Machon Kaplan | Internship Postings with our Partners

 

Check out these open internship postings from some of our partners:


National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities (NASUAD)

The National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities (NASUAD) was founded in 1964 under the name National Association of State Units on Aging (NASUA). In 2010, the organization changed its name to NASUAD in an effort to formally recognize the work that the state agencies were undertaking in the field of disability policy and advocacy. Today, NASUAD represents the nation’s 56 state and territorial agencies on aging and disabilities and supports visionary state leadership, the advancement of state systems innovation and the articulation of national policies that support home and community-based services for older adults and individuals with disabilities. Mission To design, improve, and sustain state systems delivering home and community-based services and supports for people who are older or have a disability, and their caregivers.

The interns primary focus would be preparations for the National Home and Community Based Services Conference. Other Key Responsibilities to include:

  • Answering telephones
  • Attending hearings, webinars, and conference calls
  • Drafting and sending communications
  • Assisting with project management
  • Updating the website
  • Legislative and policy research

​Contact: Pearl Barnett, pbarnett@nasuad.org

NAACP

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the nation’s oldest and largest grassroots civil rights organization with over 100 years of experience in the struggle to eliminate the vestiges of racial and ethnic-minority discrimination and oppression in our country. The Washington Bureau is the legislative arm of the NAACP. This office is responsible for all the lobbying and public policy affairs of the NAACP. We also generate legislative information to our branches and other affiliates to be used for training, workshops, conferences and our annual convention.

The internship duties include, but are not limited to:

  • Planning, researching and completing a project on a particular issue based on our legislative agenda;
  • Attending meetings on the Hill, etc., followed by written reports as instructed by the director;
  • Attending NAACP Annual National Convention to assist with the duties of the Washington Bureau (July only)
  • Researching other pertinent information via the internet;
  • Assisting staff with mailings; telephone and office coverage and other minor office duties as assigned

Contact: Valerie Cooper, vcooper@naacpnet.org, (202) 463-2940

B'nai B'rith International

Advocacy on international and domestic policy issues confronting the Jewish community.

Contact: Eric Fusfield, efusfield@bnaibrith.org

National Religious Partnership for the Environment

The National Religious Partnership for the Environment brings together major faith organizations--both Christian and Jewish--to speak out on the need to protect God's creation. NRPE provides both education and advocacy opportunities for religious leaders and works on issues like climate change, clean water, clean air, public lands, and environmental justice. ​

Interns will be provided with a unique opportunity to build on their strengths and develop new skill sets. Interns get practical experience interfacing with Congress and the Administration as well as hone their writing skills through opinion piece drafting and web content development. Interns also get exposure to other faith organizations working on environmental issues. NRPE's internships are all intern-led, meaning that interns work with NRPE's executive director to develop their own tailored work experience. This allows each intern to exit from their time at NRPE with a more robust resume and increased skill set.

Contact: Cassandra Carmichael, cassandra@nrpe.org, 443-822-3720

The Jewish Federations of North America

The Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) Washington Office is the policy arm of JFNA, bringing the voice of 147 Jewish community federations and over 300 independent Jewish communities throughout North America to Capitol Hill and the Administration as a prominent force in policy decision-making. Collectively among the top 10 charities in the world, JFNA secures and manages $16 billion in endowment assets. Each year, JFNA raises over $900 million through the Annual Campaign and emergency campaigns, and distributes over $3 billion from our foundations and endowments. JFNA’s legislative agenda focuses on a variety of issues that includes, but is not limited to: bolstering health policies for older adults to age with dignity and an enhanced quality of life; protecting programs for vulnerable populations, such as domestic violence victims, LGBTQ+ persons, people with disabilities, refugees, and low-income families; supporting a strong U.S.-Israel relationship; safeguarding the Jewish community from terrorism; and more.

JFNA interns have the unique opportunity to work on a wide range of public policy issues. Through this internship, interns will learn innovative approaches to community engagement by organizing and informing local grassroots networks of Jewish federations and affiliated social service agencies. The day-to-day responsibilities of a JFNA internship includes, but is not limited to, attending congressional hearings, taking part in advocacy/leadership training days, drafting action alerts and other advocacy materials, compiling and analyzing surveys, and researching and writing on a variety of existing and proposed policies. Summer internships are full-time (35 hours per week) and interns receive a modest stipend.

