Economic Recovery Corps Fellowship - MA

Overview

The Economic Recovery Corps Fellowship provides experienced, impact-driven professionals an opportunity to address critical challenges in under-resourced communities throughout the country to advance new ways of doing economic development that promotes transformative change and leads to a more just, equitable, and sustainable economy for all. This position offers a chance to step into a dynamic role as the fellowship enters an exciting new phase. The selected candidate will build on the progress of the past 14 months, contributing to ongoing projects while forging new opportunities to drive systemic change.

You might be a good fit if…

• You are looking to do something impactful, substantive, and transformative while growing as a professional.
• You get excited about the idea of joining and building a nation-wide network of innovators to change the system and create new ways of doing economic development where no one gets left behind.
• You seek opportunities that allow you to develop new knowledge and practices that can shape the next generation of economic development practitioners and community-builders.
• You seek to work with and engage stakeholders from diverse backgrounds to build effective coalitions.
• You’re known for being somewhat of a disruptor or change agent within your network — as well as a connector – bringing the right people together to get things done.

Role

Project Focus:

As our fellow, you will work alongside the teams at 1Berkshire and the Berkshire Innovation Center to collaboratively move towards several key goals. These goals are centered around growing a dynamic and inviting “Creative Tech” and tech-enabled startup community by improving access, navigability, workforce development, and improved practices. In this role, you will:

• Co-manage a “hub and spoke” system for recruiting, supporting, and referring creative tech and tech-enabled businesses in Berkshire County, fostering a welcoming ecosystem of peers and mentors, and ensuring entrepreneurs and startups are connected to the regional resources and partners that will make them most successful. 
• Co-develop and administer a tailored technical assistance program designed with, and for, creative and tech-enabled startups, as well as potential workforce populations in the region, making those offerings available to more broad startups that find associated value, and helping to unlock aspirations and access to exciting high growth industries.
• Working with a dynamic group of partners and stakeholders across education, industry, economic development, and cultural institutions to design and pilot a “STEAM-e” internships pilot program that pairs highschool and college students with emergent tech startups as a way to converge STEAM and entrepreneurship learning.
• Participate and contribute to a Western Massachusetts Economic Ecosystem Coalition to help grow trust-based relationships and partnerships with a focus on assessing, advising, and improving practices towards efficiency, impact, qualified referrals, and new growth.
• Participate and contribute to the teams at 1Berkshire and the BIC as a full-fledged member of the organizations, including: attending and supporting signature programming, contributing to accelerators and incubator programs, co-developing new programming with other partners in the ecosystem, joining the teams in-office on a weekly basis, and attending a number of regular and specialized meetings and convenings central to the work at hand.
  
• Core Competencies:
• Self-starter: Someone who can learn quickly and work independently
• Ability to pull coalitions together: Strong networking and collaboration skills
• Capable of learning while doing, rather than learning first and then acting
• Familiarity with rural settings: Understanding the unique dynamics of rural environments
• Physical presence and accountability: Committed to in-office days and team participation
• Entrepreneurial mindset: Ability to adapt and potentially develop new program opportunities
• Expected Outcomes:
• Increased small business ownership and success rates among distressed groups
• A scalable, equity-centered entrepreneurship support model tailored for rural and post-industrial communities
• Strong, lasting collaborations among public and private stakeholders to ensure sustainability and resource alignment
• Tangible contributions to a more inclusive and resilient Massachusetts economy

Ideal ERC fellows will have a bachelor’s or associate degree, a minimum of five years of professional experience in a manager-level role, an entrepreneurial mindset, be able to learn on the fly, think and communicate across multiple disciplines, and be natural ecosystem-builders / connectors. While these qualifications give us a good sense of an applicant’s preparation, we will also consider other types of work, volunteer, or education experiences that are equivalent to these minimum requirements.

You must have existing U.S. work authorization for the entirety of the program without any need for visa sponsorship.

The following characteristics and skillsets are easy descriptors of who you are:

• Collaborative
• Service-oriented
• Ethical
• Curious
• Persuasive
• Creative problem-solver
• Resilient
• Tech-savvy
• Strategic
• Adaptable
• Empathetic
• Culturally competent
• Compassionate
• Facilitator
• Networker / Relationship Builder
• Disruptor / Change Agent

Underscoring all these characteristics is a genuine desire to contribute to the greater good.

Fellowship Features

High-Impact Field Experience

• The fellowship began 14 months ago and continues for 16 months, with the opportunity to join the program as we move into an exciting new phase.
• 16 months remaining for this role
• $7,500 per month for 16 months (ending August/September 2026)
• $10,000 post-fellowship readjustment stipend
• Mentorship opportunities with experienced community and economic development leaders
• Action research capstone project in partnership with your host organization

Leadership and Professional Development

• Access to professional development opportunities, including a stipend of up to $27,500 for travel expenses, annual in-person training retreats, and access to up to two conferences per year hosted by IEDC or one of the ERC partners
• An opportunity to pursue certification to become a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) and/or Entrepreneurship Development Professional (EDP), for those who are interested in classes and sitting for the exam(s).

Expanded Network

• Monthly Community of Practice engagements with a sub-cohort of peers led by one of the six ERC partners.

• Quarterly virtual peer learning and network exchanges with the entire Fellow cohort.
• Access to ERC Partners’ nationwide network of industry leaders, more than 23,000 partner organizations, and ongoing support, collaboration, and professional opportunities through IEDC’s 4,500+ member network.

Program details

• ERC fellows are independent contractor professionals and will be required to sign an independent contractor agreement with the International Economic Development Council before beginning the fellowship. ERC fellows must meet all requirements for independent contractor status under federal and state laws applicable to their work location in order to be eligible for this fellowship.
• Disbursement of the annual and post-fellowship stipends are contingent upon fulfillment of contractual requirements and completion of the ERC program.
• This description is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all of the requirements and features of this fellowship opportunity, which may change without notice.