Frequently Asked Questions
What is a public interest internship?

Public-interest internships are jobs at social enterprises in the United States and abroad. Examples include microfinance non-profits, urban-housing redevelopment organizations, and educational non-profits. Government agencies and private sector social enterprises are also eligible.

Examples of previous SPIF-funded internships include:

  • Ashoka
  • William J. Clinton Foundation
  • United States Department of the Interior
  • William Penn Foundation
  • District of Columbia Public Schools
How is the program funded?

SPIF is financed by students who voluntarily pledge to support their fellow classmates. Historically, students have pledged 1-2% of their summer salaries to SPIF. In 2011, the Wharton Program for Social Impact will match every dollar students donate, up to $30,000.

I want to donate money. How can I do that?

Click the "Give to SPIF" tab above. Thanks for your support!

I want to apply to be a SPIF Fellow. How can I do that?

To be considered for a SPIF award, students must fill out the SPIF application (posted in the "Apply" tab above). Applicants will be invited to interview by the Evaluation Committee on an individual basis.

The first-round application deadline is Sunday, April 3 at 9:00 PM. The second-round deadline is Sunday, April 17 at 9:00PM.

How are students selected?

Students are selected based on their passion for public-interest work and the content of their internships. Candidates are evaluated by the SPIF Evaluation Committee, which is comprised of faculty, administrators, and members of the Class of 2011.

How much money can a SPIF Fellow expect to receive?

The amount of money SPIF Fellows receive depends on the amount raised during Pledge Week, April 18-22, 2011. In previous years, SPIF has awarded Fellows a minimum of $200/week and a maximum of $600/week, to make up the difference between the weekly salary students receive from their non-profit employers and a ceiling of $1,000. For example, if a student received $700 per week from their employer, SPIF supplemented that amount up to $300. SPIF has historically funded Fellows for a maximum of 10 weeks.

Students whose non-profit employers pay them more than $1,000/week are ineligible for funding. A complete list of eligibility requirements is listed in the "Selection Criteria" document downloadable in the "Apply" tab.

What's the funding timeline?

SPIF Fellows will receive funding in two parts: one-half before their summer internship begins, and one-half after their internship has ended. SPIF Fellows are required to submit an end-of-summer report describing and evaluating their experience before receiving their second installments.

I want to pledge money to SPIF, but I want to help in other ways, too. How can I?

Be a cohort representative during Pledge Week! Help us get out the pledge. If you're interested, email Jin-Young Kim (kijin@wharton.upenn.edu).

Whom do I contact if I have questions?

Any member of the 2011 SPIF Board. Click the "Contact" tab above.

"I worked for the Schwab Foundation as a Summer Venture Associate and was staffed with a social entrepreneur named Albina Ruiz and her organization, Ciudad Saludable, in Lima, Peru. I was in charge of creating an economic model of Ciudad Saludable’s revenue and cost structure. I also performed value-chain and product-line profitability analyses to discover the key drivers of these revenues and costs for the organization."
Shreyans Parkeh, WG'10
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