Contact: Bruce MacIver, bruce.maciver@jewishfederations.org, 2027365876

National Partnership for Women & Families

The National Partnership for Women & Families is a non-profit, nonpartisan national advocacy organization that works to improve the lives of women and families by achieving equality for all women. From health care and reproductive rights to fair pay and family friendly policies, we know when women do better, families do better and our nation prospers. We promote equality for all women and are working every day to make our country more fair, just and tolerant so everyone has the opportunity to fully participate and thrive.

There are several intern roles at the organization that vary by semester, which can be found on our website. While each internship is different, most interns participate in events, complete writing projects and take on intern-led research projects among other projects and activities as needed or desired.

Contact: Laura Meyer, lmeyer@nationalpartnership.org, 2022384811

National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities

NACDD is an outcomes-oriented, mission-driven organization. NACDD leads the way in advancing issues that improve the lives of people with DD and their families by actively listening to all stakeholders, identifying and exploring emerging trends, and proactively reaching out to collaborate with a variety of leaders and organizations to develop effective solutions. NACDD’s values include: Self-Determination, Inclusion, Diversity, Learning, Innovation, Collaboration, Communication, and Accountability.

Assist with development of creative concepts and marketing strategies for promoting the work of the NACDD. Translate creative concepts into print, online, and other collateral materials. Develop content and style for new website. Work with consultants to ensure site is 508 compliant and members can access needed information. Assist with copy editing for the various promotional materials defined above. During the summer, there is an opportunity to work with staff on its Annual Conference.

Contact: Robin Troutman, RTROUTMAN@NACDD.ORG, 2025065813

Common Cause

Common Cause is a nonpartisan, grassroots organization dedicated to upholding the core values of American democracy. We work to create open, honest, and accountable government that serves the public interest; promote equal rights, opportunity, and representation for all; and empower all people to make their voices heard in the political process.  Common Cause has an innovative, pragmatic, and comprehensive pro-democracy agenda. We lead and define the democracy reform movement, promoting solutions already succeeding in some communities to shift power to the people.  Together with our sister organization, the Common Cause Education Fund, we employ a powerful combination of grassroots organizing, coalition building, research, policy development, public education, lobbying and litigation to win reform at all levels of government.

Program Intern: Program interns will have the opportunity to work in various parts of the organization on projects assigned according to their interests and abilities. Past interns have blogged, attended hearings, conducted research, and helped plan outreach activities.

Research Intern: Research interns will assist lawyers and legal fellows as part of the legal research team. They will conduct research necessary to create charts and information summaries for use. Past interns have drafted rebuttal arguments for congressional testimony, attended congressional hearings, and compiled data for use by senior staff and policy experts.

Communications Intern: Communications interns will work mainly with our communications team to help produce web content, blog posts, email messages to members, and press relations materials. Past interns have helped create and maintain our website, written blog posts, processed and uploaded content, posted social media, and made infographics for events. 

Digital Campaigns Intern: A Digital Campaigns Intern will work with our digital team as we mobilize our membership base to win campaigns using digital organizing tools and tactics. This will include: drafting, editing, and producing action-driven content for web, email, and social, assisting with our website content migration, fielding member inquiries and feedback that come in through various channels, and other tasks as needed. Plusses include experience with political writing, HTML/CSS, social media, or organizing. As a Digital Campaigns Intern, you’ll learn how to write compelling messages that drive individuals to take action, use digital tools to make an impact, and be part of the digital presence of a prominent advocacy organization.

Contact: Aaron Scherb, ascherb@commoncause.org, 2025915999

Project On Government Oversight

The Project On Government Oversight (POGO) is a nonpartisan independent watchdog that investigates and exposes waste, corruption, abuse of power, and when the government fails to serve the public or silences those who report wrongdoing.  We champion reforms to achieve a more effective, ethical, and accountable federal government that safeguards constitutional principles.  POGO strives above all to be fair in our investigations and reporting. We are diligent in our research. And we give credit where credit is due—to members of both parties—when good things happen.  POGO will never allow the pillars of our democracy to be threatened. For more than three decades, we’ve questioned any ties to public officials that suggest conflicts of interest, corruption, or general wrongdoing. We fight back against attacks to government accountability, ethics, or transparency.

At POGO, our interns are immersed in the gritty work of government oversight from day one. From attending meetings on Capitol Hill to combing through resources at the Library of Congress, you’ll be exposing problems that affect ordinary Americans and exploring solutions to present to Washington policymakers.  Responsibilities: Support the investigative team’s research and writing on numerous topics. Track and attend relevant hearings and events to deepen knowledge on POGO issues. File Freedom of Information Act requests. Prepare summaries of materials gathered through research. Assist with some administrative activities including preparations for meetings, data entry, and mailings. Support monthly Congressional Oversight Training programs for House and Senate staff.

