Ford Foundation is continuing to hire for all open roles with all interviewing and on-boarding done virtually due to COVID-19. Everyone new to the team, along with our current staff, will temporarily work from home until it is safe to return to our offices.

Summary Description

Our summer internship program has been a part of the foundation for more than 40 years. Since its inception, we have worked to provide an enriching and rewarding experience for students of all majors with varying career aspirations. The program is designed to expose students to philanthropy and the not-for-profit sector and to provide them with a rich learning and development experience. Assignments vary by department but generally include administrative, analytical, research and special project support. Students also attend weekly learning sessions, which include meetings with senior foundation staff and opportunities to learn about different career fields, build networking skills and discuss career planning.

Positions will be available in our program (grant making) and operations departments. Operations departments may include our Office of Communications, People & Culture, Legal, and IT teams, to name a few. Because the pandemic impacted the job opportunities of many recent graduates, including the applicants for our 2020 internship program, we have decided to re-engage candidates selected as finalists during the 2020 application process, for our 2021 internship program. Therefore, we will not anticipate the same volume of open internships this year.

The internship program runs for 10 weeks, from Monday, June 7, 2021, through Friday, August 13, 2021. The deadline to submit your application for our 2020 Summer Internship Program is Friday, March 5, 2021 at 11:59pm. We will begin reaching out to candidates who have been selected for an interview in February 2021, and will continue to do so on a rolling basis.

Please note that the first step in our recruitment process is a phone interview with someone from our Talent Acquisition department. If selected for the second step in the process, candidates will need to provide the following:

• Confirmation that you are receiving need-based financial aid
• Copy of your most current unofficial transcript
• Two professional references including name, phone number and email address (they can be work supervisors, professors or advisors)

Eligibility Criteria

In an effort to continue to serve students in our greater NYC community who have typically had limited access to competitive paid internships, we are eager to provide learning opportunities for these students on the workings of philanthropy and emphasize on building skills and navigating the nuances of working in a professional setting. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve made a few changes to the eligibility requirements for participation in the program.

The program will be reserved for rising juniors and seniors AND recent graduates (who will graduate in May 2021). We also recognize that some students may be unable to commit to a full-time schedule due to living situations or other personal obligations, so we have decided to allow students to commit to the internship program on a part-time or full-time basis (between 21-35 hours/week).

• Currently enrolled in college as a full-time rising junior/senior OR recent graduate (with a graduation date of May 2021)
• Must be permanent residents of the New York tri-state area (certain areas of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut)
• Receive needs-based financial aid*
• Maintain a cumulative minimum GPA of 3.0/4.0
• Commit to a part-time or full-time schedule for the duration of the program (21-35hrs/week)
• Be able to work remotely/virtually for the duration of the internship program

Qualifications

• We welcome applicants of ALL majors
• Applicants must have demonstrated leadership and an interest in social justice via coursework or extracurricular activity
• Possess excellent computer skills and demonstrated proficiency in the use of Word, Excel and PowerPoint and Google Slides, Sheets and Docs
• Have excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Be Interested in the work of nonprofit organizations and foundations

*The following are the need-based federal student aid programs:

Federal Pell Grant

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)

Direct Subsidized Loan

Federal Perkins Loan

Federal Work-Study

Source: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa/next-steps/how-…

Learn more about our program by visiting our Internship Program page on the Ford Foundation website.

Salary: This is a competitively paid internship. Interns are paid $24 an hour.

Benefits: Please note that interns are not eligible for full-time staff benefits (outlined below). Interns will receive a full summary of benefits on their first day of work during orientation.

Alignment to Culture and Values

• Commitment to the Foundation’s mission and core values of equity, openness, collaboration, trust, accountability and urgency
• Personal qualities of humility, capacity for self-reflection, and a sense of humor
• Discretion and ability to handle confidential issues
• Action-orientated and entrepreneurial self-starter who can work well independently and in teams

Benefits

• Medical and dental benefits for employee and immediate family on first day of work
• Retirement savings account with matching company contributions of up to 13%
• Three weeks’ paid vacation in first year of work; four weeks in subsequent years
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Office closed the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day
• Professional development initiatives for growth
• Generous parental leave (maternal and paternal) during new child’s first year (born into family or adopted)

Salary: Salary is based on experience and on the Foundation’s commitment to internal equity. A generous benefits package is provided.

Equal employment opportunity and having a diverse staff are fundamental principles at The Ford Foundation, where employment and promotional opportunities are based upon individual capabilities and qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation/affectional preference, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status or any other protected characteristic as established under law.