14 Nonprofit Internships for High School Students in Washington, DC
If you are a high school student who wants to learn how nonprofits work, internships are one of the best ways to start. You can help with research, communications, or project support while contributing to important causes. A nonprofit internship can not only help you figure out if you want to pursue a career in this space but also strengthen your college applications by showing initiative.
Washington, D.C., is one of the most active nonprofit hubs in the country. Many advocacy groups, think tanks, and service organizations have their headquarters here, which means you can see how ideas turn into action at both the community and national levels. Through a local internship, you can attend events, support campaigns, or assist with outreach. To help you find a good fit, here are 14 nonprofit internships for high school students in Washington, D.C.
14 Nonprofit Internships for High School Students in Washington, DC
1. Ladder Internship Program
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies by the program; financial aid is available
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year (8–12 weeks each)
Application Deadline: Rolling; deadlines vary by cohort
Eligibility: High school students, undergraduates, and gap year students able to commit 10–20 hours/week
Ladder Internships is a selective program that places you in a high-growth start-up, including those focused on education, nonprofits, and social impact. As an intern, you’ll work directly with managers on real-world projects, ranging from outreach and communications to program design and operations. You’ll receive guidance from a Ladder Coach and participate in one-on-one training in skills like communication, time management, and project execution. You’ll also attend group workshops with your cohort, giving you the chance to work with peers and share ideas. Many start-ups involved are founded by leaders with ties to Y Combinator or companies like Google and Microsoft, ensuring you gain insight into professional, fast-paced environments.
2. Urban Alliance High School Internship Program
Location: Greater DC Region
Cost: Free. A stipend of $15.50/hr is paid.
Dates: Part-time during school year (September–May); full-time summer (June–August).
Application deadline: November 1
Eligibility: High school seniors
Urban Alliance offers a year-long internship program for high school seniors that blends paid work experience with career training and mentorship. You work part-time during the school year and full-time in the summer in professional roles across various industries. Each intern is matched with a workplace mentor and an Urban Alliance program lead who provide ongoing support in career development and post-graduation planning. The program starts with six weeks of pre-employment training focused on workplace readiness, followed by regular workshops that build both job and life skills.
3. Young Founders Lab
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies by program; need-based financial aid available
Dates: Multiple cohorts offered year-round (Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter)
Application Deadline: Rolling; deadlines vary by cohort
Eligibility: Open to all high school students
The Young Founders Lab is a virtual start-up boot camp where you will design, launch, and grow a revenue-generating venture while still in high school. Across four weeks, you’ll participate in live workshops, case studies, and ideation sessions led by Harvard entrepreneurs and mentors from top companies such as Google, Microsoft, and X. You will progress from concept development to pitching your idea, receiving personalized feedback along the way. The program also features panel discussions with founders and industry leaders, providing you with insights into entrepreneurship and nonprofit innovation. With its mix of hands-on project building and mentorship, YFL provides a structured approach to exploring social impact and education-focused initiatives in a supportive and professional environment.
4. DC Central Kitchen Volunteers
Location: DC Central Kitchen main facility
Cost: Free
Dates: Year-round
Application deadline: Open enrolment; sign up here for volunteer shifts
Eligibility: Youth ages 12+
DC Central Kitchen offers hands-on volunteer opportunities for high school students to fight hunger and support job training in Washington, D.C. You help prepare, package, and distribute healthy meals for local shelters, schools, and community partners. Tasks include chopping vegetables, assembling salads, and organizing food containers. You work side by side with staff and Culinary Job Training students, gaining insight into how food service can support workforce development. Before volunteering, you complete an orientation that covers safe food handling and explains how the organization connects nutrition with job readiness.
5. Bank of America Student Leaders
Location: Nationwide (the Leadership Summit is held in Washington, D.C.)
Cost: Free. A stipend is paid
Dates: 8 weeks in the summer
Application deadline: January 15
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors who have authorization to work in the U.S., live in an eligible area, and have not participated in the program before
The Bank of America Student Leaders program is an eight-week paid summer internship for high school juniors and seniors. You work with a local nonprofit, helping with community projects while learning how nonprofits operate in areas like service delivery, fundraising, and civic engagement. A key part of the program is the Student Leaders Summit in Washington, D.C., where interns from across the country meet to explore leadership, public policy, and how different sectors work together.
6. Volunteer Opportunities – Junior Achievement of Greater Washington
Location: Greater Washington area
Cost: Free
Dates: Varies by placement
Application deadline: School/partner driven; you can contact JA Greater Washington for partnerships or to join a school cohort
Eligibility: High school students
Junior Achievement of Greater Washington offers volunteer roles for high school students interested in financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and career readiness. You can help run JA Finance Park, where students manage personal budgets in a simulated economy, or serve as a coach or judge in student business competitions. As a volunteer, you support teams as they develop products, marketing plans, and presentations. You also give feedback and help guide students through real-world case studies.
7. Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage Internships
Location: Washington, D.C. (remote options available)
Cost: Free
Dates: Internships are offered all year round, from six weeks to one year, full- or part-time
Application deadline: March 1 (for summer internships)
Eligibility: Open to all high school students (both U.S. citizens and non-U.S. citizens)
The Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage offers internships year-round for high school and college students interested in culture, arts, and research. You can work in areas like folklore, ethnomusicology, linguistics, anthropology, museum studies, or arts administration. Internships are available in Washington, D.C. or remotely. You might help with projects like the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, or the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives. Tasks include research, archival work, production, and public engagement. You’ll be supervised by Smithsonian staff and gain experience in how cultural institutions preserve and share heritage.
8. A Wider Circle - Summer High School Internship
Location: Silver Spring, MD (commutable from Washington, D.C.)
Cost: Free
Dates: June 24 – July 26
Application deadline: May 15
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors
A Wider Circle’s Summer High School Internship lets you work directly with a nonprofit that supports families in need. You help with volunteer coordination, donation sorting, and office tasks for 10 to 15 hours a week. You might organize teams, prepare furniture donations for local homes, or assist with community programs. You also join weekly professional development sessions led by nonprofit staff who teach you about careers, leadership, and service. The program starts with an orientation and includes regular feedback from your supervisor to help you grow.
9. Internships at the Foreign Policy Research Institute
Location: Remote and in-person (Philadelphia, PA) options available
Cost/Stipend: Free | Stipend may be offered based on financial need
Dates: Spring: February to May, Summer: June to August, and Fall: September to
December
Application deadline: Rolling; click here for more details
Eligibility: High school students authorised to work in the US
The Foreign Policy Research Institute offers internships during the summer, fall, and spring for students interested in international relations. You work with scholars in areas like Middle East policy, national security, or Eurasian studies, helping with research, writing, communications, or event planning. Each week, you attend seminars with guest speakers who cover career development and current global issues. You also get access to FPRI’s public events and may publish your own research or commentary in the Intern Corner.
10. Changing The Present – Community Engagement Intern
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free
Dates: Year-round
Application deadline: Rolling (apply through the site’s application form)
Eligibility: High school students
Changing The Present offers flexible virtual internships for high school students interested in nonprofit outreach and advocacy. You commit at least three hours per week and help raise awareness about how everyday spending can support charitable causes. Your tasks include social media posts, email outreach, and contacting schools or nonprofits to expand the organization’s impact. You can choose which causes to support, like education, public health, or the environment, so your work reflects what matters to you. The internship is unpaid, but many schools accept it for community service or academic credit. You also get regular check-ins and guidance from staff to help you grow.
11. TurnUp Internship Program
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free; hours can count towards community service or school credit
Dates: Flexible start dates: new cohorts begin each month
Application deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: High school, college, and graduate students
The TurnUp Internship Program is a virtual opportunity for high school and college students across the U.S. to work on civic engagement and activism. You commit 5 to 30 hours a week to projects like voter registration, grassroots outreach, and research on social justice issues. You write reflections to share with your team, which helps build communication and critical thinking skills. The program also includes leadership and public speaking training, plus workshops and guest speakers who explore the history of activism and youth participation.
12. The Borgen Project – Political Affairs Internship
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free (college credit may be available)
Dates: New programs begin every month; you choose the month you wish to start
Application deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Suited for high school students with strong communication skills
The Borgen Project’s Political Affairs Internship is a 12-week remote program where you learn how grassroots advocacy influences U.S. foreign policy on global poverty. You commit about 12 hours per week and take part in activities like meeting with members of Congress, encouraging others to contact elected officials, and speaking to community groups about key legislation. You also organize personal fundraising campaigns, write letters to political leaders and media outlets, and represent the organization at events.
13. United Nations Young Leaders Training Programme
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies by session (see UNITAR website)
Dates: January Edition: January 6–February 1; April Edition: April 14–May 9; June Edition: June 9–July 4; August Edition: July 28–August 22
Application deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Open to high school and university students, young professionals, and aspiring leaders interested in international affairs
The United Nations Young Leaders Training Programme is a four-week online course run by UNITAR for students interested in diplomacy and global leadership. You’ll explore topics like the UN system, sustainable development goals, international communication, and conference diplomacy through self-paced modules and weekly live webinars led by UN experts. You spend about 4 to 6 hours per week on readings, multimedia assignments, and discussion boards with peers from around the world. E-workshops help you build skills in negotiation, leadership, and career planning.
14. Pasquines Internship
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: NA
Dates: Ongoing (internships available for indefinite periods)
Application deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: All high school students
The Pasquines Internship is a remote journalism and public policy program focused on U.S. territories like Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. You spend at least two hours a week researching, writing, and editing articles that link local issues to national and global topics. The program highlights underreported stories and gives you experience in nonprofit journalism. You work with editors and peers online, learning how publishing works behind the scenes.
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