One Day, One Job » advocacy

Slavery Footprint

Willy Franzen — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 16:06:50 +0000

SinglePlatform is hiring 50 new grads in New York City to help local businesses get discovered. Learn how you can be one of them.

If I told you that I had 52 slaves working for me, you’d either think that I was making an offensive joke about unpaid internships or just being offensive. Unfortunately, it’s the truth. It’s nearly impossible for anyone living in our society not to benefit from modern slavery. So what do we do about it? Before you can take responsibility for your consumption, you have to understand your “slavery footprint.” Slavery Footprint is an Oakland, CA based non-profit organization that aims “to generate awareness and action for the issues of forced labor, slavery, and human trafficking.” They’ve done this through a film called Call + Response, a documentary with CNN, and an online survey that helps you calculate your slavery footprint based on what you consume and own.

Leave No Footprint

Slavery Footprint’s standout feature is its design. They’ve built an extremely intuitive way for you to get a basic understanding of how slavery is part of supply chains that end with you. Most slavery happens at the raw materials level–well before manufacturers and brands act as intermediaries, so it’s easy to be blind to it. Slavery Footprint helps you spread the word to friends and identify where you can be more responsible with your consumption. In my opinion, Slavery Footprint’s best feature is also its biggest flaw. Because you can causally enter information into their app and calculate your “slavery footprint,” it’s easy to not take the results seriously and fail to take action. Still, it’s better than a PSA or other non-personalized message. If your slavery footprint results really hit you hard, one of the best ways that you can respond is to consider a job with Slavery Footprint. Right now they have a Executive Administrator/Office Manager posted on Idealist, that looks really well suited to a new or recent grad. Give it a look and see if it’s a good fit for you.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What’s your Slavery Footprint?

Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation

Willy Franzen — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 15:47:31 +0000

April is the month of Opening Days. My two favorite seasons–baseball and fishing–open all across the country this time of year. I’ve already snuck up to Michigan’s Au Sable River once this year to go fishing, and I have another trip planned in a couple weeks. I’m lucky that I have such a wonderful place to spend my time, and I have a number of conservation groups to thank for their work in protecting and improving the river system and its trout fishing. I’m a total sucker for anything related to hunting or fishing, so when a reader e-mailed me yesterday to tell me about a job at the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, there was no doubt in my mind that I’d be writing about them today. They’re a Washington, DC based non-profit organization that provides “access and a voice for sportsmen in the U.S. Congress, the Administration and federal land management agencies, as well as state legislatures across the country.” They’ve been at it for more than 20 years, and they’ve accomplished quite a bit in that time.

A Sporting Life

The one thing that bothers me about the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation is their website. It’s poorly designed and looks unprofessional (some pages have broken images); however, there is still a good amount of useful information. I just expect better from an organization that calls itself “the most respected and trusted hunting and fishing organization in the political arena.” Still, their results speak for themselves. Here’s what they’ve done at the federal level, and here’s some information on their state level work. If you love the sporting life and its intersection with politics, but for some insane reason would like to live in Washington, DC (where a sporting life requires sitting in traffic to escape the city), then take a look at the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation’s Jobs page. Right now they’re looking for a Communications Coordinator, and it looks like a great opportunity for a new or recent grad.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you hunt or fish?

50CAN

Willy Franzen — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 12:48:29 +0000

Reasoning Mind is an education focused non-profit that uses the web to teach kids math, and they’re hiring 30 new grads as Program Coordinators. Learn more about these amazing entry level opportunities.

I was really lucky in that my parents sent me to a top notch private school for 6th through 12th grade. I have no doubt that it had a significantly positive effect on my education. Why? Because it was a truly great school. Private schools obviously aren’t the only great schools (and plenty of private schools aren’t all that great), but there’s no doubt that many of our country’s public schools are underperforming. 50CAN is a New York, NY based non-profit organization that is pushing for education reform because they believe that “Great Schools Can Change Everything.” They don’t just mean test scores and individual outcomes. They mean our economy, our democracy, our dreams, our competitiveness, our health, our communities, and pretty much everything else. 50CAN is different from many of the education focused non-profits that you’re likely familiar with in that 50CAN is focused squarely on advocacy.

YouCAN

50CAN has a wonderful website. It’s beautiful, and it does a great job of conveying information in a simple way. I recommend that you start browsing it by reading their Why Schools? page. Next you’ll want to read through the 50CAN Model. You’ll get an in-depth look at how they’re going state by state to “build citizen movements to ensure that every child has access to a great public school.” If you want to see what kind of results this approach delivers, just check out 50CAN’s Case Studies. Hopefully as you check out these pages, you’ll be drawn into other parts of 50CAN’s website. There’s a lot more to learn about the organization. So far CAN is operating in Minnesota, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Maryland, and New York (North Carolina is coming soon). Obviously the goal is to reach all 50. If you want to be a part of 50CAN, check out their Jobs page. Right now they’re looking for a Government Relations Associate for RI-CAN (Providence, RI) and a New Site Development Manager (New York, NY). If neither of those positions look right for you, you can also sign up to bring 50CAN to your state.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Did you go to a great school?

Constitutional Rights Foundation

Willy Franzen — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 15:14:59 +0000

Think back to your favorite 90s sitcom. Odds are that there was an episode where your favorite main character was bored to death by some teacher trying to teach him or her about the Constitution. Your favorite character was completely unengaged until some major life event (usually artificially created by the brilliant teacher) came up that made the Constitution super relevant. I can already picture the specific Boy Meets World and Saved by the Bell episodes. Since those tv shows don’t actually teach much about the Constitution, we need our kids to have similar real life experiences. That’s what Constitutional Rights Foundation provides. They’re a Los Angeles, CA based non-profit that aims “to instill in our nation’s youth a deeper understanding of citizenship through values expressed in our Constitution and its Bill of Rights and to educate young people to become active and responsible participants in our society.” This is really important stuff–we can’t just expect future generations to learn it from watching reruns on tv.

Be on the Rights Side

As we learned from tv, you can’t just teach kids that civic participation is important. You need to show them the why and how. That’s what Constitutional Rights Foundation’s Programs are all about. One of the cooler things that CRF does is the Expanding Horizons Internships program. It takes Los Angeles high school students and puts them to work on constitutionally relevant projects at the city’s “most prestigious law firms, corporations, and non-profit organizations.” This just one of many great programs, so I highly recommend that you browse through them all to get a more complete understanding of how CRF goes about pursuing its mission. If you’re a Constitution lover and you want to pass it along to a younger generation, check out Constitutional Rights Foundation’s jobs on Idealist. Right now they’re looking for an Administrative Assistant/Office Manager. It looks like it could be a great fit for a new or recent grad.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What’s your favorite Constitutional Amendment?

