Application deadline:
Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis, with a final deadline of 11 April. 

Number of positions available:
3

Location:
Work will take place at home and on the farm in the Cully neighborhood of Portland, Oregon. May include some travel to and from select locations in the Portland Metro Area (for workshops and events only).

About us:
Rhythm Seed Farm (RSF) is a new nonprofit startup located in Northeast Portland. We are an urban seed farm dedicated to improving our communities and our environment by growing food and saving seeds. We specialize in raising rare edible and medicinal plants in the Portland Metro Area, and teaching people our techniques. For each packet of seeds we sell, we donate another to marginalized communities.

Our mission: To enhance social and environmental resilience by growing locally adapted seeds, distributing them to low-income and BIPOC communities, and empowering our members and partners to grow and save seeds of their own.

Our vision: To foster ecological resilience and a culture of abundance in our local food system, where everyone’s access to healthy, organically-produced foods is no longer defined by their income or zip code.

Our values:
— Mutual aid between people, plants and pollinators.
— Climate shock mitigation through smart landscape design.
— Creating and sharing a replicable nonprofit model that can be spread to urban areas across the United States.

Learn more about us at www.rhythmseedfarm.org/our-aims

Intern duties and responsibilities:
— Work with our Director of Development to plan, promote, and coordinate fundraising events and activities
— Search for new seed donation recipient organizations and communities with whom we could partner
— Cooperate with our IT interns to develop a digitized volunteer and donor management systems
— Search for applicable grant/funding opportunities and draft applications (in collaboration with our Director of Development)
— Create a grant application calendar to merge with our existing calendars
— Assist in the recruitment process for additional board members
— Keep our members, donors and volunteers up-to-date on opportunities to get involved
— Assist in fulfilling seed donations and sales
— Communicate with potential donors for cash and/or in-kind contributions

Have an idea outside of the tasks described above? Interested in some but not all of the projects listed? Submit an application! We have multiple positions available, and when possible will divide the projects based on interests.

Benefits of the internship:
Interns will have the opportunity to make a major impact in a young volunteer-driven nonprofit organization, while learning edible landscaping/sustainable urban farming techniques that improve food security in our area while improving our urban ecosystems.

Interns will engage directly with our growing community of food justice organizations and supporters, networking and learning the nonprofit landscape of the Portland Metro Area in the process.

Further, unlike internships at large companies or corporations, we encourage our interns to work across their areas of interest to gain as many hands-on experiences as will help them with their career plans and curiosities.

We also believe that the more people know how to grow food and medicines for themselves and their communities, the better place the world will become. So all interns — even those whose roles are mostly outside the garden — are invited and encouraged to come get their hands dirty with us! This can be done as part of your weekly hours, or in addition to them.

For students seeking internships for academic credit, we will work with your school or university to ensure your work will meet those requirements. A written recommendation from the intern’s direct supervisor will be provided upon successful completion of the internship. Finally, interns will receive a one-year membership to RSF at no cost.

Requirements and qualifications:
Current or former student in a relevant area of study preferred.
Interest in/passion for community mutual aid and community autonomy.
Interest in/passion for plants & gardening.
Demonstrable past experience, whether work, volunteer, or relevant course of study desired but not required.

Applicants with interest in community outreach and engagement, nonprofit fundraising, grant writing, organizational development, or project management would be good fits for this internship.

Schedule and duration:
10 hours per week from 15 April to 15 October (though we can be flexible on either duration or weekly hours for the right candidate). Weekly schedule will be set based on the availability of the successful candidates and Rhythm Seed’s directors.

Application procedure:
Submit your application by clicking the button below or at the top of the page and filling the application form. Short-listed candidates will be contacted for supplementary application materials and interviews as needed.