Social Impact Fellow Position Description

Fall 2026, Download PDF

Program Name: College for Social Innovation, Semester in the City 

Position Title: Social Impact Fellow 

Program Location: Boston, Massachusetts 

Purpose: The Semester in the City program places quarter-time AmeriCorps fellows in capacity-building roles at small to midsize nonprofit organizations in the Boston area of Massachusetts. Fellows will expand efficiency, effectiveness, and/or reach through service activities and a special project focused in a range of priority areas chosen by the nonprofit host site. Social Impact Fellows build their civic and professional skills while making a sustainable impact on the organizations and communities they serve. 

Responsibilities: The following outlines general expectations and duties of Social Impact Fellows in the Semester in the City Program. 

Essential Functions: 

All Social Impact Fellows will: 

● Complete a special project that meets a real need for the host site. Members must: o Lead planning and implementation of the special project 

o Produce a work product/deliverables that can be evaluated by the host site supervisor and a member of the CFSI Internships team 

o The following is a list of Special Projects that have been successful in the past, particularly when Members have worked closely with Site Supervisors to create a focus and scope for the project that meets both the Fellows’ learning needs and the needs of the organization.

Project Categories:

 

  • Direct Service 

  • Description: 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: Creating a series of workshops for an after-school program and producing an implementation guide with lesson plans and a program evaluation.

  • Event Planning 

  • Description: Fellow designs, organizes, and leads their own special event (not a regular or annual event). 

  • Example: Putting on the first Resource Fair for program constituents, then creating an outcomes report and memo about how to replicate the event.

  • Report or Analysis 

  • Fellow does a research or analysis project and produces a report/presentation.

  • Researching and writing an issue-specific handbook or whitepaper for the organization.

  • 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).

  • Creating a strategy to launch a new Snapchat channel and beta-testing implementation, then creating a resource guide for continued utilization with sample content, posting timelines, and best practices for that platform.

  • Strategic Project 

  • Fellow develops and implements a particular strategy that supports the broader goals of the organization.

  • Launching a new Spanish language newsletter to increase outreach to Latinx communities for the organization.

  • Other 

  • Fellow engages in a project that does not fit into another category.

  • These projects are submitted by the host organization as part of the application and selection process, and pre-approved by CFSI program staff.

● Complete general capacity-building tasks at the host site: 

o General tasks include any that provide a learning opportunity for the Fellow, while broadly contributing to the functioning of the organization. Unlike the Special Projects, during this allotted time Fellows are welcome to serve in an assistive capacity to other staff members in the organization. General Tasks can be primarily direct/constituent-focused (tutoring young people, growing food), administrative (entering data, helping with a mailing, posting on social media, helping with outreach and communications, helping the team plan and design any program components, etc.), or a mix of the two. 

● Must complete training requirements for all mandatory topics. Including: 

o Pre-program meetings with their supervisor (after which both parties must provide written confirmation of the internship match), a one-hour all-cohort orientation roughly one week before move-in 

o A four-day, in-person program Launch Week before the start of service. Marginal Functions: 

● Attend staff meetings and organizational events

● Participate in shadowing/observation of the supervisor and other organizational leaders, and/or participate in other professional development activities to support service activities 

Qualifications: 

● Members must be at least 17 years of age at the commencement of service and must be currently enrolled college students or students taking a gap semester. 

● Members must have a high school diploma or its equivalent at the time of commencement of service. 

o Unless granted a waiver by their college institution, currently enrolled college students must hold a minimum GPA of 2.5. 

● Members must be a citizen, national, or lawful permanent resident alien of the United States. 

● Members must satisfy the National Service Criminal History Check eligibility criteria pursuant to 45 CFR 2540.202. 

Benefits: 

In addition to making a positive impact on their site and cohort communities and gaining valuable civic and professional skills and experience, members are eligible to receive the following benefits: 

● Members will receive a living allowance of up to $595, distributed in three increments ($200 in the first week of service, $200 in the sixth week of service, and $195 in the 12th week of service). 

● Members will also receive food reimbursement of up to $585, up to $40 in wellness reimbursement, and an unlimited MBTA pass worth $320. 

● Upon successful completion of the Program, including verification of service hours, completion of the required exit form, and satisfactory performance as determined by site supervisors and CFSI program staff, members will receive Segal AmeriCorps Education award of $1956.35 after completing the required Exit Form. 

● Members may earn a full semester of academic credit towards completing a college degree upon successful completion of the program and with passing grades in program classes when they are enrolled as a college student at a participating partner institution. 

Service Commitment: 

● Social Impact Fellows will serve as quarter-time AmeriCorps members during the following term:

o August 25th, 2026 - December 4th, 2026 

● Members will complete service time requirements during a 15-week period by completing a combination of service hours and weekly classes. 

● An average of 30 service hours per week is required to complete the minimum 360 service hours by the end of the service period. Members will also complete weekly scheduled classes and other training hours to achieve a minimum of 450 total hours before the end of the 15 weeks. 

● Members will have sufficient opportunity to fulfill the term of service and required hours, including holidays, time off, and opportunities to make up missed hours. 

Reasonable accommodations can be made at any time during the application process or during service. To request an accommodation, contact Rachel Burke, Associate Director of Student Experience at rachel.burke@collegeforsocialinnovation.org. 

CFSI and its programs are available to all and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, sexual orientation, disability, political affiliation, familial status, pregnancy, genetic information, military status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.