We believe everyone leads

...and each year we recruit people from a diversity of backgrounds to apply for our unique 10-month AmeriCorps program. Our participants develop their leadership abilities and influence and get on a pathway to furthering their education and career. Our program weaves together four key elements that constitute an experiential journey of self-discovery and professional development:

• Apprenticeship Allies are provided with the opportunity to gain real world experiences in a supportive learning environment, while building organizational capacity within a nonprofit or public agency. Allies create, improve, and expand services with measurable results.
• Reflection & Coaching Share results, observations, analyze and reflect. A consistent and supportive practice of critical reflection allows leaders to understand their experiences and accelerate personal growth. By learning to give and receive feedback, leaders strengthen relationships, collaborations and teams. Through this process, leaders define and claim their narratives as individuals and as a collective.
• Team Service Project (TSP) A team of Allies works together to plan and implement a project to benefit their community. Allies have an opportunity to mobilize individual and community assets and work with people from all walks of life.
  
• Training & Learning Guided by a robust and relevant curriculum, cohorts of leaders gather to engage with theoretical frameworks, peer-problem-solve, and learn new skills essential to their work. This is a time of building cohort. Honing 21st Century leadership and workplace skills helps leaders from all backgrounds learn new ways of responding to problems and initiating solutions that encourage shared responsibility, alliance-building, and using existing resources.

AmeriCorps is a network of national service programs, made up of three primary programs that each take a different approach to improving lives and fostering civic engagement. AmeriCorps members commit their time to address critical community needs like increasing academic achievement, mentoring youth, fighting poverty, sustaining national parks, preparing for disasters, and more. Click here to learn more.​

We are still accepting applications!

When you join Public Allies, you join a national network of inspiring leaders dedicated to practicing six core values of Diversity/Inclusion, Collaboration, Continuous Learning, Integrity, Building on Assets, and Innovation. We want our Allies to learn, grow, and lead in diverse and challenging environments.

Our intensive program starts in the fall and runs through summer. Allies who are selected invest 10 months in nonprofit and community-based organizations, while receiving valuable leadership and professional training.

Program benefits include:

• Being a part of the AmeriCorps national service network
• A $16,000 living stipend 
  
• $6,195 Segal AmeriCorps Education Award
  
• Student loan forbearance or deferment
• Paid healthcare
• Childcare subsidy
• Networking with nonprofit and community leaders
• Leadership skills training

Our Allies gain valuable leadership skills and professional experience, set personal and professional goals, receive training and coaching, and plan for their future to help them achieve their potential. You will use your new leadership skills to help strengthen the organization you are placed with, as well as connect to leaders and organizations in your community to help address real issues. Public Allies bases our selection of applicants on core competencies.

Any U.S. citizen or permanent resident at least 17 years of age with a high school diploma or GED is encouraged to apply for our program.

Our AmeriCorps Ally program is available to all, without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, criminal record, political affiliation, marital or parental status, military service, community, or social affiliations. In fact, we work hard to ensure our program is as diverse as possible.

Strong partnerships are key to fulfilling our mission

Nonprofit and government agencies are needed to host our AmeriCorps Members!

Since 1994, hundreds of organizations have partnered with us to provide apprenticeships for diverse, emerging leaders who are driven by our values and committed to strengthening their communities.

Nonprofit organizations and government agencies that need to create, improve, or expand their services to meet community needs are invited to apply to host an ally. Allies have served at organizations focused on youth, education, economic development, health, arts, environment, and other social and community services. 

Organizations should view allies as valuable tools in expanding the capacity of the organization through greater effectiveness, efficiency or reach.

Partnership benefits:

• From fall through summer, an Ally will serve a minimum of 1300 hours with your organization for ten months 
  
• Address gaps in your organizational capacity, while maximizing resources and staffing costs
• Allies can strengthen your organizations impact in many ways. Here are some examples:
  • Launch a new after-school program 
  • Improve a case management system 
  • Expand a teen leadership program
  • Create an outreach program
• Gain an extension of your staff who can bring over 200 hours of nonprofit and community leadership training to your work with the community
• Empower the next generation of leadership in our community and provide them with the opportunity to receive health care, child care assistance, student loan forbearance, and a post-service education awards from AmeriCorps
• Access a network of 25+ nonprofit and government agencies who are also hosting Public Allies

Your commitment:

Our partners play a crucial role in supporting emerging leaders by providing an invaluable personal and professional development experience through the Public Allies 10-month AmeriCorps Apprenticeship Program.

• Work with our staff to create a well-defined position description with significant responsibilities and measurable objectives
• Provide your ally with direct supervision, support and reporting on their service objectives
• Based on your annual budget, pay a portion of the ally's living stipend and benefits