Spend your summer working towards an impact

Access to funding and support for a summer internship in the Appalachia Region

The Tadler Fellowship wants to help fund your summer internship in an impact investing fund or social enterprise seeking to reinvigorate the Appalachian economy. We have a cohort of potential organizations listed below but additional internships can be considered if they are tied to the Appalachian region. Fellows will receive a $3000 stipend and be matched with a social enterprise according to your interests.

Who is eligible?

This opportunity is for any student across the university interested in learning more about both social entrepreneurship and the Appalachian region through an internship experience. Applications are now closed.

Potential Internships

Investment Funds

Appalachia Investors Alliance - AIA supports a network of angel investment funds seeking to empower communities, investors and entrepreneurs to fund innovation and economic sustainability in Appalachia. Learn more

Appalachia Impact Fund - Based in Hazard, Kentucky, a philanthropic investment fund designed to support economic diversification and build community capacity through grant making and place-based impact investments. Learn more

Blueprint Local - Based in the Roanoke/Blacksburg region, Blueprint Local is a venture that helps people invest in entrepreneurs in their own community. Read more at Forbes article about Blueprint Local.

Country Roads Angel Network - Based in Beckley, West Virginia CRAN is an emerging angel investment fund established to provide investors with the opportunity to invest and mentor West Virginia based start-ups. Learn more .

Invest Appalachia - Based in Charlottesville, VA Invest Appalachia is a new fund blending impact-motivated capital with a systems-level investment strategy to build local wealth, advance promising sectors and increase quality jobs in Central Appalachia. Read more about Invest Appalachia .

Mountain State Capital - Based in Morgantown, WV and Pittsburgh, PA, Mountain State Capital invests in companies that have found their product-market fit and are ready to scale. Over the past two decades, they have invested in a wide variety of technologies and industry sectors, ranging from software to life sciences and everything in-between. In general, they’re looking for ideas that have the potential to disrupt billion-dollar markets, and teams that possess a deep understanding of the sectors in which they compete. Learn more .

Quantified Ventures - Based in Chevy Chase, MD, Quantified Ventures is an outcomes-based capital firm that drives transformative health, social, and environmental impact. By leveraging deep content expertise and extensive capital relationships, they plan, finance, and develop transformative projects and programs that create health, social, and environmental impacts for a growing array of public and private organizations. Learn more .

Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs)

Fahe - Based in Berea, Kentucky they support a network of over fifty nonprofits working to eliminate persistent poverty in Appalachia. They are involved in housing, education, health and other areas. They provided over $123M in direct investment during FY2019. Learn more .

Mountain Association (formerly MACED) - Based in both Hazard and Berea, Kentucky MACED works with small businesses, through energy programs and trainings to help communities thrive while lifting up stories and ideas from Appalachia. They distributed more than $2.8M in small business lending in FY2019. Learn more .

Red Bud Financial Alternatives - Based in Hazard, Kentucky Redbud is a small CDFI designed to help combat predatory lending. They combine a fair loan process with an individualized financial education plan to help locals work towards a better future. Learn more .

Natural Capital Investment Fund - Based in Charles Town, West Virginia, The Natural Capital Investment Fund provides loans and technical assistance to support small businesses that have a big impact, helping them build locally-owned enterprises that create lasting jobs and community wealth, while using natural resources responsibly. Learn more .

Social Enterprises

Appalachian Sustainable Development - Based in Abingdon, Virginia ASD serves as a regional aggregator and technical assistance provider to transition Appalachia to a more resilient economy and a healthier population by supporting local agriculture, exploring new economic opportunities and connecting people to healthy food. Learn more

Housing Development Alliance - Based in Hazard, Kentucky, HDA is a nonprofit housing developer and community lender, providing pathways to homeownership, home repair for low income persons in Eastern Kentucky. HDA manages a series of programs to make homeownership more accessible and more energy efficient. Learn more .

LOCUS - Based in both Richmond and Christiansburg, Virginia LOCUS is a nonprofit consulting firm and mission-driven registered investment advisory providing a continuum of solutions for foundations and donors looking to make direct local community investments. Learn more .

Appalshop - Based in Whitesburg, Kentucky, Appalshop’s mission is to enlist the power of education, media, theater, music, and other arts to revitalize the lasting traditions and contemporary creativity of Appalachia; tell stories the commercial cultural industries don’t tell, challenging stereotypes with Appalachian voices and visions; support communities’ efforts to achieve justice and equity, and more. Learn more .

Other

Appalachian Voices - Based in Norton and Charlottesville, Virginia, Appalachian Voices is the region's grassroots advocate for healthy communities and environmental protection and a leading force in the shift from fossil fuels to a clean energy economy that serves Central Appalachia. Learn more .

Invest SWVA - Based in Bristol, VA InvestSWVA is a public-private business attraction and marketing campaign for Southwest Virginia. InvestSWVA is committed to pushing big ideas and the “future of work” in Southwest Virginia — attracting and retaining young talent by focusing on high-tech and higher-wage jobs. Read more about Invest SWVA .

Williamson Health & Wellness Center - Based in Williamson, West Virginia the Health and Wellness Center manages a series of programs and emerging enterprises designed to improve the health of locals through preventative care and access to healthy food and activity. Learn more .

The Nature Conservancy - West Virginia - Based in Elkins, the West Virginia office of The Nature Conservancy is working toward innovative solutions to boost the economy and help nature thrive, contributing to a global mission to address some of the world's greatest challenges. Learn more .

Timeline

February 1st, 2021 (by 11:59PM) – Application Deadline
Early February – Matching Process
March - May – Communication between Interns & Companies
June through August – Monthly check-ins
September 2021 – Final check-in and 1-page description of your experience

Funding details

Fellows will receive $3000 to support their internships in social enterprise.
All deadlines and requirements must be met in order to receive internship funding.
Please note that receiving funding packages may impact financial aid offerings. If you are currently receiving financial aid from the university, please reach out to your financial aid officer to see how this may affect you.

Tadler Fellows cohort