The Humane Society of the United States

Willy Franzen — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 18:00:23 +0000

Amy and I are going to the International Kennel Club of Chicago Dog Show today. We’re not thinking about getting a dog yet, but we’re thinking about thinking about it. Since dogs are on my mind today, I figured I’d look for an animal friendly non-profit. You’d be hard pressed to find an organization more animal friendly than The Humane Society of the United States. They are “the nation’s largest and most effective animal protection organization” with support from more than 11 million people in the U.S. Their national headquarters is based in Washington, DC, but you’re probably familiar with local humane societies. While the local societies are not directly connected with The Humane Society of the United States, they do get support from it.

Be Humane

The Humane Society of the United States is different from local shelters in that they typically focus on bigger picture issues. They do this “by advocating for better laws to protect animals; conducting campaigns to reform industries; providing animal rescue and emergency response; investigating cases of animal cruelty; and caring for animals through our sanctuaries and wildlife rehabilitation centers, emergency shelters and clinics.” You can read much more on the organization’s work here. There’s a lot more to explore on The Humane Society of the United States’ website, so I highly recommend that you take some to learn more about how they operate and what they’re working on right now. If you’re inspired by what you see, then take a look at Careers at The Humane Society of the United States. Right now they have a few opportunities that you may want to consider including:

If you love animals, one of these jobs could be perfect for you.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you have a pet?

League of Conservation Voters

Willy Franzen — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 14:42:35 +0000

Environmental issues and politics make an interesting combination. The environment is typically a long-run issue, and politicians are historically bad at dealing with anything that isn’t in the short-term. If you don’t believe me, look no further than the national debt or the Social Security situation. The reason for this is that most voters don’t get fired up about stuff that is going to happen in 5/10/100 years. Voters get fired up about the present, so that’s what politicians cater to–remember it’s all about reelection. If you want politicians to act with a long-term mindset, you really have to push them, and that’s exactly what the League of Conservation Voters does. They’re a Washington, DC based non-profit organization that “works to turn environmental values into national priorities.” They do this by focusing on two key areas: educating the public about environmental issues and helping elect pro-environment leaders.

A League of Its Own

The League of Conservation Voters has a long list of issues that it focuses on including Clean Air, Clean Energy, Clean Water, Global Warming, Hardrock Mining, Holding Big Oil Accountable, Open Spaces, Toxic Chemicals, Transportation, and Wildlife. They attack these issues at the national level while also having their state chapters work at more local levels. I think one of the more interesting things that they do is hold congresspeople accountable through the National Environmental Scorecard. You can plug in your representative’s name and see what his or her record is on important environmental issues. If you’re excited by the League of Conservation Voters’ values and want to be a part of what they’re doing, then take a look at their Careers page. Right now they’re looking for a Development Assistant (deadline has passed, but it’s still worth applying since it’s still posted) and a Special Events and Major Gift Program Coordinator. Both positions look like good fits for new or recent grads, so check them out.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you know about the League of Conservation Voters?

Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund

Willy Franzen — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 14:49:51 +0000

Today’s the big game! By the end of tonight there will probably be a new football hero for many fans. Unfortunately, even being the star of one of the world’s biggest sporting events doesn’t guarantee a carefree future. Football is a brutal sport that takes a terrible toll on the body. This is doubly bad for players. First, it causes all kinds of long-term health problems, and, second, it shortens careers significantly. This becomes a major problem for retired players who no longer have a source of income and are dealing with the physical aftermath of a career in football. Nobody wants to see their heroes down and out, which is why Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund was started. They’re based in Northbrook, IL, and they “provide financial assistance and coordinate social services to dire need retired NFL players who are pioneers of the game and have greatly contributed to the NFL’s status as the most popular sport in America.”

A Great Organization

I know that it’s hard to empathize with someone who played a game for a living, but even today’s players with their salaries that are often millions annually have a tough road ahead of them. Imagine if you made all the money that you’d make in your life in your first three years after college. It’d be pretty hard to be responsibly manage the money–especially knowing that there will likely be long-term medical problems. Fortunately, the NFL has realized the problems that life after football can present, and they’ve gotten much better about taking care of players after retirement; however, that still leaves many retired greats without help. Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund, which is chaired by Mike Ditka, is helping to take care of these players by “treating them with dignity, and addressing the post-football related issues in their lives.” While Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund doesn’t have a jobs page, you can contact them here. They’ve offered internships in the pat, so it many not be unreasonable to inquire about a job. It’s at least worth trying if you’re a big football fan. You may also want to check out our past posts on the National Football Foundation, the Pro Football Hall of Fame, USA Football, and, of course, the NFL and its teams.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Who do you think will win the Super Bowl?

HealthCorps

Willy Franzen — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 16:33:44 +0000

If you’ve been job searching for a while, there’s a good chance that you’ve picked up a daytime tv habit. That’s not the most productive thing to do with your time, but at least you know who Dr. Oz is. If you don’t know, he’s a heart surgeon who was made famous by his appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show. He now has his own show, but he also started a non-profit with his wife called HealthCorps. It’s based in New York, NY, and it’s aimed at “fighting the obesity and mental resilience crisis by getting American students and communities across the country to take charge of their health.” The organization was founded in 2003 and already has its peer mentoring programs in 54 high schools across 13 states. By the end of the year they expect to impact more than 100,000 students, and by 2015 they want to be in 100 high schools across all 50 states.

Join the Corps

The way HealthCorps structures their programs makes so much sense that I’m surprised more non-profits don’t have a similar structure. The base of their programs is focused on in-school programs targeted directly at changing student behavior. The next level is community outreach programs focused on getting more people involved beyond just the students. Finally, they do advocacy work at the national, state, and city levels. To get a deeper feeling for how HealthCorps does its work, watch this video (e-mail readers may need to click through):

If you like what you see, then you should probably check out HealthCorps’ jobs on Idealist. There are a ton of internships posted, but the only full-time job is for a Junior Accounting Analyst. Oddly enough, one of HealthCorps’ main ways of doing work is through their Coordinator position. It’s essentially a mentor for healthy living. You have to know to look for it, but there’s also a place to apply to be a HealthCorps Coordinator. I almost missed it, so they should probably do a better job of promoting it.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you think of HealthCorps?

