Community Engagement Coordinator Internships
Community engagement coordinator internships give university students, recent graduates, and early-career switchers hands-on project experience coordinating outreach campaigns and community programs, mentorship from working community engagement coordinators, and, at many employers, a path toward a full-time offer. Openings are concentrated in Technology & Software, with Ngage4Good, City of Fishers, and Capital Area Food Bank among the employers posting roles now.
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About the Organization:
The Capital Area Food Bank works to address hunger today and create brighter futures tomorrow for more than a million people across the region experiencing food insecurity. As the anchor in the area’s hunger relief infrastructure, the food bank provided more than 60 million meals to people in need last year, by supplying food to hundreds of nonprofit organizations as well as directly to the community. Creating long-term solutions to food security requires more than just food: it includes addressing the root causes of food insecurity by partnering with organizations that provide critical services like job training programs, health care, and education. To learn more, visit Food Bank for the Washington, DC, Region | Capital Area Food Bank.
Description:
The Community Engagement Intern will work closely with the Community Engagement Specialist to develop and implement initiatives to generate funds and engagement in support of the food bank through the execution of peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns, the Student Leaders Program, and other initiatives throughout the term. This role supports the success of initiatives ranging from community-led fundraising campaigns to volunteer opportunities, to student engagement events.
This position will provide the intern with the opportunity to gain a strong understanding of the issues surrounding food insecurity in the DMV Area. While working with our Community Engagement team, they will get an in-depth look into various programs and approaches that are being deployed directly by the Food Bank and indirectly through food assistance organizations to address the issue of food insecurity both in the short and longer term. Interns are a vital part of the Capital Area Food Bank. They will also gain valuable training and experience in the fundraising and education field.
Essential Functions:
Peer-to-Peer Fundraising
- Assist with supporting institutional fundraising campaign efforts including CANstruction & Hard Hats Against Hunger, Season’s Feedings, and other industry or affinity group fundraisers leveraging the food bank’s crowdfunding platform.
- Assist in the development and implementation of strategies to increase organizational awareness and raise additional funds.
- Work with marketing to develop marketing and campaign materials.
External Stakeholder Engagement
- Working with the Community Engagement Specialist, assist in implementing a community engagement plan to raise awareness about hunger, articulate the mission, and mobilize support for CAFB to diverse external audiences.
- Support the Student Leaders Program in outreach, application processing, and program implementation.
- Support educational workshops such as Face Hunger and Lunch & Learns.
- Represent CAFB at community events such as tabling opportunities.
Events
- Support corporate fundraising team with planning and execution of corporate engagement events such as on and off-site food packings.
- Support the execution of the CANstruction/Hard Hats Against Hunger food drive as needed.
- Support other non-standard events as they occur (celebrity visits, food donations, etc.)
Miscellaneous
- Perform other related duties as assigned.
Requirements:
- College degree or professional experience in marketing, fundraising, or events
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office
- Excellent interpersonal skills and respect for the priorities and work pressures of colleagues
- Ability to work independently and cooperatively as part of a team
Other Skills, Abilities:
- Ability to plan and organize personal work responsibilities according to priorities developed with the supervisor
- Comfort with and sincere interest in food justice and education
- Project management capabilities
- Highly organized with the ability to meet overlapping deadlines
- Demonstrated initiative and creativity
Physical Demands & Working Conditions:
- Ability to lift/carry 30 pounds
- This position’s main office will be the DC Office in NE, Washington DC and will be in person 3 days a week with occasional weekends required.
Reporting:
- This role reports to the Community Engagement Specialist
Application Process:
- Interested applicants must submit a cover letter and resume. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
Please Note: We do not accept walk-in applications or in-person status updates for any positions. All applicants must apply online. We kindly ask that applicants do not call/email/or show up in person to inquire about application status. To check the status of your application, please log in to your personal Paycom application account. Our HR team will contact you directly if you are selected for the next step in the hiring process.
Compensation:
$20.00/hourSchedule:
- This position’s main office will be the DC Office in NE, Washington DC and will be in person 3 days a week with occasional weekends required.
- This is a part-time 20-hour per week position.
NOTE: Nothing in this job description restricts management's right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.
