Jobs, RFPs, & Internships

Download: Advocacy Outreach Intern

ABOUT RIFPC

The Rhode Island Food Policy Council (RIFPC) is an independent statewide network with a mission to promote a more equitable, accessible, economically vibrant, and environmentally sustainable food system. We cultivate partnerships, develop and implement high-impact projects, and advocate for good food policy. We center equity in our work, which touches all parts of the food chain – production, harvesting, processing, distribution, consumption/access, and waste management. We operate with a collaborative professional staff, over 200 engaged and diverse council members, and hundreds more stakeholders from across the Ocean State. More information about RIFPC can be found at www.rifoodcouncil.org.

The Rhode Island Food Policy Council seeks a part-time paid Advocacy Outreach Intern for a project-based position to ensure the success of RIFPC policy and network events and prepare for the 2027 legislative session.

The primary objectives of the person in this role are to:

• Increase engagement of council members and external stakeholders in regards to RIFPC policy and networking events
• Support a prepared transition between RIFPC policy development and advocacy opportunities prior to the 2027 legislative session in January

The ideal candidate for this position will be:

An accountable teammate. Someone who can be relied on to be responsive, meet deadlines, and work equally well in collaborative or independent projects.

A relationship-builder. Someone who is energized by interacting with others, values the pursuit of meaningful connections, and enjoys exploratory conversation. Someone who understands the connectedness, codependency, and power of networks.

A true believer. Someone who is invested in RIFPC’s mission and appreciates the value of our food system.

The Advocacy Outreach Intern reports directly to the Associate Director for Network for 10-15 hours per week at $17.50 per hour. Most work will be conducted remotely and most hours are flexible. There will be virtual meetings throughout the week, with weekly interaction with the Associate Director for Network. In-person meetings and events may occur at a rate of 1-2 per month. The start date is flexible, with work initiating in September and continuing through November.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Conduct policy event outreach via phone calls, emails, and more with council members and external stakeholders
• Draft advocacy testimony, email templates, and additional documents to support RIFPC legislative policies
• Hands-on assistance at in-person Council advocacy and engagement events, i.e. the Policy Retreat (9/10) and Farm Visit for Legislators (11/8)
• Light administrative support when needed

REQUIREMENTS

• Located in or very near Rhode Island
• Available for periodic in-person meetings and work
• Experience using Google Drive, MS Office Suite, Zoom
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Knowledge or awareness of the RI and New England food systems preferred
• At least 17 years of age
• A US Citizen, U.S. National, or Permanent Resident and able to provide documentation of citizenship
• Willingness to undergo a National Criminal History Background Check

Please note: We encourage applications from individuals who believe they possess the key competencies and can demonstrate the ability to execute the responsibilities, even if you do not have every listed qualification/skill.

Individuals who want to contribute meaningfully to promoting a more equitable, economically vibrant, and environmentally sustainable food system in Rhode Island, please send: a cover letter and resume to jobs@rifoodcouncil.org with “Advocacy Outreach Intern” in the subject line. Priority will be given to applicants who submit their application by August 3, 2026.

Download: Wasted Food Learning Community Research Intern

ABOUT RIFPC

The Rhode Island Food Policy Council (RIFPC) is an independent statewide network with a mission to promote a more equitable, accessible, economically vibrant, and environmentally sustainable food system. We cultivate partnerships, develop and implement high-impact projects, and advocate for good food policy. We center equity in our work, which touches all parts of the food chain – production, harvesting, processing, distribution, consumption/access, and waste management. We operate with a collaborative professional staff, over 200 engaged and diverse council members, and hundreds more stakeholders from across the Ocean State. More information about RIFPC can be found at www.rifoodcouncil.org.

The Rhode Island Food Policy Council seeks a part-time paid Wasted Food Learning Community Research Intern with primary objectives to:

• Research and write an internal facing report on best practices for learning communities broadly with specific recommendations for a learning community targeted at helping municipal leaders learn, exchange ideas and improve on wasted food/composting/surplus food donation programs
• Provide support in researching and forming potential grant application forms and scoring rubrics based on best practices that emphasize equity and effectiveness

The ideal candidate for this position will be:

An excellent researcher who can find key information, synthesize it, understanding the commonalities, strengths and weakness of the programs they’re reviewing

An excellent writer who can provide a structured well thought out report

An open, confident communicator. Someone who can feel comfortable reaching out to an expert or someone with lived experience in wasted food.

An accountable teammate. Someone who can be relied on to be responsive, meet deadlines, and work equally well in collaborative or independent projects.

A true believer. Someone who is invested in RIFPC’s mission and appreciates the value of our food system.

The Wasted Food Learning Community Research Intern reports directly to the Program Director – Food, Climate and Environment (FCE) for 10-15 hours per week at $17.50 per hour. Most work will be conducted remotely and most hours are flexible. There will be virtual meetings throughout the week, with weekly interaction with the Program Director (PD) and Program Associate (PA) – FCE. In-person meetings and events may occur at a rate of 1-2 per month. The start date is flexible, with work initiating in early September and continuing through the fall semester.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Primary responsibilities:
  • Review diverse reports, articles, data sources, and other relevant documents related to the scope of work;
  • Outreach, question creation and interviews for for potential key informants
  • Creation of a summary report with specific recommendations as applied to municipal wasted food solutions
• Secondary tasks may include:
  • Grant application/scoring rubric research
  • Event management support (Farm visit for legislators, compost conference) – this will include day of event support for the farm visit and potentially outreach, planning as needed.

REQUIREMENTS

• Strong secondary research skills
• Experience with navigating online data resources
• Comfortable with emailing and calling local, regional, national, and international agencies, nonprofits, and community based organizations
• Excellent active listening, verbal and written communication
• Experience with or coursework in municipal planning, food systems, composting/wasted food, or data collection strongly preferred
• Experience using Google Drive, MS Office Suite, Zoom, Basecamp, and other common professional platforms/programs.
• Knowledge or awareness of the RI and New England food systems preferred
• At least 17 years of age
• A US Citizen, U.S. National, or Permanent Resident and able to provide documentation of citizenship
• Willingness to undergo a National Criminal History Background Check

Please note: We encourage applications from individuals who believe they possess the key competencies and can demonstrate the ability to execute the responsibilities, even if you do not have every listed qualification/skill.

Individuals who want to contribute meaningfully to promoting a more equitable, economically vibrant, and environmentally sustainable food system in Rhode Island, please send: a cover letter and resume to jobs@rifoodcouncil.org with “Wasted Food Learning Community Research Internship” in the subject line. Priority will be given to applicants who submit their application by August 3, 2026.