Qualifications: An interest in good government and a commitment to non-partisanship. Excellent writing skills and prior research experience. A drive to ask tough questions and the intellectual curiosity to doggedly follow leads. Ability to apply superb attention to detail and consistently produce timely and error-free work. The ability to work independently. Ability to maintain the highest degree of confidentiality regarding all aspects of work at all times. Eagerness to be creative and a willingness to bring forward new ideas and projects. Experience or training in statistical analysis, qualitative data analysis, and/or data visualization a plus but not required.

Contact: Lydia Dennett, ldennett@pogo.org, 2023471122

National Immigration Forum

The National Immigration Forum advocates for the value of immigrants and immigration to our nation. For 30 years, the Forum has worked to advance sound federal immigration solutions through its policy expertise, communications outreach and coalition building work, which forges powerful alliances of diverse constituencies across the country to build consensus on the important role of immigrants in America.

The National Immigration Forum seeks a self-starting Field & Constituencies (F&C) Intern to assist our team in driving the Bibles, Badges and Business for Immigration Reform campaign. The F&C Intern works on outreach to students and faith, business, and law enforcement and veteran leaders across the nation to forge a new consensus on immigrants and immigration. The F&C Intern will have the opportunity to work on a variety of projects and tailor the internship to the intern’s interests.  Responsibilities may include, but are not limited to: Assisting the F&C team with administrative, research and logistical tasks, Monitoring and formatting relevant immigration news clips for various reports, Assisting in the development and implementation of social media strategy; posting to social media, Drafting and posting content to various websites using Word Press. You can find the full description here. We have a rolling application process with no deadlines for application. 

Contact: Ruby Ritchin, rritchin@immigrationforum.org, 2023835980

Women Enabled International

Women Enabled International (WEI) works at the intersection of women's rights and disability rights to advance the rights of women and girls with disabilities around the world. Working in collaboration with women with disabilities rights organizations and women's rights organizations Globally, WEI fosters cooperation across movements to increase international attention to and strengthen human rights standards on issues such as violence against women, sexual and reproductive health and rights, access to justice, education, legal capacity, and humanitarian emergencies.

An undergraduate summer intern with WEI will support key elements of WEI's work to advance the rights of women and girls with disabilities. Specifically, the intern will have the opportunity to work on one or two substantive research projects to support WEI's advocacy with the United Nations human rights mechanisms. Research may include research into the situation for women and girls with disabilities in a given country or information about specific types of human rights violations. The intern will support WEI's social media team by developing posts and identifying relevant articles to share over various social media platforms where WEI has a presence. The intern will also perform administrative duties as necessary. This is an unpaid internship opportunity working in WEI's Washington, D.C. office.

Contact: Suzannah Phillips, s.phillips@womenenabled.org, 9175586446

Issue One

Our name, Issue One, speaks to our mission: We are focused on the core civic issue of our time — solving the root cause of the gridlock crippling Washington and degrading our democracy. Founded in 2013, we are a nonpartisan nonprofit advocacy organization dedicated to political reform and government ethics in order to strengthen democracy and return government to the American people. To do that, we are building the bipartisan coalition we need to win game-changing reform, and educating lawmakers and the public about pragmatic, bipartisan solutions. Stipend provided.  

As an Issue One intern, you will: Assist in research, administration and logistics in mobilizing Issue One ReFormers Caucus — the largest bipartisan group of former elected officials committed to fixing political dysfunction; Support our Legislative team by completing Hill briefs and targeted research efforts; Draft content for external promotion such as social media posts, policy explainers, activist emails, and memorandum; Support our Communications department by monitoring key reform issues in the media and conducting background research on select media markets; Assist with organizing events and meetings to further our advocacy agenda; Other administrative tasks as assigned. 

Qualifications: Demonstrated interest in democracy, American politics and policy advocacy; Self-starter who can see projects through to completion; Excellent written and verbal communications skills; Proficient in Microsoft Office suite; Demonstrated ability to generate ideas and adapt to new projects; Strong organizational abilities and attention to detail; Ability to work independently, as well as with a team. 

