Community Partners

The PKG Center recognized that our community partners—including nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and social enterprises—are invaluable resources for student learning. We strive to make partner collaborations mutually beneficial and to provide our community agencies with opportunities to network with the MIT community.

Community Partnership Criteria

We work with a diverse set of partners locally, nationally, and globally. Our most successful partnerships meet all or most of the criteria below. If your organization aligns with our partner criteria below and you wish to connect, please reach out to us at pkgcenter@mit.edu.

  • Mission and Values Alignment: Clear mission, theory of change, and strategic plan; Alignment between agency and PKG values; Expertise in issue area that is of interest to students, a priority for faculty research, and a demonstrated need in the community
  • Ability to Partner: Organizational capacity and financial stability; Adequate staffing (including enthusiastic and capable site supervisor); Strong leadership; Existing engagement protocol; Opportunities to engage students in a variety of roles
  • Willingness to Partner: High level buy-in from leadership (Executive Director, Board of Directors) and wider support at all levels of organization; Potential to enter into longer-term, multi-faceted relationship with MIT and PKG Center
  • Community Connectedness: Deep community connections (evidenced by Board membership, mechanisms for soliciting and incorporating feedback from all stakeholders); Strong reputation among a variety of constituencies
  • “Fit” with MIT: Experience successfully working with undergraduate/graduate students and/or engaging volunteers in meaningful ways; STEM-orientation and opportunities; Past or current relationships with other MIT stakeholders

To see examples of our current partner projects visit MIT Handshake.

To learn more about becoming a partner site for our Social Impact Internship program visit our Internship Partners page.

Photo: Presentation
Photo: Student Group