Chris Bennett ’23 hones grant writing proficiency at RI Elder Info
For those who work for nonprofit organizations, being proficient in grant writing is invaluable. This summer, Chris Bennett ’23 got the opportunity to develop that talent working at RI Elder Info.
Bennett, one of eight students selected for The John and Kendra Malloy Social Venture Scholars internship program, worked for RI Elder Info from May through August. The new full-time, paid internship program places rising Wheaton College sophomores, juniors and seniors in summer internships with entrepreneurial ventures having a social impact in Providence, R.I.
RI Elder Info provides resources online that help senior adults maintain independence, supports caregivers and offers information for professionals. As part of his duties as a policy research and grant writing intern, Bennett researched grant funding opportunities and applied to the ones that were the best fit for RI Elder Info.
“In the first few weeks of the internship, this meant researching grant writing as an industry, researching what opportunities existed for Rhode Island organizations, cataloging those opportunities and organizing them,” said Bennett, an English major, May Fellow and the Student Government Association executive treasurer.
“For the last few weeks of my internship, I shifted my work toward developing a large grant report that RI Elder Info can use to understand what they can do as an organization to develop materials that will make them more competitive for large grant opportunities,” he said.
Bennett, who is interested in working in a career in which he can help shape public policy, said the Social Venture Scholars internship program has greatly contributed to helping him pursue his goals—especially the mentorship he received.
“My favorite moments were my meetings with Deborah Burton, the founder and executive director of RI Elder Info,” Bennett said. “We got along very well, and not only did I learn a lot about nonprofit management, but I was also inspired by her heart and work ethic and that she has done so much good for the community.”