[2026 Summer Internships] WWC Strategy & Growth / Outreach Intern

About the position Results for America (RFA) helps government leaders find, fund, and implement solutions that work to accelerate upward economic mobility and improve lives. We work with federal, state, and local government decision-makers to increase their use of evidence and data in budget, policy, and program decisions. At Results for America, one of our flagship initiatives is What Works Cities (WWC), a Bloomberg Philanthropies–funded initiative that helps city governments across the country improve residents’ lives by using data and evidence effectively to tackle pressing challenges. To accomplish this, we work directly with city leaders and staff through coaching and implementation support, a range of online and in-person learning opportunities, and a growing professional network. This support is guided by What Works Cities Certification, the first-ever international standard of excellence for data-driven, well-managed local government. What Works Cities Certification assesses cities based on their data-driven decision-making practices, such as whether they are using data to set goals and track progress, allocate funding, evaluate the effectiveness of programs, and achieve desired outcomes from contracts with outside vendors. The program also measures whether cities are publicly and transparently communicating about their use of data and evidence. By aspiring toward Certification and implementing the best practices outlined in the program’s criteria, cities across the country are more effectively delivering results for residents. Since our launch in 2015, we have helped more than 300 cities make progress on their most pressing issues, from health and public safety to homelessness and blight. Now in its 10th year, What Works Cities is entering an exciting new phase. The initiative will continue scaling across North, Central, and South America, surpassing the milestone of 100 Certified cities while also exploring other regional markets. WWC is also developing innovative ways for cities to engage and build capacity from those just beginning their Certification journey to those deepening their work as Certified cities. RFA’s 2025 summer internship program will run for approximately 10 weeks, from Tuesday, June 2 - Friday, August 7, 2026. Over the course of this internship, all interns will be immersed in RFA’s programmatic and policy work by supporting one of RFA's innovative teams in achieving their strategic goals. Interns will work on various projects during their time at RFA, while also enjoying a range of learning and professional development opportunities. Interns will work virtually and will be expected to use their own laptop equipment. Interns will be assigned RFA email addresses for the duration of their summer internship. The WWC Strategy & Growth / Outreach team supports What Works Cities’ growth strategy by expanding the pipeline of prospective cities, strengthening external outreach through associations and partners, developing a Canada market-entry strategy, and creating practical engagement resources that increase awareness, interest, and readiness for cities to engage with WWC. This work advances RFA’s North Star by expanding the reach of evidence- and data-driven government practices to more local jurisdictions, strengthening the top of the funnel for future engagement, and equipping cities with clearer pathways into WWC support.

Responsibilities

• The intern will support landscape research, stakeholder mapping, city sourcing, partnership scanning, and resource development.
• They will work closely with the WWC Strategy & Growth / Outreach team to support priority research and execution needs, while helping develop practical outreach tools and market development recommendations.
• Deliverables include a sourced list of prospective U.S. cities; a Canada strategy with priority cities and partners; a curated library of public-facing resources for city outreach; and an engagement toolkit with recommended tactics such as webinars, office hours, and awareness-building activities.

Requirements

• RFA offers summer internships to individuals who are at least 18 years old
• Excellent written, verbal, and listening communication skills
• Comfortable handling research and turning it into clear summaries or recommendations
• Proficiency with GoogleSuite and Microsoft Office Suite
• Alignment with Results for America’s mission and vision
• Course work in Public Policy, Public Administration, Political Science, International Relations, Communications, Marketing or a related field
• Ability to identify and qualify prospective cities, organizations, and external partners
• Summer Intern applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States.
• RFA is not able to sponsor or otherwise support employment authorization in the United States, including F-1 student visas, now or in the future, for this internship position.

Nice-to-haves

• Previous experience or ability to stakeholder mapping and partnership research is a plus

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