Community Building Internship

Priority deadline for applications is 11:59 pm EST on Sunday, March 15

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Start date: Start and end dates are flexible, but we anticipate the internship beginning in mid-May.

Time commitment:

• 4 to 5 days (32 to 40 hours) per week for 10-12 weeks. In general, our team works from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, but this position will have occasional work on nights and weekends.
• This position will be required to work during our Summer Policy Institute, which will take place at NC State University July 17-20. The intern will be expected to stay on site overnight in provided accommodations (a dorm room or similar) during that time. Other than that, the work schedule can be flexible to accommodate existing plans like vacations or summer classes.

Compensation: $22 per hour

Location: Our office is fully remote, so interns will need their own workspace based in North Carolina. This position will be required to attend some in-person events in the Triangle area, including our Summer Policy Institute which will take place July 17-20.

Supervision: This position will be supervised by the Director of Community Building & Programs.

Equipment: We can provide a laptop computer and accessories, or interns can choose to use their own computer. Interns need to have reliable internet access that allows for regular participation in video meetings.

Deadline: Priority deadline for applications is 11:59 pm EST on Sunday, March 15. This means we’ll begin reviewing applications after this date.

Hiring process: We’ll hold one round of interviews and will only check references for the final candidate(s). Interviews will take place with the intern supervisor and potentially with one other staff person, and we will inform candidates of the staff they will be interviewing with in advance. We anticipate scheduling interviews the week of March 23 and filling the position by the end of March. We will inform all candidates of their status.

About the position

Intern responsibilities will be shaped by the evolving needs of BTC and our partners. Regardless of the specific projects that summer interns work on, they’ll have the opportunity to:

• Build knowledge of state-level fiscal and economic policy using a racial and economic equity lens
• Develop connections with staff across BTC and with our non-profit, government, and community partners
• Develop project management skills, such as the ability to complete projects with multiple collaborators and competing deadlines
• Build understanding of the importance of community capacity-building and voice in policy advocacy
• Gain insight into non-profit organizational development at a growing organization seeking to incorporate the same values that guide our policy priorities into our internal operations

Specific projects and tasks could include (but aren’t limited to):

• Support our flagship programs, including the Summer Policy Institute and Better NC Fellowship (see more about these programs below) by helping with logistics, participant communication, and content development
• Help monitor and evaluate program effectiveness through data collection, analysis, and reporting
• Support event planning
• Contribute to the development and implementation of popular education workshops and training to foster diverse leadership
• Build our supporter list via partner or community event tabling
• Engage our program participants and alumni in creating multimedia communications products to support community-driven policy change

About our flagship programs

The NC Summer Policy Institute brings together young adults from across the state for a multi-day exploration of North Carolina’s top policy issues through a combination of seminars, panel discussions, and workshops. Through networking with their peers, community leaders, and state officials, we aim for SPI to prepare young North Carolinians to become future movement makers.

The Better NC Fellowship is a joint program of BTC and the NC Black Alliance. The fellowship supports community leaders in connecting with public budgets as a tool to advance equitable outcomes. During the fellowship, participants work with staff from BTC and the NC Black Alliance in virtual and in-person settings to build connections across communities and identify opportunities for public funding to meet priorities in their community.

What we’re looking for

This internship is open to people who are currently enrolled in undergraduate or graduate programs, as well as to people who have recently graduated or who are not currently enrolled in school. Undergraduate applicants must have completed their junior year. If you’re seeking school credit for this internship, we’re happy to work with your school as needed.

Values, interests, and work style:

• Strong commitment to economic and racial equity
• Interest in the public policy areas that BTC works on, social justice, and community engagement, particularly in North Carolina.
• Commitment to collaboration with colleagues and partner organizations
• Flexibility and a willingness to ask questions

Skills and experience (we don’t expect any one candidate to bring all these skills, but we are looking for a mix of the following):

• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Willingness to learn and use contact management (Every Action) and project management (Basecamp) tools
• Enthusiasm for helping others learn and grow
• Experience organizing or managing events
• Ability to interact effectively with the general public and communicate with different kinds of people in a variety of settings

How to apply

Submit your application in an attached pdf to [email protected]

Please submit:

• 1- to 2-page resume
• 1-page cover letter which includes:
  • Why you’re interested in this internship
  • Why your experience makes you a good candidate
  • What community building means to you and why you think it's important in public policy advocacy
• Contact information for 2-3 references (we will not call references without letting you know first)
• Responses to the application questions below.

Application Questions

Your answers to these questions won’t affect your application, but they’re helpful for us to know for planning purposes.

1. Do you have any known scheduling conflicts between mid-May and mid-August 2026 that would impact your ability to work at certain times?
2. Do you prefer working 32 hours per week or 40 hours per week?
3. Are you seeking school credit for this internship? If so, please identify anything you would need from our organization in order to receive credit.

The Budget & Tax Center is an equal opportunity employer, and as such takes affirmative action to ensure that discrimination does not occur on the basis of race, creed, color, age, sex, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, religious or political affiliation, disability, or any other classification considered discriminatory under applicable law.