We Offer: At Capital Area Food Bank, we understand that great people make a great organization. We value our people and offer employees a broad range of benefits including competitive compensation and benefits, free onsite parking, complimentary shuttle to metro (DC office), professional development, growth, and fun work in a diverse environment.
Community Engagement Coordinator Internship Market
Who's Hiring


Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software
Tips for Your Community Engagement Coordinator Internship Search
Apply in the fall for summer programs
Large employers open community engagement coordinator internship applications months before the program starts, often in September or October for the following summer. Smaller organizations and co-ops post closer to their start dates, so roles appear year-round. Starting your search early gives you access to the most structured, well-resourced programs before they close.
Build a project portfolio before you apply
Hiring teams for community engagement coordinator internships expect limited work history, so your projects carry the most weight. Document two or three outreach initiatives, event plans, or volunteer programs you led or contributed to, note the tools and platforms you used, and make them easy to share. A concrete portfolio gives recruiters something to evaluate beyond your coursework.
Work your campus network and apply directly at the same time
Campus career fairs surface structured programs tied to your university, and career center staff often know which employers recruit from your school before roles go public. Apply directly to organizations running smaller cohorts at the same time. Combining both channels widens the pool you reach without duplicating effort.
Practice your community engagement interview format out loud
Community engagement coordinator intern screens typically involve behavioral questions and scenario-based conversations about stakeholder communication, event planning, or conflict resolution. Practice answering out loud before your first interview, explaining your reasoning as you go. Interviewers weigh how you think through a problem as much as the answer you land on.
Target structured cohort programs early in your search
Many mid-size and large organizations run dedicated community engagement internship cohorts designed to train people new to the field, pairing structured project rotations with mentorship from full-time coordinators. These programs recruit early and fill fast, so identify the ones aligned with your interests and submit in the first wave of applications.
Set your work-type filter before you start searching
On-site roles are 33% of the community engagement coordinator internships listed here. Decide what you can realistically commit to before you start reviewing listings, then filter by location and work type so you're not sorting through roles you can't take. Migrate Mate's work-type filter lets you narrow the feed to remote, hybrid, or on-site openings in a single step.
Community Engagement Coordinator Internships: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a community engagement coordinator internship?
Lead with coursework and projects rather than work history, since hiring teams expect limited experience at the intern level. A portfolio showing completed outreach plans, event recaps, or community needs assessments gives recruiters something concrete to assess. Apply directly to employers online and attend campus career fairs, where recruiters often move faster for students they meet face to face.
Can a community engagement coordinator internship turn into a full-time job?
Many employers extend return offers to strong interns, but conversion is never guaranteed. What actually drives it is consistent performance on real community engagement work, available headcount on the team, and return-offer timelines that vary by employer. Treat the internship as an extended audition, contribute visibly, and ask about full-time opportunities without counting on one.
When should I apply for community engagement coordinator internships?
Earlier than most expect. Large employers recruit summer interns the preceding fall, so applications open months before the program starts. Smaller organizations and co-op programs post closer to their start dates, which means community engagement coordinator internship openings appear year-round. Checking listings consistently rather than in a single seasonal push gives you access to more opportunities.
Are community engagement coordinator internships paid?
Most professional community engagement coordinator internships in the U.S. are paid. Compensation varies by company size, industry, and location, and where an employer discloses pay you'll see it directly in the listing. Nonprofit and government internships occasionally offer stipends rather than hourly wages, so read each posting carefully before applying.
What should a community engagement coordinator internship resume include?
Lead with two or three complete, documented projects rather than work history. For community engagement coordinator candidates, that means outreach plans, event coordination write-ups, or volunteer program reports that show the scope, tools used, and outcomes you drove. Add relevant coursework in communications, public health, social work, or related fields. Keep the whole document to one page.
Are there remote community engagement coordinator internships?
Yes. Remote and hybrid roles make up 67% of the community engagement coordinator internship listings here, with the rest on-site. Remote cohorts fill quickly because they attract applicants from across the country, so apply early once you decide what format works for you, and use the work-type filter to surface only the listings you can actually commit to.
Can international students get community engagement coordinator internships?
Yes. F-1 students can intern through CPT while enrolled or through OPT work authorization after finishing a degree, and the employer does not have to file anything for either, so many companies are open to international interns. Confirm your eligibility and timing with your university's international student office before accepting an offer.
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