The Nature Conservancy

Willy Franzen — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 14:50:09 +0000

Last night I started watching Planet Earth and ended up staying awake later than I intended. This morning the same channel was on, and I ended up watching documentaries on Yellowstone. There aren’t many things that I find more fascinating than nature, so it’s easy for me to get caught up in these kinds of shows. It’s also why I think the work of The Nature Conservancy is so important. They’re an international non-profit organization based in Arlington, VA that is “the leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people.” The Nature Conservancy was founded in 1951, and since then they have grown their membership to more than 1 million people. The organization’s huge size gives it a ton of power and has enabled it to do some really amazing work.

Nature Over Nurture

Everything that The Nature Conservancy does is rooted in science. They gather facts first, and then they take action on a local and a global scale. That’s why they’ve been able to protect “more than 119 million acres of land and 5,000 miles of rivers worldwide.” What strikes me most about The Nature Conservancy is that they take a “non-confrontational, pragmatic” approach that sets them apart from some other conservation organizations. This may occasionally limit their short-term effectiveness, but it ensures that in the long run The Nature Conservancy will have the respect and legitimacy to continue protecting ecologically important lands and waters. If you want to dig deeper into this topic, you should really check out The Nature Conservancy’s Why We’re An Effective Nonprofit page. There’s a ton more to check out on The Nature Conservancy’s website (like How They Work and Where They Work), but I’ll leave the rest of the research to you. If you like what the organization is all about, check out their Careers page. They have some great opportunities for new or recent grads including (sorry I can’t link to the postings, but it’s a bad applicant tracking system):

Burn Crew Technician (Glyndon, MN or Karlstad, MN or Center, ND or Clear Lake, SD)
Philanthropy Coordinator (San Francisco, CA)
Preserve Management Assistant – Prairie Forest Border Ecoregion (Cushing, MN)
Seasonal Field Representative (Keene Valley, NY)
Human Resources Coordinator (Austin, TX)
Stewardship Field Assistant (Brunswick, ME)
Prairie Recovery Specialist (Watson, MN)
Conservation Coordinator (Anchorage, AK)
Preserve Management / Bison Research Technician (Leola, SD)
Grassland Bird Technician (Minor, ND)
Digital Marketing Programmer Analyst (Arlington, VA)
Stewardship Assistant (Choteau, MT)
Communications Coordinator (Oklahoma City, OK)
Assistant Land Steward (Letts, IA)

If you love nature and want to work at a non-profit, it would be hard to beat a gig with The Nature Conservancy. So take a look at these positions, and see if any are a good fit.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you know about The Nature Conservancy?

Mothers Against Drunk Driving

Willy Franzen — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 14:24:10 +0000

New Year’s Eve is a wonderful holiday for celebrating a great year past and the prospects of a great future. It’s a time that we spend with family and friends and think about how we can better ourselves. Yet for many alcohol plays a prominent role in the celebration, and the new year begins with a hangover. That’s not my style, but you’re free to have a great night however you want. Just make sure that your alcohol use doesn’t negatively affect anyone else. Most importantly, that means don’t drink and drive. That’s the message that Mothers Against Drunk Driving has been spreading since it was founded in 1980 by Candy Lightner “after her daughter, Cari, was killed by a repeat drunk driving offender.” Three decades later MADD, which has national offices in Irving, TX and Washington, DC and chapters all across the country, has made a lot of progress fighting drunk driving, but there’s a long way to go considering that there is an injury from an alcohol-related crash every minute.

Get MADD

MADD is best known for it’s work to stop drunk driving, but they also do a lot of work to prevent underage drinking and to provide victim services. The organization played an extremely prominent role in pushing for the .08 BAC limit in the U.S., and now they’re setting their sights on legislation that requires convicted drunk drivers to “blow before they go” by installing in car breathalyzers. Some criticize MADD for fudging their statistics and being part of the “alcohol prohibition lobby,” but they’re really just about saving lives. For 2012 their goal is to get U.S. drunk driving fatalities under 10,000. It’s hard to argue with that. If you like what MADD is doing, take a look at their Jobs page. Right now they’re looking for:

Court Monitoring Project Specialist (Chicago, IL)
Court Monitoring Project Specialist (St. Louis, MO)
Program Coordinator (San Diego, CA)
Program Coordinator (Los Angeles, CA)

All of these jobs require some prior experience, but they’re still worth checking out. Have a happy and safe new year!

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Drive safely!

Fractured Atlas

Willy Franzen — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 14:09:09 +0000

No matter what you majored in, it’s tough out there right now (ok, computer science might be an exception), but chances are that there’s some sort of entry level job somewhere that will get you on a career path that you’re happy with. That’s not so for a lot of artists. That’s not to say that there aren’t some amazing job opportunities for Arts majors, but where do you work if you actually want to make a living selling your art? (No, the punchline isn’t Starbucks.) You have to be an entrepreneur, and that’s not easy–especially when you also have to put as much energy as you can into creating. Fractured Atlas is a New York, NY based non-profit organization that facilitates “the creation of art by offering vital support to the artists who produce it.” It’s about providing artists with services, programs, and information that will help them to achieve financial security and enable them to keep creating.

Liberate the Artist

If there is any group of people that doesn’t need liberating, you’d think it’d be artists. Yet, that’s Fractured Atlas’ motto. It’s all about financial liberation. If artists can use Fractured Atlas’ programs and services to run better businesses, then they can be free to keep creating art. What I find interesting about Fractured Atlas is that they take a “non-curatorial” position, which means that they don’t discriminate based on what they think of your art. Their offerings are the same for all artists, and they include: Fiscal Sponsorship, Health Insurance, Liability Insurance, Professional Development, Special Offers and Discounts, an Open Ats Network, and Advocacy. This year Fractured Atlas’ membership exceeded 16,000, which is a lot of artists. If you’d like to be part of helping Fractured Atlas’ growing even bigger, take a look at their jobs on Idealist. Right now they’re hiring an External Relations Associate, which looks like a great opportunity for a new or recent grad with some experience in grant writing.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Fractured Atlas?

WildAid

Willy Franzen — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 18:03:46 +0000

The University of Chicago has five job openings that are perfect for recent grads. Check them out here.

I’ve always been fascinated by wildlife. Every time I see a species that I’ve never seen before in the wild, I get excited. So I find it upsetting that so many amazing animal species are in danger of extinction. I realize that some extinction is natural, some is caused indirectly by man, and some is caused directly by man. It’s that last group that is most worrying. There is currently a $5-10 billion worldwide trade in illegal wildlife, yet many wildlife conservation efforts ignore this fact–they invest millions in try to protect the species, but they ignore the demand side. WildAid is a San Francisco, CA based non-profit organization that aims to “end the illegal wildlife trade in our lifetimes by reducing demand through public awareness campaigns and providing comprehensive marine protection.”

