlist










Signature & Acknowledgments 


Please review the following section carefully. If your organization is selected and matched you will need to provide the four items listed below. Missing some of the items? That's okay you can still apply! 


If you are matched with a Fellow can you provide us with the following items:
Please note that starting in Fall 2025, the host organization fee will increase.
CFSI Host Org Fee Waiver Request
You have indicated that the host org fee might be a barrier for your organization and we’d love to understand better how we can work with you on this. 

Historically, we always have a small discretionary fund to waive (or partially waive) the fee for our partner organizations. However, as we work with many organizations across the state, we try to limit these waivers to one per organization or on a case-by-case basis. Please answer the following questions to the best of your ability to help us better consider your fee waiver request.





 I understand that submission of this application does not guarantee that I will be extended an offer to host an SITC Fellow. I certify that all my statements in this application (or in a submitted resume) are true and complete. I understand that any untrue or incomplete statements or omissions of requested information in this application may result in an inability to match your organization with a Fellow(s).  

Contact Information