Community Engagement and Advocacy Fellowship

Spring 2027 Community Engagement and Advocacy Fellowship

Applications are due October 30th, 2026. 

Organization Description

Allen Neighborhood Center (ANC) is a 501(c)(3) organization in Lansing, Michigan. ANC serves as a dynamic hub where Lansing Eastside neighbors access resources to improve their health and well-being; expand their capacity to seize job and entrepreneurial opportunities; create a strong sense of place, belonging, and community pride; and build a safe, sustainable, and thriving neighborhood. Since 1999, ANC has pioneered programs in comprehensive and integrative community development.

Program Description

The Outreach & Engagement team is responsible for connecting neighbors and other stakeholders to resources that are related to health, housing, and social connectivity. Interns will do extensive outreach in the neighborhood, including door-to-door canvassing, appearing regularly at Eastside community events, and hosting community gatherings to link neighbors to resources and one another. To make appropriate referrals, interns will become familiar with: federal, state, and local government programs; other nonprofit and for-profit organizations that offer programming to neighbors; and ANC programs. 

Duties and Responsibilities

• Link neighbors with both ANC programs and regional social services after assessing individual needs
• Advocate for neighbors as an enrollment specialist with MI Bridges (Medicaid, Food Stamps, etc.) and the Ingham County Health Department (Ingham Health Plan, etc.), including providing guide-by-the-side enrollment in programs and the Gender Affirmation Project.
• Present at information sessions and meetings and participate in outreach events to promote ANC programs.
• Conduct a community assessment, including but not limited to door-to-door canvassing, surveys, and census data collection.

Skills, Experience, & Qualifications

• Ability to regularly lift and move up to 30 pounds
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, and the ability to flex communication styles for different kinds of audiences
• Passion for strengthening the local food system and for ANC’s mission
• Basic computer skills and the ability to learn new software
• Minimum of 18 year of age, US citizen or permanent resident status
• Eastsiders are strongly encouraged to apply
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, and the ability to flex communication styles for different kinds of audiences.
• An understanding of institutional and structural oppression and their impact on underserved and underrepresented communities.
• ANC believes that to serve its neighbors effectively, a diverse array of lived experiences and backgrounds must be centered in its staff. ANC also believes that historically, nonprofit hiring practices disproportionately ignore the experiences of marginalized people in society. Therefore, ANC strongly encourages Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC), LGBTQ people, and people with disabilities to apply

Compensation and Details

Fellows are expected to work 15 hours per week.

Compensation will be $15.00 per hour if the Fellow qualifies for Michigan State University work study. If the Fellow does not qualify for work study, they will receive a one-time $650 stipend. In addition to payment, we are able to partner with academic institutions to count this internship for college credit.

ANC is an equal employment opportunity employer.  ANC provides equal membership, employment, voluntary and service opportunities to all eligible persons without regard to race, religion, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship, age, sex, gender identity, marital status, sexual orientation, parental status (including pregnancy), disability, membership in any labor organization, political affiliation, height, and weight.