Get Wild

WildAid’s programs focus on six specific areas: Sharks, Tigers, Elephants, Rhinos, Marine Protection, and Climate. Much of their work is focused on awareness and advocacy. WildAid teams up with celebrities to deliver their messages. So far they’ve worked with names like Yao Ming, Leonardo DiCaprio, Harrison Ford, Jackie Chan, Kate Hudson, Carmelo Anthony, and a lot of people I’ve never heard of. It’s many of those names that I’m unfamiliar with that are most important. Why? Because they’re stars in their countries–countries that are huge participants in the illegal wildlife trade. So far WildAid has received “well over $100 million (USD) in pro-bono media support,” and I expect that they’ll continue to push their message until “the killing stops.” If you’re moved by WildAid’s message, check out their Jobs page. Their current postings aren’t quite entry level, but you should still take a look at their opportunities to see where you might fit in.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What’s your favorite endangered species?

Free Software Foundation

Willy Franzen — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 17:10:34 +0000

Today is One Day One Job’s 4th anniversary. In that time we’ve reached millions of job seekers, helped a lot of grads land jobs that they wouldn’t have found without us, and even attained profitability. I’ll be sending out an e-mail with more on that topic, but I wanted to take today to write about a non-profit that helped make One Day One Job possible. I had never heard of the Free Software Foundation when I launched the site, but I’ve come to realize that I couldn’t have done what I’ve done without them. They’re a Boston, MA based “nonprofit with a worldwide mission to promote computer user freedom and to defend the rights of all free software users.” Without free software like Linux, Apache, and WordPress, I probably would have run out of money before I started. While the FSF isn’t actually behind these projects, they’ve done an amazing amount of work to support the free software ecosystem.

The Best Things in Life Are Free

If you’re not exactly sure what I mean when I say “free software,” all you need to do to get filled in is read FSF’s What Is Free Software?. That should answer most of your questions. If you want to dig deeper into what the Free Software Foundation does, you should read up on their campaigns. Some of the campaigns that I find most interesting include DefectiveByDesign.org, RIAA Lawsuit Expert Witness Fund, and the GNU Operating System. Now the Free Software Foundation’s Jobs page isn’t only about jobs at FSF–they also cover jobs with other free software projects. The only current position at FSF is for a Senior GNU/Linux System Administrator, which is obviously not an entry level position. Still, I encourage you to look at the other positions and also consider FSF’s volunteer and internship opportunities. There’s a good chance that the work you do will help someone like me get a business off the ground.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What’s your favorite piece of free software?

Mobilize.org

Willy Franzen — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 14:46:06 +0000

Looking for a job in the non-profit world? Samaritan’s Purse has a number of great opportunities for you.

Yesterday we looked at an organization called Youth Service America that encourages youth to get involved in their communities. Today we’re going to look at an organization with a similar, but slightly different approach. Mobilize.org is a Washington, DC based non-profit organization that aims “to improve the way democracy works by investing in Millennial-driven solutions.” I kind of hate the term Millennial, but it is important that our generation makes an effort to act together in our shared best interest. It all started with a guy named David Smith who was a student at UC Berkeley. He learned of another tuition increase, and instead of taking it, he mobilized some peers and made some noise. It worked, and David decided to make the movement national by starting Mobilizing America’s Youth, which eventually became Mobilize.org.

Get Mobilized

Often when we look at non-profits, we see that they call themselves “non-partisan.” Sometimes this is true, but often it’s pretty clear that the organization leans one way or the other politically. Mobilize.org describes itself with a term that I’d never seen before: “all partisan.” What does that mean? It’s a little hard to explain, but the best explanation that I could find was here. As far as I can tell, Mobilize.org isn’t as much focused on specific issues as they are focus on equipping our generation to engage in the political process and make things happen. If you want to be part of that, check out Mobilize.org’s Jobs page. Right now they’re looking for a Community Mobilizer. They’re specifically looking for someone to cover San Jose, CA, but they also have these positions in Detroit, MI, Miami, FL, Charlotte, NC and Philadelphia, PA.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you think about Mobilize.org?

Youth Service America

Willy Franzen — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 16:18:00 +0000

Looking for a job in the non-profit world? Samaritan’s Purse has a number of great opportunities for you.

Some of my fondest memories from my high school years are of my church mission trips. Every summer my youth group would pile into a van, head somewhere within a day or two’s drive, and start helping people–usually by fixing up dilapidated houses. It was a ton of fun, and it was extremely rewarding. Consequently, I’m a strong believer that everyone should be involved in some kind of service work, especially our nation’s youth. That’s why Youth Service America caught my attention. They’re a Washington, DC based non-profit organization that “improves communities by increasing the number and the diversity of young people, ages 5-25, serving in substantive roles.” It’s all about building a commitment to service in the next generation that will continue to thrive as the generation matures.

At Your Service

Youth Service America pursues their vision through three main activities. First, they promote Public Mobilization Campaigns that include Global Youth Service Day, Semester of Service, and Get Ur Good On. Second, they do a lot of grant making and award giving targeted towards organizations that promote their ideals. Third, they offer a wide range of resources that can be used to develop and promote youth service programs. All of these programs have been developed to achieve two goals:

Educate youth, teachers, community organizations, media, and public officials in the power of youth as problem solvers.
Engage children and youth as volunteers, as academic achievers, and as community leaders.

If you’re excited about what YSA is doing, you have to take a look at their Jobs page. Right now they have two positions that seem like they might be suitable for new or recent grads: Web Designer and Special Assistant to the President. Both look great, so check them out.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you do any service work?

Share Our Strength

Willy Franzen — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 15:24:21 +0000

It’s hard to think about a hunger during a holiday weekend that is known for backyard parties and grilling, but summer is actually one of the worst periods for childhood hunger. There are 21-million children that rely on free or reduced-price lunches during the school year–school isn’t just a place to learn, but also a place to get a nutritious meal. In the summer when school is out, less than 3 million of these kids are in situations where they still get meals provided for them. That’s a huge gap and a major problem. Share Our Strength is a Washington, DC based non-profit organization that envisions a world with “No Kid Hungry.” They were founded in 1984 and since then they’ve working tirelessly to make sure that every child that they can reach gets the nutrition that he or she needs to stay healthy and keep growing.

How Strong Are You?

