15 Nonprofit Leadership Programs for High School Students
If you’re a high school student drawn to social causes and wondering what working in a nonprofit actually looks like, consider enrolling in a nonprofit leadership program.
What do nonprofit leadership programs for high school students involve?
Nonprofit leadership programs give you a front-row view of how nonprofits function daily. You learn how teams plan projects, work with communities, raise funds to stay afloat, and adjust when things do not go as planned. Instead of idealized stories, you see the real pace, pressure, and trade-offs that come with impact-focused work.
Why should you participate in nonprofit leadership programs for high school students?
Exposure to nonprofit leadership programs helps you move from interest to clarity. You walk away knowing what parts of nonprofit work appeal to you and what parts feel difficult. This makes your college applications stronger because you are explaining a choice you have tested.
If you’re also interested in free nonprofit summer programs, go here. Or, check here for nonprofit mentorship programs for high school students.
To make the search easier, we’ve put together a list of 15 nonprofit leadership programs for high school students.
15 Nonprofit Leadership Programs for High School Students
1. Bank of America Student Leaders Program
Location: Various locations across the U.S.
Cost: Free to participate; interns are paid a stipend
Cohort Size: Approximately 300 students are selected annually
Dates: 8-week internship during the summer, including the week-long Student Leaders Summit in Washington, D.C. (July 21 – 26)
Application Deadline: January 15
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors; legally authorized to work in the U.S. | In good standing at their school | Permanently reside in one of the eligible locations and have not been previously selected for the program
Bank of America offers a Student Leaders Program where high school students gain community service and leadership experience through interning at local non-profits. Over 8 weeks, you’ll participate in community service projects, interact with people, and understand the needs of your community while gaining insight into how non-profits operate. You’ll also attend the Student Leaders Summit in Washington, D.C., where you’ll interact with professionals and strengthen skills in leadership, communication, and collaboration.
2. Exploring Leadership Youth Program
Location: San Francisco, CA; internships at partner organizations around the San Francisco Bay Area
Cost: Free to participate; $250 stipend upon completion
Dates: June 22 – July 30
Application Deadline: Priority: December 12; Final: January 9
Eligibility: Students entering grades 9 to 11 in Bay Area schools
The Exploring Leadership Youth Program is a summer experience where you build leadership skills by working directly with nonprofits and government offices. You intern on real community-focused work, learn how local organizations operate, and take responsibility for tasks that matter. Alongside the internship, you join workshops and group sessions that focus on communication, decision-making, and setting goals. The program is centred on doing and helps you understand community issues by working inside them rather than talking about them in theory.
3. Young Founders Lab
Cost: Varies according to program. There is need-based financial aid.
Location: This program is 100% virtual, with live, interactive workshops
Program Dates: Varies by the cohort
Application Deadline: There are 3 application deadlines that you can choose between; more details in the brochure!
Eligibility: Open to all high school students
The Young Founder’s Lab is a real-world start-up boot camp founded and run by Harvard entrepreneurs. In this program, you will work towards building a revenue-generating start-up that addresses a real-world problem, including a non-profit. You will also have the opportunity to be mentored by established entrepreneurs and professionals from Google, Microsoft, and X. Apart from building the start-up itself, you will also participate in interactive classes on business fundamentals and business ideation, workshops and skill-building sessions, case studies, panel discussions, and more. You can check out the brochure for the program here.
4. Ladder Internship Program
Location: Remote (work from anywhere in the world)
Cost: Varies by the program. Financial aid is available
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort – Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November).
Eligibility: high school students, undergraduates, and gap year students who can work for 8 - 12 weeks, devoting 10 - 20 hours/week
Ladder Internships is a selective, virtual internship program for ambitious high school students. You’ll be matched with a high-growth startup and work on real-world projects in fields like nonprofit, tech, AI/ML, health tech, journalism, marketing, and consulting. Internships typically last 8 weeks and require a commitment of 5–10 hours per week. You’ll work closely with your startup manager and a Ladder Coach, and present your work to the company at the end. The program includes one-on-one training in communication and time management, plus group sessions with other interns. Startups in the program often have raised over $1 million and are led by founders with experience at places like Google, Facebook, and Microsoft. You can apply here.
5. Achieving Leadership’s Purpose (ALP)
Location: Achieving Leadership's Purpose, New York City, NY
Cost: Free
Dates: 12 / 24-month program (depending on when you enter); weekly meetings during the school year
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High-school students of African diaspora origin from NYC schools
Achieving Leadership’s Purpose is a nonprofit program focused on building leadership skills among high school students of African origin. The program runs for two years and combines learning with community work, so you are not just studying leadership but practising it. You spend time learning about history and culture, discussing activists, authors, and leaders through lectures, book discussions, and field trips, and reflecting on how their work connects to present-day issues. Alongside this, you receive coaching and take on leadership roles in community-based projects, where you are expected to take initiative and follow through.
6. SAVE Promise Club
Location: School-based clubs in many states across the U.S.
Cost: Free
Dates: Ongoing during the school year
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: K–12 students; any willing school or youth organization can start or host a club
Students Against Violence Everywhere (SAVE) Promise Club is a student-led program where you work with peers to address violence and promote safety in your school and community. You focus on issues like bullying, isolation, and inclusion, and help start conversations that encourage students to look out for one another. As a club member, you help plan events, projects, and activities that involve your school community and push violence prevention efforts in practical ways.
