The Fund for Peace - Internship Spring 2021

Do you have an interest in conflict early warning, peace building, security, and human rights? Are you a current graduate or undergraduate student (or a recent graduate) seeking experience in the NGO sector?

We offer internships in our Washington, D.C. headquarters every semester, though internships are currently remote due to the COVID-19 situation. Interns at FFP are given significant responsibility and are provided with practical experience in the international relations field, with excellent work experience and exposure to international and NGO communities.

Internships vary in duration and are flexible to fit in with study. Interns are given significant responsibility to manage their own projects and conduct their own research. An internship with FFP will provide interns with practical work experience in the international relations field and exposure to diverse national and international audiences including government, multilateral, business, think tank, and NGO communities.

What kind of responsibilities do Interns have?

Intern responsibilities can include:

• Conflict analysis
• Conflict data coding
• Researching and writing articles and reports
• Assisting with editing and proofreading
• Monitoring and updating essential country-specific data
• Providing support to The Fund for Peace’s public events
• Attending conferences and roundtables on behalf of The Fund for Peace

Does The Fund for Peace accept international candidates?

Yes. Of course, for in-person internships, international staff must have authorization to work (or at least intern) in the U.S. If a visa is required, The Fund for Peace is more than happy to assist you with the paperwork. Obtaining the proper visa may incur significant cost. However, many previous international interns who have had to pay for their visas believe it was money well-spent. Unfortunately, The Fund for Peace is not able to cover the costs of visas or the visa application process.

Past and present interns have come from countries as diverse as Afghanistan, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Cameroon, Canada, Colombia, Croatia, D.R. Congo, France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Ireland, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Mozambique, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Trinidad & Tobago, and the United Kingdom.

Can interning with The Fund for Peace lead to a permanent position?

Though FFP is a small organization, a number of former interns have indeed gone on to become permanent staffers. That said, such a transition is far from guaranteed! Nevertheless, the Fund for Peace internship does provide unparalleled exposure to the NGO, think-tank and government communities in the U.S. and abroad.

Does The Fund for Peace accept only full-time interns?

No. FFP is able to accommodate both full-time and part-time interns (depending on semester). During the fall and spring term, interns at FFP are asked to work approximately 20 hours per week. During the summer term, interns work 30 hours per week at minimum. Normal hours are 9:30 am to 5:00 pm, although we can be flexible about scheduling where necessary.

Also, the FFP internship program is specifically flexible in regards to class schedules. Plenty of interns will combine a part-time internship with a normal class schedule.

What qualities are we seeking in our interns?

Though academic and professional qualifications are obviously important, we also prefer our interns to be well-rounded and personable.

• Experience with or understanding of the Fund for Peace’s programmatic areas
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Solid organizational abilities
• Individual initiative and flexibility
• Strong research and data skills
• Ability to work independently as well as part of a team

What is the average duration of an internship?

The length of an internship varies. We prefer interns to work with us for at least 3-4 months.

Is the internship paid or unpaid?

FFP offers a stipend to cover commuting expenses. Based on a full work week, pro rated for part-time interns, the stipend is as follows:

• Part-time - $350 per month
• Full-time - $700 per month

Does The Fund for Peace prefer graduate students to undergraduate?

Yes. However, we do sometimes accept exceptional undergraduate students on a case-by-case basis. We also hire recent post-graduates.

Can I earn college credit through an internship at The Fund for Peace?

Yes. Depending of course on your college's requirements, interns frequently earn college credit at FFP through their college's internship programs. Importantly, however, where students are seeking an internship as part of an institutional "Internship in D.C." type program, we strongly encourage students to apply through our normal channels and to address our specific application guidelines. "Boiler-plate" applications that are sent to multiple organizations are rarely competitive applications.

*Note: There is a possibility that this internship will be remote, depending on the developing COVID-19 situation.