Before you start reading up on Share Our Strength, you probably should take a look a their resources on childhood hunger. There’s a lot to learn on the issue, and they’re one of the best sources for information. After that you’ll probably want to read up on their History and their Progress to Date. They’ve accomplished a ton, and they’re working on a lot more. One of their big things is events. They have five major ones: Taste of the Nation, Great American Bake Sale, Dine Out No Kid Hungry, A Tasteful Pursuit, and Cooking Matters. These are all great ways to raise awareness and to raise funds for Share Our Strength’s mission. Share Our Strength is also really good at finding partnerships. They work with chefs like Daniel Boulud, Charlie Palmer, Thomas Keller, and Bryan Voltaggio while also partnering with major companies in the food industry like American Express, Tyson, Sysco, and Sodexo. If you like what Share Our Strength is doing to end childhood hunger, check out their Jobs page. There are a few positions posted, and you should take a look at the Grants Coordinator position and the Share Our Strength’s, Cooking Matters® AmeriCorps National Direct Program. Both look like they could be good fits for a new or recent grad.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Share Our Strength?

Arthritis Foundation

Willy Franzen — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 15:02:30 +0000

While I was fishing yesterday (in a winter hat during the month of June I might add), I was tying knots, casting, wading through the river, and catching and releasing lots of fish. Though I wouldn’t by any means call it a strenuous workout, I was certainly putting all of my joints to use–from my fingers to my ankles. Most young people take for granted that their bodies work like they were built to, but it’s not so easy for some people. We often associate arthritis with aging, and it’s definitely linked to that, but it’s a group of disorders that can affect people of all ages (2/3 of people with arthritis are under the age of 65 according to the CDC). There are more than 100 types of arthritis and related conditions, which is why theArthritis Foundation was founded in 1948. They’re an Atlanta, GA based non-profit organization that “helps people take control of arthritis by providing public health education; pursuing public policy and legislation; and conducting evidence-based programs to improve the quality of life for those living with arthritis.” Considering how debilitating arthritis can be for the more than 50 million people who suffer from it, it’s a good thing that the Arthritis Foundation is doing what they do.

Joint Their Team

In just over 60 years of existence, the Arthritis Foundation has invested more than $400 million through grants to researchers which has resulted “in major treatment advances for most arthritis diseases.” They continue to fund research at an extremely high level, and they’ll keep doing it as long as arthritis is a problem. In addition to the research, the Arthritis Foundation offers community-based services like self-help courses, water and land-based exercise classes, instructional videotapes, and more, while also advocating “to local and national governments on behalf of the 46 million Americans with arthritis and chronic joint symptoms.” They seem to be doing great work that really helps to make the lives of millions of people better. If you’d like to be a part of what the Arthritis Foundation is doing, check out their Jobs page. At their National Office they’re looking for a Community Outreach Coordinator, a Consumer Health Marketing Coordinator, and a Web Marketing Specialist. They also have positions with local chapter available like Special Events Coordinator (Cedar Rapids, IA). Take a look and see what appeals to you.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you have arthritis?

Self Advocacy Association of New York State

Willy Franzen — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 13:31:41 +0000

My guess is that for most of you college was the time when you had to start learning to be self-reliant. And now that you’re in the middle of your first job search, the whole process has been propelled forward at a much faster rate. If you’re not speaking up for yourself, taking care of yourself, and building a support system for yourself now, when will you? People with intellectual and related developmental disabilities go through the same exact process when they move from group homes to their own homes. The Self Advocacy Association of New York State is a Schenectady, NY based non-profit “grassroots organization run by and for people with developmental disabilities” that helps its constituents learn self-reliance skills, while also giving them a support network to fall back on. They run self-advocacy groups across New York State and offer a variety of projects and services that make self-determination an easier process.

Advocate for Yourself

The Self Advocacy Association of New York State website is a little hard to navigate at first–especially if you’re looking for a brief overview of what they’re all about. The two most helpful documents that I came across were their About page (which I only found through Google) and this brochure. Both will give you a better sense of how the organization works and what they aim to accomplish. You’ll also want to check out SANYS’s Resources page so that you can dig a little into the topics of self-advocacy and self-determination. If you like what SANYS is doing, then you should take a look at their jobs on Idealist. Right now they’re looking for a Regional Organizer in their New York City office–it looks like an interesting position, so give it a look.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you know about Self Advocacy Association of New York State?

Center for Science in the Public Interest

Willy Franzen — Sun, 22 May 2011 14:57:42 +0000

You wouldn’t think that I’m actually happy when people unsubscribe from this list, but if it means that they landed a job or internship, then I’m as pleased as can be. I always try to find out where former subscribers go to work so that I can tell you about opportunities at those places (e-mail me at willy@onedayonejob.com if you have a recommendation). One reader e-mailed me and told me that she went to work at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, which is a non-profit organization that acts “as the organized voice of the American public on nutrition, food safety, health and other issues.” They’re based in Washington, DC, and they’ve been acting in the public interest since 1971. The organization’s main goals are to “educate the public, advocate government policies that are consistent with scientific evidence on health and environmental issues, and counter industry’s powerful influence on public opinion and public policies.” Most of us forget how important of an issue food actually is, but it’s a major public health issue that is only getting worse.

The Food Detectives

The Center for Science in the Public Interest has an interesting funding model. Instead of constantly soliciting for donations and chasing down grants, they publish and sell subscriptions to the Nutrition Action Healthletter. It’s circulated to nearly 2 million people, and it’s completely ad free. Some people call the Center for Science in the Public Interest the “food police,” but they prefer to be called the “food detectives.” Whatever you want to call them, they’re focused on eliminating many of the negative externalities that are caused by today’s food industry. To learn more about the organization, you should definitely watch this video from the organization’s founder Michael Jacobson, Ph.D (e-mail readers may need to click through).

The video mentions some of the many accomplishments of the CSPI. The list is extremely long, and it includes some really impressive things like winning a “decade-long campaign” to pass “a federal law requiring nutrition labeling of packaged foods and a ban on deceptive health claims.” If you want to be part of future CSPI wins, then you should head over to their Jobs page. Right now they have a few interesting positions open: Project Assistant – Nutrition Action Healthletter, Research Associate, and Policy Associate – Health Promotion Policy. If you’re big on nutrition, this could be a great place to work.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you think about what the CSPI does?

