Updates

Like all foundations, Argosy is monitoring the impacts of the COVID-19 global pandemic. We understand that everyone is affected by this, and that everyone’s actions now and in the coming months will have important repercussions. Our team has adapted quickly to the changing environment and is committed to keeping a flexible approach as we learn more from our partners, continue to understand the CARES Act and other aid packages, and follow the spread of the virus. As always, our greatest assets are our ability to listen, our capacity for compassion and collaboration, and a strategic approach to problem solving. We wish everyone health and support, and are deeply grateful for the continued dedication and resilience of our partners, and everyone on the front lines of COVID-19.

Sincerely,

Jeneye Abele
Argosy Foundation Chief Executive Officer & President

Are you interested in learning more about philanthropy or the nonprofit organizations it supports? A paid Argosy internship is a great way to learn more about both fields while also being a hands-on part of helping support innovative solutions to pressing challenges around the country. Interns will be based out of our downtown Milwaukee office and we often have opportunities both fall and spring semesters during the academic year (around 20 hours a week is expected) or during the summer (when you have the option of working up to full time). Two types of internships exist- our Research and Program Support Internships (available throughout the year) assist Argosy staff in researching and evaluating partners and projects we support. Tasks may include reviewing proposals, finding new organizations for us to consider, or digging into a research question we might like to know more about. Our Communication Internships (usually offered only in the summer), on the other hand, primarily take deep dives into our existing partners and through research, interviews, and sometimes even site visits, help us write up detailed stories highlighting their work for the Argosy website (although you may get to experience some of the research and program support side of things as well).

Interested in applying? We bring on interns throughout the year as our needs and capacity allow- we'll always post if and when we open applications for a coming semester or summer on the front page of our site, but in case you don’t want to commit to visiting and refreshing the site every day (why not?!), you can fill out this quick Google Form with your contact info and we’ll be sure to share any openings and position descriptions with you by email as they are available.  

If you’ve noticed things look a little shinier on the Argosy website recently, it’s not because we dusted, it’s because we actually took the start of the decade as a chance to commit to revamping our site, just like we committed to revamping our diet and workout schedule (still working on those ones!). The new site should be much easier to navigate, much more mobile friendly, and most importantly to us, much better able to show off the amazing work our partners do every day. From bigger images of their work throughout the site, to more immersive partner stories highlighting their efforts, to this brand-new updates page you’ve found yourself on allowing us to share brief news and happenings not just from Argosy but from our partners, as well, we’re very excited to be able to launch this update.

All the credit goes to long-time friend of Argosy, designer and art director Kevin Sparrow who did all the website design and creation. If you’re looking for help with your website, brand identity, photography, or anything in between, we definitely recommend reaching out to Kevin!

We consider ourselves truly lucky to work with a number of innovative organizations providing impactful skills building to incredible young people we know are destined to make a difference in their careers and communities. We're even luckier that sometimes those organizations can come together to blend their own individual strengths into unique partnerships that offer even more opportunities for growth and learning.

Our friends at Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity just released a fantastic dive into their program placing alumni of FIRST's influential robotics programs into a hands-on Milwaukee Habitat internship. It's a win-win-win: Milwaukee Habitat receives students who already have a leadership mindset and love of learning instilled by their time in FIRST; the students get a chance to grow the skills they've learned through robotics into meaningful on-the-job training and development that can be translated into many future career paths; and the community benefits from the affordable housing and neighborhood revitalization that Milwaukee Habitat's unique model makes possible.

If you've already read our own former intern Patricia McKnight's earlier partner story on this partnership, we highly recommend checking out this new update to learn more about the program, find out what Zorris and Esai are up to today, and to meet the new cohort of interns!

What’s better than a win-win solution? A win-win-win solution! And that’s just the type of innovative solution our partners at the Center For Pollinators in Energy at Fresh Energy are helping promote. Their work helps address a myriad of concerns- the immediate need for rapid expansion of renewable energy sources; the rapidly disappearing populations of pollinator species so many of our crops and plants rely on, and the increasingly difficult economic realities facing so many small farms around the country. The solution? Pollinator-friendly solar. Instead of the gravel or monoculture grass so often placed underneath large land-based solar arrays, Fresh Energy works to ensure these sites are seeded with high-quality native flowers and grasses that pollinators so deeply reply on. With this simple, yet often ignored factor, those “wins” really start multiplying- pollinators get the habitat they need to thrive and farmers and other land-owners reap not just the economic benefits leasing land for solar can bring, but a myriad suite of environmental benefits in the process- pollinators that provide critical services for their crops, as well as native plants that can capture and filter storm water, prevent erosion, and build up soil health. Even better? We all benefit from increased investment in renewable energy that doesn’t come at the expense of hurting agricultural productivity.

The Center For Pollinators in Energy have become not just the go-to experts and resource for solar projects considering pollinator-friendly plantings, but they’ve also become national cheerleaders for spreading awareness on this important work. With partnership campaigns from makeup companies to food brands to breweries (yes, solar beer!) and now, national recognition from the Cleanie Awards (the gold standard awards for the clean energy industry) and even the Emmys (take that, HBO!), it’s clear the future for pollinator-friendly solar is just as sweet as the honey it helps produce. Congrats on the well-deserved recognition, all!