7. Distressed Children & Infants International: Youth Leadership Program
Location: Virtual or in person at DCI’s office in Cheshire, CT
Cost: Free
Dates: Applications open throughout the year
Application Deadline: Applications processed on a rolling basis
Eligibility: Middle school, high school, or college students
Distressed Children & Infants International offers a Youth Leadership Program where you take part in real nonprofit work while learning what it means to act as a global citizen. Based on your interests, you help with tasks like research, editing, fundraising, data work, or supporting child sponsorship efforts, giving you exposure to how aid organizations actually operate. You work with mentors who guide your progress, but you are also expected to take initiative by suggesting ideas and helping manage ongoing projects.
8. Valley United Way: Youth Leadership Program
Location: Lower Naugatuck Valley, CT (Towns: Ansonia, Derby, Oxford, Seymour, Shelton)
Cost: Free
Dates: Applications open throughout the year
Application Deadline: Applications processed on a rolling basis
Eligibility: Youth from the five valley towns (Ansonia, Derby, Oxford, Seymour, Shelton) and their schools
Valley United Way offers a Youth Leadership Program for high school students to develop their leadership skills through community service. As a participant, you’ll understand the needs of your community and gain insight into how non-profits work towards addressing them. You’ll participate in team-building retreats, collaborative activities, and gain training through workshops where you’ll work on your problem-solving, public speaking, and leadership skills. You’ll engage in community service, work with local non-profits to identify pressing needs, and work on fund allocation.
9. American Heart Association (AHA) | Youth Leadership Council
Location: Virtual or school-based
Cost: Free
Dates: Council: 1‑year term | Clubs: run during school year
Application Deadline: Council applications open Spring; Clubs can be registered any time during the school year
Eligibility: Ages 16–22 (Council); any high‑school or college‑age student who is 13 or older for Heart Club membership/starting club (with school advisor)
The American Heart Association’s Youth Leadership Council lets you work with a national health nonprofit while staying rooted in your own school community. You take on advocacy-focused work, help organize events and fundraisers, and support campaigns that raise awareness around heart health. Through this work, you build practical skills in communication, organization, and project coordination while learning how nonprofit advocacy actually functions. You also receive guidance from AHA professionals and get chances to practice public speaking and media engagement, making the experience both hands-on and responsibility-driven.
10. FBI National Academy Associates Youth Leadership Program
Location: FBI Academy, Quantico, VA
Cost: Free
Dates: July 9–17
Application Deadline: February 2
Eligibility: High‑school sophomores or juniors (ages 14–16) meeting academic, citizenship, and fitness standards
The FBI National Academy Associates Youth Leadership Program is an eight-day experience where you train under law enforcement professionals and focus on leadership through action. You take part in sessions on ethical decision making, situational awareness, time management, and handling mistakes, alongside physical training and field-based activities. The program mixes classroom instruction with real-world demonstrations and excursions, giving you a clear look at how discipline, judgment, and preparedness are developed in high-pressure environments.
11. CASC Summer Leadership Conference
Location: UCSB, Santa Barbara, CA,
Cost: $750 registration fee
Dates: Summer session (exact dates not specified)
Application Deadline: July 12
Eligibility: High‑school students
The CASC Summer Leadership Conference is a conference where students learn how to build leadership skills while addressing the needs of their community. During the camp, you’ll work on your leadership skills and work collaboratively with like-minded peers in a series of fun activities, workshops, and guest sessions. You’ll be encouraged to step out of your comfort zone and work on skill sets such as team building, presentation, meeting, and project planning.
12. Sadie Nash Leadership Scholars
Location: In person at SNLP offices in New York City & Newark, NJ
Cost: Free. Up to $400 stipend provided
Dates: Program runs from November to May; Weekly meetings
Application Deadline: Next cycle opens Fall (Exact dates not specified)
Eligibility: 10th or 11th grade students; young women or gender‑expansive youth; living or studying in NYC or Newark
Sadie Nash runs a year-long Leadership Scholars program where you build leadership skills while exploring possible career paths. You spend time learning how different professionals work, what education routes they took, and how those paths connect to your own interests. Along the way, you develop problem-solving skills, learn different leadership styles, and practice speaking with confidence through hands-on activities.
13. Feast of Justice – Youth Leadership Development Program
Location: Feat of Justice’s food pantry and community‑service sites in Philadelphia, PA
Cost: Paid
Dates: July 22 – August 15; plus additional evening shifts for service/distribution
Application Deadline: Yet to be announced
Eligibility: High‑school students committed to service and social / food justice work
Feast of Justice offers a 4-week Youth Leadership Development Program as a paid internship program for students interested in community service and addressing inequity. As an intern, you’ll be focused on either community health, where you’ll focus on creating community-based resources, or community engagement, where you’ll support program operations. You’ll have the opportunity to build skills and learn about food and social justice through attending seminars.
14. Leadership Pasco, Inc. – Youth Leadership Pasco
Location: Pasco County, FL; sessions and tours held at various locations throughout Pasco County
Cost: $35
Dates: October–March; monthly sessions; graduation in March
Application Deadline: September 8
Eligibility: High‑school sophomores or juniors in Pasco County schools; good attendance; school‑principal support
The Youth Leadership Pasco Program is a program that encourages leadership through increasing awareness of community-based issues among high school students. During the program, you’ll explore community issues in areas such as education, healthcare, socio-economic, and law enforcement through seminars and field visits. You’ll interact with community leaders, understand issues within your communities, and encourage participation in community service.
15. Rising Stars Youth Leadership Program
Location: Union Church, Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, CA
Cost: $300 stipend
Dates: October 11–April 11
Application Deadline: Yet to be announced
Eligibility: High‑school students
The Rising Stars Youth Leadership Program is a program where high school students will build leadership skills that will help them serve their communities. During the program, you’ll strengthen skills in teamwork, public speaking, networking, and assertiveness, and build cultural awareness. You’ll work on these skills through group projects and activities, and also participate in cultural activities that focus on Japanese American Heritage.
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