Freedom House

Willy Franzen — Sat, 21 May 2011 14:17:06 +0000

So far it seems that 2011 has been a pretty good year for freedom across the world. We’ve seen dictators overthrown, terrorists brought to justice, and finally got a new mayor in Chicago after 22 years (I kid). But every time progress is made somewhere in the world, it seems that another part of the world takes a step back. Because the fight for freedom is constantly changing, it’s important to keep track of how things are progressing across the world. That’s exactly what Freedom House does. They’re a Washington, DC based non-profit organization that “supports democratic change, monitors freedom, and advocates for democracy and human rights.” As they put it, they’re all about combining analysis, advocacy, and action. The organization was founded in 1941 and has a very interesting history that you should definitely read up on.

Freedom in the House

If you read Freedom House’s About page, you’ll learn that they’ve “opposed tyranny around the world, including dictatorships in Latin America, apartheid in South Africa, Soviet domination of Central and Eastern Europe, and religiously-based totalitarian regimes such as those governing Sudan, Iran and Saudi Arabia,” while they’ve also “promoted the growth of freedom by encouraging U.S. policymakers, international institutions, and the governments of established democracies to adopt policies that advance human rights and democracy around the world.” One of the best ways to get a feel for what Freedom House does is to check out their publications: Freedom in the World, Freedom of the Press, Nations in Transit, and Countries at the Crossroads. If you like what you see, then you should check out Freedom House’s Jobs page. They have a number of opportunities for new grads right now including Assistant Editor (New York, NY), Grants Associate (Washington, DC), and Program Assistant – East and Horn of Africa (Washington, DC). All of the positions look really interesting, so check them out. (You may also want to check out the International opportunities on their Jobs page.)

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about freedom house?

Common Cause

Willy Franzen — Sat, 14 May 2011 14:17:30 +0000

It always helps to have someone hold you accountable, whether it’s to keep you from cheating on a paper or cheating on a diet (those are links to this week’s relevant posts on iParadigms and Weight Watchers, respectively). But it’s not only individuals that need to be held accountable. What about our government? That’s what Democracy and a system of elections is all about, but we all know that it doesn’t quite work as planned. I think most would agree that our government is constantly doing things against our interests. Common Cause is a Washington, DC based non-profit (lobbying organization) that is “a vehicle for citizens to make their voices heard in the political process and to hold their elected leaders accountable to the public interest.” Defining “the public interest” can get a little hairy depending on your point of view, but there’s no doubt that our government can do a better job of serving it (whatever it is).

Be Accountable for Your Job Search

Common Cause claims to be nonpartisan, but their Wikipedia page mentions that publications including The Washington Post, The New York Times, Newsweek, TIME, and USA Today have identified the organization as liberal. In other words, they’re all about government accountability when it comes to a certain set of issues that align with their political goals. There’s nothing wrong with that, but they could probably be a little more intellectually honest when describing themselves. The issues that they focus on include:

Increase participation in the political process,
Advance campaign finance reforms that make people and ideas more important than money,
Make certain that government is open, ethical and accountable,
Remove barriers to voting and ensure that our voting systems are accurate and accessible,
Increase the diversity of voices and ownership in media, to make media more responsive to the needs of citizens in a democracy and to protect the editorial independence of public broadcasting, and to
Make certain that public policy on health care, defense spending, climate change and other issues reflects the needs and priorities of our citizens, not special interests.

Obviously, these are simplifications of their positions on each of these issues, so you should go here to get a more in-depth look at what they’re doing to hold the government more accountable. You’ll probably also want to check out Common Cause’s Action Items. If you like what you see, then it’s time to take a look at their Jobs page. Right now they’re looking for a Policy Advocate (Sacramento/Northern California) and a Policy/Advocacy Fellow (California). Both jobs look like good fits for new or recent grads, so give the job descriptions a good look.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Common Cause?

Center for Environmental Health

Willy Franzen — Sun, 08 May 2011 13:00:27 +0000

Happy Mother’s Day! Thank you to all of the Moms out there, especially mine. Since Mother’s Day always falls on a Sunday, I always try to find a non-profit to feature that is at least tangentially connected to motherhood. In past year’s we’ve taken a look at Baby’s First Home, Family Health and Birth Center, and Crittenton Women’s Union (they often seem to have a lot of positions open). Today we’re going to look at the Center for Environmental Health based in Oakland, CA. Their name doesn’t quite fit in with the other three that I mentioned, but you’ll see how they fit in to the theme in a second. The Center for Environmental Health is a non-profit that “is working to eliminate the threat that chemicals pose to children, families, and communities.” They’re also the home of the MOMS (Making Our Milk Safe) Project, which is a group that has the mission of “protecting the health of our babies by eliminating the growing threat of toxic chemicals and industrial pollutants in human breast milk.”

MOMS to Keep Us Safe

Toxins are scary because we don’t really know where they’re coming from, whether we’re absorbing them, or how they’re affecting us. Where you eat, drink, breathe, and sleep can have huge affects on your longterm health, yet it’s difficult to know what environmental factors we need to worry most about. This gets even scarier when we consider that mothers can pass toxins on to their babies through breast milk. It’s hard to know how big of a deal this is, and there’s a good chance that the folks at the Center for Environmental Health and the MOMS Project are making too much of the issue, but we won’t know until they look into it deeper. There’s a lot of science that is yet to be done to determine what environmental factors are having the greatest negative effects on our longterm health. The Center for Environmental Health is constantly pushing their programs so that Moms and everyone else can make the right decisions for avoiding chemical threats. If you want to be a part of the Center for Environmental Health, then you should check out their Jobs page. Right now they’re looking for a Temporary Research Assistant. The listing does say that the application deadline has passed, but it’s still posted so I think it’s still worth applying. There’s also a Research Internship in New York posted on the CEH page, and on the Making Our Milk Safe page on Idealist. Check those out too.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

How are you celebrating Mother’s Day?

ASPCA

Willy Franzen — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 15:19:37 +0000

Sponsored Jobs: Love restaurants and looking for an entry level job? SinglePlatform has a ton of positions that are perfect for you. They’re our sponsor this week, and you can check out all of their positions here.

As I mentioned on Friday in our post on Russell Stover, I get pretty excited about Easter candy. There’s nothing better than a basket full of jelly beans, peanut butter eggs, marshmallow eggs, and chocolate bunnies. Some people prefer a little more reality in their Easter baskets though. In the past it wasn’t uncommon for people to give real bunnies, chicks, ducklings, and even lambs to their kids as Easter gifts, and I’m sure there are still some people doing it. It’s really cute, but it’s not a good idea unless the family is actually prepared to care for the properly as they grow up. That means most people should leave their bunnies chocolate, their chicks marshmallow, and their lambs… well we’re having lamb for dinner tonight. The The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals typically agrees (maybe not with the lamb part)–they even have a page on Rabbits as Easter Gifts that links to a site called MakeMineChocolate.org. The ASPCA is a New York, NY based non-profit that has aimed “to provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States” since it was founded in 1866.

