The Internship Program is a one-year paid Internship for university students designed to increase the racial diversity of staff in the Affordable Housing and Community Development field and assist in meeting the diverse needs of the communities served throughout the rural West. 

CCRH is active in recruiting, training, and retaining students who may not otherwise know about the field, and people who reflect the rural West’s diverse cultural and linguistic demographics. The program serves as a critical pathway for students to pursue professional positions in the affordable housing field while simultaneously developing qualified candidates for the field. 

Since the program’s inception, 200 students have graduated from the program with more than 50% staying in the field of Community Development and holding highly responsible positions.  The program fills a critical void in the ability of rural development organizations to recruit, educate, and retain future professionals.

The program is administered by CCRH, which is based in Sacramento. Host agencies are located throughout California, Washington, and Oregon.

CCRH gives high priority to recent college graduates and to students completing their junior year or entering their last year of undergraduate studies at four-year universities so that upon graduating from college, they may be able to be employed in entry-level professional positions in the field. Preference is also given to applicants from rural, farmworker, Native American, or low-income backgrounds, and those that demonstrate a commitment to improving the quality of life of low-income and rural communities. The program requires a full-year commitment.

***Student Applications for the 2022-2023 program year have been extended to May 13, 2022.

See the California Coalition For Rural Housing website for more info.

2022-2023 Internship Program Locations:

California locations:

San Diego (Deadline for this location is closed)

Sacramento

Mammoth Lakes

Santa Rosa

Fresno

Chico

Visalia

Oregon Locations:

​Roseburg ​

For more information, contact Roda Minas at Roda@calruralhousing.org