Santa Cruz AHSC Grant Funds Paid Internships for Underserved Youth Through Nonprofit Partnership
TL;DR
Santa Cruz Works and Digital NEST's AHSC internship program provides businesses with up to $10,000 funding to hire skilled interns, reducing hiring costs while accessing emerging talent.
The AHSC-funded program partners Santa Cruz Works for company recruitment and Digital NEST for intern training, offering six-month paid internships across ten local businesses with structured mentorship.
This initiative creates equitable career pathways for underserved youth while building community resilience through local employment opportunities that reduce commute distances and strengthen the regional economy.
Ten Santa Cruz companies from Climatize to Mission Hill Creamery are hosting paid interns like Julian Guerrero and Yuliana Morales-Galvan through this innovative community partnership.
The collaboration between Santa Cruz Works and Digital NEST is delivering workforce development opportunities for young adults through the AHSC 2025–26 Internship Opportunity Program. Funded by the City of Santa Cruz through the California Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities grant, this initiative supports paid internships for underserved youth while providing financial assistance to local businesses. The program represents a strategic approach to building career pathways and strengthening the regional economy simultaneously.
The AHSC grant, part of California's broader effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, promotes healthier communities by linking affordable housing with sustainable transportation and equitable economic opportunity. This internship program directly advances that mission by connecting local talent to local jobs, reducing commute distances, and fostering a more resilient economy. By keeping employment opportunities within the community, the program aligns with sustainable development goals while addressing economic disparities.
Ten local businesses have welcomed interns for six-month, paid positions through the program. Each participating company receives up to $10,000 in grant funding to compensate their interns, effectively lowering financial barriers for small businesses and startups eager to mentor emerging talent. This financial support enables companies that might otherwise lack resources to participate in workforce development while gaining access to fresh perspectives and skills.
The partnership leverages the complementary strengths of both organizations. Santa Cruz Works recruits participating companies from the local business community, while Digital NEST handles intern recruiting, training, and case management. Many interns come from bizzNEST, Digital NEST's youth-powered creative agency, where participants gain paid experience in digital marketing, software development, and design through real client projects before transitioning to company internships.
Bonnie Lipscomb, Director of Economic Development and Housing for the City of Santa Cruz, emphasized the program's transformative potential. The grant levels the playing field for residents who have faced systemic barriers to employment while eliminating cost concerns for businesses that want to mentor and grow local talent. This dual benefit addresses both supply and demand sides of the workforce equation.
Cathy Wright, VP of Partnerships & Innovation at Digital NEST, highlighted the effectiveness of the earn-and-learn model in addressing youth employment challenges. By providing paid experience, mentorship, and credentials within their own communities, the program prepares young people for wealth-building careers and contributes to a more equitable economic future. This approach recognizes that financial barriers often prevent talented youth from gaining crucial early career experience.
Malina Long, Business Development and Programs Manager at Santa Cruz Works, noted the immediate impact interns are making within local companies. The talent and energy these young professionals bring to their roles creates ripple effects that will benefit the community for years to come as they develop skills and establish careers locally.
The participating companies and their interns represent diverse sectors of the Santa Cruz economy. Organizations ranging from technology firms like Nurbli and Innovation Within to community-focused entities like Senior Legal Services and the Santa Cruz Children's Museum of Discovery are hosting interns in roles spanning software development, marketing, video production, and user experience design. This diversity ensures broad exposure to career opportunities while supporting various aspects of the local business ecosystem.
The partnership between Santa Cruz Works and Digital NEST establishes a model for community-driven workforce development that strengthens local companies, diversifies the talent pipeline, and ensures the next generation can build meaningful, sustainable careers within Santa Cruz County. By addressing both immediate employment needs and long-term career development, this initiative creates lasting value for participants, businesses, and the broader community. More information about Digital NEST's programs is available at https://www.digitalNEST.org.
Curated from Newsworthy.ai