Calling All Animal Lovers

While the ASPCA may deal with the occasional chick, duckling, or bunny, the majority of their work centers around dogs and cats. These are obviously the most popular and most broadly loved types of pets, but they also are extremely likely to end up as victims of cruelty. The ASPCA not only works to protect these animals in a variety of ways, but they were actually the “first humane organization to be granted legal authority to investigate and make arrests for crimes against animals.” The range of services offered by the ASPCA is quite broad, and your best bet for getting to know them is to browse around their site. Once you get a better feel for the ASPCA, you can check out their Jobs page. They have a number of positions available including Administrative Assistant – Anti-Cruetly Group, Graphic Designer, Humane Law Enforcement, Marketing Assistant, Part Time Animal Care Technician, Part Time Data Verification Assistant, Veterinary Assistant, and Special Event Assistant. It’s like an Easter Egg Hunt! Go find something good.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you know about the ASPCA?

Washington Wilderness Coalition

Willy Franzen — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 13:30:17 +0000

Yesterday I was too busy talking about candy to mention that it was Earth Day. Luckily, a good friend reminded me that I should probably cover an environmentally minded non-profit today. I did a quick search, and came across the Washington Wilderness Coalition. They’re based in Seattle, WA, and they aim to “to preserve and restore wild areas in Washington State through citizen empowerment, support for grassroots community groups, advocacy and public education.” That’s something that I can get behind since I’ve enjoyed Washington State’s wilderness. In 2007 I spent a day fly fishing the Klickitat River. I didn’t catch anything but one tiny rainbow trout/steelhead, but I got to enjoy the scenery and spot some cool wildlife. It’s just the kind of place that Washington Wilderness Coalition aims to protect, and it’s definitely worth protecting.

Join the Coalition

Washington Wilderness Coalition is over 30 years old and 10,000 members strong, and they keep working to idnetify new issues and put together new projects to achieve their mission of preserving Washington’s wildlife. Some of the issues that they’re currently concerned with include mining, logging, off-road vehicle access, and endangered species. One of the organization’s relatively early successes was raising “the public support necessary to pass the 1984 Washington Wilderness Act, which protected over a million acres of wilderness.” You can read about more recent successes here. If you like what you see, then you should check out Washington Wilderness Coalition’s Jobs page and their Idealist page. Right now they’re looking for a Volunteer Coordinator and a Telephone Outreach Organizer and Membership Assistant (part-time). The latter position is posted on the organization’s Jobs page, so give it a look.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you know about Washington Wilderness Coalition?

Transportation Alternatives

Willy Franzen — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 15:09:59 +0000

I must admit that I probably use my car more than I should to get around in Chicago. It’s often just so easy. I still walk and take public transportation when it makes the most sense, but I could definitely be convinced to do both of those things more often. That’s the job of Transportation Alternatives, although they do it in New York, NY. They’re a non-profit organization with a mission to “reclaim New York City’s streets from the automobile, and to advocate for bicycling, walking and public transit as the best transportation alternatives.” There are a ton of negative externalities with cars (pollution, danger to pedestrians, noise, etc.), and plenty of positive externalities (less congestion, healthier citizens, etc.) with alternative forms of transportation, so it makes sense for an organization like Transportation Alternatives to be so adamant about their position.

Transport Yourself

New York City has already made a ton of progress on the transportation front. Since 1973 there are five times more cyclists on the streets and there are half as many pedestrian fatalities, but there’s still plenty of room for improvement. Transportation Alternatives is all about the idea of “the livable street,” so they’re constantly “pushing city agencies and elected officials to introduce this innovation into the urban landscape.” To get a better sense for how Transportation Alternatives is approaching their mission, you should check out their Advocacy Campaigns and their Action Center. If you like what you see, then you’ll want to head over to the Transportation Alternatives Jobs page. Right now they’re looking for a New York City Bicycling Ambassador Program – Lead Organizer, New York City Bicycling Ambassadors, and a Press Secretary. All of the positions look great, so if you’re all about alternative transportation, then check them out.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What’s your favorite mode of transportation?

Education Pioneers

Willy Franzen — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 16:20:26 +0000

It’s no secret that the field of education has trouble attracting top talent. The jobs are demanding, and they’re not known to pay particularly well, but I’m not sure that tells the whole story. We live in a culture that glorifies consultants and bankers and not teachers and school administrators. This may never change completely, but there are a lot of people working to encourage new college grads to get into education. One of them is Education Pioneers, an Oakland, CA based non-profit organization that is working to build “the pipeline of talent to address the urban education crisis.” Their immediate goal is to recruit “exceptional talent” and place them in positions at organizations that are working tirelessly to improve the level of K-12 education. Their longer term goal is to develop a cadre of alumni who will assume leadership positions in schools and educational organizations.

Are You a Pioneer?

Education Pioneers does their work through a large number of partner organizations. Many are organizations that we’ve featured (like KIPP, MATCH Charter Public School, and The New Teacher Project), but most are organizations that you’ve probably never heard of before. The common link is that they’re all focused on improving the state of education in America, and they need more talent to help them do it. Education Pioneers helps to provide talent, while also connecting the organizations so that they can learn from each other and become more efficient. There are a number of ways that you can get involved with Education Pioneers. The first is their Analyst Fellowship Program (New York City, Boston, and Los Angeles); however, the final deadline for this program appears to have been April 1st (there could be flexibility on this, but I doubt it). Luckily, there are also some jobs posted at Education Pioneers including Program Assistant (San Francisco Bay Area) and Program Associate (Boston, MA). You can also throw your hat in the ring for future opportunities if you’re interested.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Education Pioneers?

Child Mind Institute

Willy Franzen — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 15:05:40 +0000

Children are by definition immature. They can be confusing, frustrating, and annoying for adults, but nobody should ever be surprised when children act like… children. But when is it something more? Psychiatric and learning disorder issues can be particularly hard to diagnose in kids. Yet identifying and treating such issues as early as possible is essential to ensuring that a child can live a full and happy life. The Child Mind Institute is a New York, NY based non-profit that “is devoted to transforming mental health care for the world’s children to enable them to reach their full potential.” By focusing on finding new ways to identify and treat childhood psychiatric and learning disorders, the Child Mind Institute is helping those who are least equipped to help themselves.

A Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Waste

According to the Child Mind Institute’s website, there are more than 15 million in children in the United States with psychiatric disorders, and less than half of them will ever receive help. The Child Mind Institute is a relatively young organization, but they’re working tirelessly to change this. The key idea behind the Child Mind Institute is “turning science into solutions for the world’s children.” Their commitment to science includes conducting research, making information and resources based on this research available to parents, offering “evidence-based clinical care for children and their families,” and advocating “to destigmatize childhood psychiatric disorders and bring effective care to families around the globe.” If this sounds like a mission that you want to be part of, then you should check out the Child Mind Institute’s Careers page along with their Idealist page. Right now they have a few openings that seem appropriate for new or recent grads including Intake Coordinator, Receptionist, and Data Manager. It looks like a great organization, so maybe you can help them “build a global institution that will be a leader in turning science into solutions for the world’s children.”

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about the Child Mind Institute?

Cabela’s

Willy Franzen — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 16:57:28 +0000

Being a fly fisherman, I sometimes get frustrated with living in Chicago. Not only are there few opportunities to go fishing without a decent drive, but the winters are way too long (it’s supposed to be spring now, and it’s not). To get through the winter I’ll often visit fishing stores, look at websites, and read through catalogs. It’s not much, but it’s all I have. And Cabela’s provides all three options. The company is based in Sidney, NE, and they’re the “largest mail-order, retail and Internet outdoor outfitter in the world.” It all started in 1961 with a tiny classified ad that Dick Cabela placed in a newspaper because he wanted to sell some fishing flies that he purchased while visiting Chicago for a furniture show (since Nebraska is even less of a fly fishing destination than Chicago is). Despite a lackluster response to the original ad, Dick Cabela kept trying. The company grew organically, and now Cabela’s is dominating three major retail channels. The truly amazing part of the story is that Cabela’s has been able to maintain their commitment to customer service throughout all of the growth. I’m not a big customer (I try to support local shops), but I have quite a few friends who are extremely loyal Cabela’s customers because of the quality of products and service.

Outfitting Your Job Search

If you love the outdoors, you probably already know all about Cabela’s. Their stores are massive shrines to everything that is great about being an outdoorsman. They have fish tanks, taxidermy, indoor mountains, archery ranges, and, obviously, lots and lots of products that you can buy. According to Wikipedia, their store in Kansas City had 4 million customer visits in a single year, while the store in Hamburg, PA covers a quarter million square feet. Obviously, the ultimate Cabela’s experience requires visiting one of their stores, but their catalogs and website are pretty good proxies if you’re stuck at home. And if you are stuck at home, you might as well take a look at Cabela’s Careers site too. You can check out their testimonials and culture quiz, or you can just head straight for their job listings. We’re going to pass over all of the retail positions (there are a ton of them), and only look at corporate jobs that might be suitable for new or recent grads. These include (all positions in Sidney, NE unless otherwise noted):

Cabela’s has one of the worst applicant tracking systems that I’ve ever seen. It’s “Powered by Kenexa,” and it’s completely unusable. I slogged through it so you don’t have to, so the positions above should give you a good idea of what kind of entry level opportunities exist at Cabela’s. There are more entry level postings than just these, but I can only bang my head against a wall for so long.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you shop at Cabela’s?

Rock the Earth

Willy Franzen — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 14:48:31 +0000

Music has always been connected with social change. There’s just something about it that gets people motivated to take action. But often the music can also be a distraction. It takes a delicate balance to combine the power of music with a specific cause to elicit a positive response. That’s what Rock the Earth is all about. They’re a Denver, CO based non-profit organization that is “dedicated to protecting and defending America’s natural resources through partnerships with the music industry and the world-wide environmental community.” They were founded in 2002, and since then they’ve been “defending the planet one beat at a time.”

What Are You Rocking?

Rock the Earth identifies specific projects and works tirelessly to increase awareness about a variety of environmental threats. Some of their past projects include protecting wilderness from drilling on Colorado’s Roan Plateau, protecting marine ecosystem off the coast of the Northwest Hawaiian Islands, and targeting cruise ships for their discharges and emissions. They’ll often tie in their music partners to help with specific causes. There are some big names on their partner list including Alanis Morissette, Allman Brothers Band, Barenaked Ladies, Dave Matthews Band, Guster, Incubus, Ozzy Osbourne, Phish, Tom Petty & the Heatbreakers, and lots more. If these artists aren’t tied to specific causes, then they’re participating in the Rock the Earth Tours. If you’re digging what Rock the Earth is all about, then you should check out their jobs on Idealist. Right now they’re looking for an Office Administrator. It’s not totally an entry level job, but I’m pretty sure that the right new grad could be a great fit for this position.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Are you rockin’ the Earth?

The Giving Back Fund

Willy Franzen — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 12:57:39 +0000

There’s no doubt that our country and world are better off because of the work of philanthropists. It’s especially impressive to watch what Bill Gates and Warren Buffett are doing with their billions of dollars through the Gates Foundation. Unfortunately, philanthropists, like money, don’t grow on trees. Since waiting for generous people to get rich could take a while, it’s a lot easier to try convincing people who are already rich to be more generous. That’s exactly what The Giving Back Fund, which is based in Los Angeles, CA, does. They are a non-profit organization that envisions “a society in which becoming a successful philanthropist is as valued and desirable a goal as success in athletics, business, entertainment, or any other field.”

What Are You Giving Back?

It shouldn’t be a surprise that philanthropy is hard for a lot of people. Giving away money is a completely unnatural act. The Giving Back Fund has a tough challenge in fighting human nature, but they’ve developed a great approach. They’ve focused on cultivating “a new group of philanthropists within the entertainment and sports industries, with a particular emphasis on groups often underrepresented in traditional philanthropy such as people of color, women, and youth.” These people have the money to give, they just need to see the value in giving it. Because new stars are often image conscious, The Giving Back Fund plays up the publicity benefits of being a philanthropist. That’s why they launched The Giving Back 30, a list of the top 30 celebrities in terms of dollars donated to charity. Oprah consistently tops the list, and I’d say she’s a pretty good role model for aspiring superstars. The Giving Back Fund also offers Philanthropic Consulting to help new philanthropists work through the hard decisions like how much to give and whom to give to. I like the idea behind The Giving Back Fund, because it’s focused on big wins. By getting big names to give big money, they’re creating a culture of philanthropy that will hopefully become self-perpetuating. If you’d like to be a part of what The Giving Back Fund, then you should check out the “Bookkeeper Plus” position posted on their Jobs page. It’s not a perfect fit for a new grad, but if you have some accounting know how and want to dig in deep with the every day operations of a non-profit organization, this could be the perfect opportunity.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you give to charity?