Communications Intern

Title: Communications Intern

Supervisor: Director of Communications

Location: New York, NY

Internship Type: Paid ($23/hr)

Hours: ~20 hours/week (some in-person hours)

Overview

CitizensNYC is seeking a talented Communications Intern to help tell the story of grassroots leadership across New York City and strengthen the communications systems that support our work. The intern will take on projects across storytelling, social media, website content, and data management while gaining hands-on experience with nonprofit communications.

We’re looking for someone who is organized, curious, and eager to learn. Reporting to the Director of Communications and working closely with the VP of Development and Development team, the intern will have opportunities to work directly with grantee partners, develop content for CitizensNYC’s communications channels, and build practical skills using tools including WordPress, Mailchimp, and Salesforce. The position is ~20 hours per week at a rate of $23/hour, and in-person work is encouraged on Tuesdays and Thursdays at our Harlem office.

CitizensNYC, founded in 1975 as one of the nation’s first micro-funding organizations, provides financial and capacity-building support to thousands of neighborhood leaders who are making their communities more connected, resilient, and healthier. Every year, CitizensNYC receives thousands of applications and awards hundreds of microgrants across all five boroughs to small nonprofits, small businesses, volunteer-led initiatives, and public schools. Our grantee partners define their community priorities, and as a result we support a diverse range of projects in the areas of arts and culture, education and youth, environment and climate, health and wellness, economic development, and public safety.

Beyond our grant making, we are a convener and capacity-builder for community leaders throughout the city. Through our interconnected programs, we foster a network where grassroots leaders come together to share knowledge, exchange ideas, make connections, and develop solutions that strengthen the social and economic fabric of New York City. CitizensNYC is often the first funder of NYC’s grassroots community groups, and we are the only institution in New York City that provides citywide microgrants at this scale while also offering a community network and capacity building.

Key Responsibilities

• Storytelling: Help identify and tell compelling stories about CitizensNYC’s grantee partners, including conducting interviews, gathering photos and other content, and drafting stories and features for use across our communications.
• Social media: Support content creation and management for CitizensNYC’s social media channels, with a particular focus on LinkedIn and Instagram. Help develop posts that showcase our grantee partners and organizational impact in ways that strengthen engagement.
• Website: Support ongoing website content updates as well as a specific project to expand the representation of CitizensNYC grantee partners on our website, including gathering and organizing information and developing proficiency in WordPress.
• Data management: Help strengthen the data and systems underlying our communications, including maintaining, cleaning, de-duplicating, and organizing contact information and audience lists in Mailchimp and Salesforce.
• Team support: Work with the Communications and Development teams on additional projects as needed, including organizational campaigns, events, and other opportunities to share CitizensNYC’s work with external audiences.

Skills & Qualifications

• Strong writing and verbal communication skills.
• Highly organized with excellent attention to detail.
• Interest in storytelling, social media, communications, and the work of New York City community leaders.
• Comfortable engaging with a wide range of people, including conducting interviews and gathering stories from grantee partners.
• Comfortable working independently and collaboratively as part of a small team.
• Strong technical skills and comfort working across digital platforms, including Microsoft Office suite, social media platforms, and tools such as WordPress, Salesforce, Mailchimp, Canva, and ChatGPT.
• A proactive mindset, with a willingness to take initiative, learn new skills, and contribute ideas.

CitizensNYC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We prohibit discrimination in all employment activities—including recruitment, hiring, promotion, compensation, training, and termination—on the basis of any characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law (such as race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, familial status, marital status, criminal history, or status as a victim of domestic violence). We value and welcome applicants with diverse perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds.

Internship can extend beyond the initial three month period based on availability and mutual interest