The SEPA Program
The SEPA program is designed to increase Austin College student engagement in the local community and collaboration with local nonprofit agencies.
SEPA focuses on engaging students in community development through grant writing as an entrepreneurial endeavor, teaching technical aspects of grant writing and providing hands-on grant writing experience with a local nonprofit agency over the summer.
SEPA Program Accolades
- interns have raised more than $1.1 million for area nonprofits since the program’s inception in 2013
- earned a 2013 NADO Innovation Award
- recognized by Borgen Magazine as a college program committed to making a difference in the fight against global poverty
- recognized by the City of Denison, Texas, as the 2015 Partnership of the Year
- has been supported in the past by generous grants from Texoma Health Foundation, the Elias & Hanna Regensburger Foundation and the Munson Foundation
Funding Information Network Partner
Austin College serves as a Funding Information Network Partner of The Foundation Center and provides a wide range of services to help those involved in preparing grants to source and solicit funds from foundations.
STUDENTS must complete an Internship Application which will be available beginning January 15 each year. The student application period for 2023 Summer Internships is open until April 1, 2023. Intern selections and match assignments will be announced by April 10. Interns’ training fees and summer stipend are covered by the College.
NONPROFIT organizations are required to complete the SEPA Nonprofit Agency Application which will be available beginning February 15 each year. The application period ends April 1. In order to be considered for the SEPA program agencies must certify that if selected they will:
- send the agency employee who will be the intern’s direct supervisor to the two-day grant writing workshop (late May/early June), the cost of which is free to SEPA agencies
- provide intern with outstanding experiential learning opportunities addressing important local social and economic issues
- meet with their intern at least weekly, understanding that the opportunity is wasted if an intern is unable to get the information necessary to complete grant applications
Failure to comply may result in future consideration for agency participation. Nonprofit agencies will be chosen that best match student interest. The number of agency/student pairs is determined by annual funding through grants.
Austin College students, please contact Nate Bigelow at 903.813.2589 for more information. All others, please email SEPA@austincollege.edu.