Unveiling Opportunities: Navigating the Arnold Ventures Internship Program

Arnold Ventures is a philanthropy dedicated to maximizing opportunity and minimizing injustice. They invest in sustainable change, building it from the ground up based on research, deep thinking, and a strong foundation of evidence, tackling some of the most pressing problems in the United States.

Immersive Internship Experience

The Arnold Ventures (AV) summer internship program is an immersive 10-week program that provides interns with an opportunity to deepen their understanding of and experience in the philanthropic sector. The AV summer internship program offers a chance to delve into the world of philanthropy.

Program Structure and Support

Each intern will be assigned a project manager to oversee their work and a mentor to support their growth and development.

A Glimpse into the Intern Experience

Interns at Arnold Ventures have the opportunity to learn from some of the smartest, and kindest, people working in the policy field. They benefit from their knowledge in hallway chats and learning sessions, and employees willing to take a moment to explain something they didn’t understand or show us a better way to approach a project. Many interns come to Arnold Ventures driven by a desire to improve broken systems. During their time, they conduct research, volunteer for local organizations, and bring a positive energy to the workplace.

Voices from the Field

Ben: Researched ranked-choice voting and writing briefs on redistricting for the Democracy portfolio. He also wrote an op-ed on permitting reform for the Clean Energy team and drafted transition memos for the Higher Education team. The most rewarding moment of the internship was getting to present to his fellow interns. Ben pushed his peers to learn more about the work of his portfolio, while asking questions and uplifting a culture of curiosity. Ben will return to Brown University this fall as a junior studying International and Public Affairs and Computer Science.
Diego: Spoke with members of the organization Families Against Mandatory Minimums, an AV grantee that focuses on shorter and fairer prison sentences, sharing that “it was impactful to hear from people who were directly impacted by the policies that AV worked on.” It taught him the importance of being connected to the work we do, proof that the community that we foster goes much further than the walls of the office. He also helped many of the other interns find their footing within the organization. Diego will return to Brown University this fall for his sophomore year, where he is studying Africana Studies and History.
Sammie: Gained a newfound appreciation for operations teams, realizing how important they are to the core of an organization because they create good processes that are optimized to support the people making the policy change. On the Legal Team, Sammie read and wrote summaries of legal documents such as grantee contracts. For one project, she drafted memos on a philanthropic giving-related case, A.A.E.R. v. Fearless Foundation LLC. On the Grants side, she learned how to use Salesforce and hone her data comprehension, including creating new reports and dashboards, which allowed her to “explore the ‘why’ behind each report - how they assist those reading the reports to better understand the patterns in AV’s grant-making.” Her favorite moment was a cooking class she took with her team. After the internship, Sammie will return to Cornell University for her senior year, where she is a varsity volleyball player and studies Government with minors in Business, Spanish, and Law and Society.
Melat: Her responsibilities spanned a wide range of work, from a research paper on the implications of AI in journalism to building a grantee database. A project that stood out for Melat is a grant that she developed alongside Sammie for Open Campus, a nonprofit media organization that focuses on higher education. They interviewed the grantee, wrote a proposal, and presented it. “I am so proud to work for a company that doesn’t care to be in the spotlight but instead cares about getting things done,” said Melat, expressing a sentiment she embodies. Melat will be returning to the University of Texas at Austin as a junior studying Journalism with a minor in Media and Entertainment.
Madeline: Discovered this summer that “the projects that I have worked on will have a tangible impact on informing policy.” These projects include evaluating the methodological rigor of proposals, identifying states where further investments are needed, and drafting recommendations for projects that would support the use of evidence-based policy. Madeline saw the interaction between programs and operations while working with Sammie on presenting and requesting funding for a grant. She highlighted this project, saying that being able to inform the grantee of their acceptance was her favorite moment of the summer.
Michael: One of the highlights of his summer was the opportunity to spend time with the expert team over a collection of lunches. “To get to know everyone in a more informal setting and pick their brains was so fulfilling.” A particularly memorable project was one in which he tracked Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval processes for Alzheimer’s medications. “This project gave the team a good sense of what the climate surrounding these medications is, which better informed their work,” said Michael. “I didn’t know much about the FDA, so I got to contribute and learn something new.” Michael found that his team allowed him to grow as an employee. After the internship, Michael will return to New York University where he is studying Economics, Public Policy, and Management as a Maurice R. Greenberg Scholar.
Emma: As the Communications Intern, it’s been eye-opening to learn about what it means to craft a brand and make sure our ideas are coming across effectively. She had the opportunity to do media research, interview grantees, draft talking points, and so much more, echoing the sentiment that the environment at AV is what makes the work so impactful. Emma will return to Brown University as a senior studying International and Public Affairs.

Compensation and Term

Interns receive \$25/hour and a \$5,000 stipend to support housing or transportation costs during the internship.

The internship term runs from June 2 - August 8, 2025.

Travel Expectations

Interns based in the Washington, D.C. office will travel to Houston for onboarding the week of June 2, and interns based in the Houston office will travel to the D.C. office July 7-11.

Culture and Core Values

Arnold Ventures’ culture seeks to inspire and empower its people to innovate and develop bold ideas that will help achieve lasting impact. The culture, and the core values that support it, should create an environment that spurs the team to think outside the box, feel comfortable pushing the boundaries of what is possible, and signal confidence in the team’s ability to make change happen through philanthropic efforts.

Arnold Ventures’ values reflect who they are as an organization, help accelerate strategic goals, strengthen resolve, anchor the organization to its mission, and guide decision-making.

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

Acknowledging the importance of diverse perspectives, Arnold Ventures is committed to employing individuals from a variety of backgrounds and with a variety of experiences. Arnold Ventures is an equal opportunity employer, committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender identity or expression, marital status, sexual orientation, disability, military/veteran status, or any basis prohibited by applicable law.

Additional Internship Opportunity: CPWR - The Center for Construction Research and Training

CPWR-The Center for Construction Research and Training is seeking applicants for a paid research internship position to assist with construction site safety and wellbeing research.

Responsibilities

Applicants will assist with the following activities:

Preparation of survey and interview materials
Assistance with conducting surveys and interviews
Analysis of survey and interview data - both quantitative and qualitative
Review of the literature related to assessment of workplaces for safety and wellbeing climate
Participation in site visits (travel required)
Preparation of site visit reports
Preparation of an academic manuscript

The scope of work will be narrowed based on the intern's skill set, interest, and availability. Experience related to work-related mental health or social work with working populations will also be relevant to the position.

Schedule and Compensation

The internship will begin in May 2026 and last until negotiated with the intern. The intern should expect to commit 8 to 35 hours/week of mostly remote work with some travel. This is a paid internship with a payrate appropriate to the experience and training of the applicant and a minimum of $19/hour. This is a temporary, unbenefited position.

Eligibility

Applicants must be a resident of Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Virginia, or Washington, D.C.

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