Contact: Elise Wirkus, ewirkus@issueone.org, 2026448735

The Leadership Conference

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, a 501(c)(4) organization, a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 200 national organizations to promote and protect the civil and human rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference has coordinated national advocacy efforts on behalf of every major civil rights law since 1957. Learn more at www.civilrights.org. The Leadership Conference Education Fund, a 501(c)(3) organization, builds public will for federal policies that promote and protect civil and human rights in the United States. Founded in 1969 as the education and research arm of The Leadership Conference, The Education Fund’s campaigns inform, educate and empower local, state and national leaders to advance and protect civil and human rights and progressive change in the United States.  ​

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and The Leadership Conference Education Fund offer a substantive, fast-paced, paid internship program designed to give undergraduate students interested in civil and human rights real-world work experience in the policy arena. The program provides interns the chance to increase their knowledge and awareness of a range of civil and human rights issues, such as voting rights, fair courts, criminal justice reform, educational equity, and the 2020 Census; enhance their understanding of coalition dynamics; and observe the legislative and rulemaking processes of the federal government.  Core intern responsibilities include:  Writing articles for our website and blog. Tracking legislation and litigation related to key issue areas. Monitoring media coverage of issue areas. Attending congressional hearings and briefings. Providing support to core departments, programs, and campaigns. Conducting on- and off-line research to support Leadership Conference/Education Fund staff. Planning, organizing, and carrying out an event for coalition interns. Providing administrative support. 

Ideal candidates should have strong writing skills, a desire and ability to work with diverse groups of people, the ability to work collaboratively, the ability to multitask, and share our strong commitment to civil and human rights and social justice issues. An ability to maintain confidentiality is a must.  Our summer internships run from mid-May to mid-August. Start and end dates are flexible to accommodate various school schedules, and we require a 30-hour minimum weekly commitment.

Contact: Rebecca Van Voorhees, internships@civilrights.org, 9738852309

Families USA

Our vision is a nation where the best health and health care are equally accessible and affordable to all. Families USA’s work focuses on four crucial areas; Coverage, Health Equity, Health Care Value, and Consumer Engagement.

Interns are considered part of the Families USA’s staff and attend staff meetings and internal team meetings to discuss advocacy strategy and new initiatives to ensure health care access and affordability for all. We work to ensure each intern is provided opportunities for growth in their desired fields of interest. Roles and responsibilities differ based on department and projects. Some responsibilities could include; policy research, legislative tracking, drafting talking points, comments, blogs, etc., planning advocacy meetings, webinars, or conference calls, and more. 

Families USA values professional development. We match each intern with an in-house mentor, help set and meet internships goals, and hold regular check-ins to further focus on the career path of each individual intern and enrich the internship experience.

Contact: Abby Bott, abott@familiesusa.org, (202) 628-3030

Win Without War

Win Without War is committed to helping build a better, more just, and more peaceful world by advancing progressive alternatives to the United States’ over-militarized foreign policy.

Multiple positions are available with Win Without War. They include a digital communications internship, policy and advocacy internship, and campaigns and programs internship.

The ideal candidates for any internship with Win Without War will:

  • Have a passionate commitment to progressive values and to a United States foreign policy rooted in those values.
  • Have the ability to work independently when necessary and execute multiple simultaneous tasks on tight deadlines.
  • Have an ability to accept constructive feedback in meaningful, productive ways.
  • Be excited about working in a fast-paced, small team in an activist environment.
  • Be heart-driven, positive, collaborative, fun, and kind – and want to be part of a team and network that feels that way too.
Contact: Annika London, annika@winwithoutwar.org, 657-522-0024
 

The Coalition on Human Needs (CHN) is an alliance of national organizations working together to promote public policies which address the needs of low-income and other vulnerable populations. The Coalition’s members include civil rights, religious, labor, and professional organizations, service providers and those concerned with the well being of children, women, the elderly, and people with disabilities.

The Coalition on Human Needs (CHN) is seeking two (2) highly motivated, organized, and energetic individual for a full-time internship. Interns will be involved in all aspects of the work of the Coalition, including development of research information and data, preparation for coalition meetings, frequent updates and development of website, development of social media and blog content, disseminating member information, announcements, research studies, and legislative updates through multiple listservs, development of briefing materials for members and Congressional staff, attending and monitoring Congressional committee hearings and advocacy briefings, providing program assistance for communications, special projects, and administrative support of staff. More information on the internship can be found here.

To apply, send a cover letter specifying dates of availability, resume, short writing sample (2-3 pages) and 3 references as attachments to Leo Nguyen at lnguyen@chn.org with the subject line “CHN: Summer Internship 2019.”

 

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