(Hybrid) Fall 2024 Public Policy and Community Power Internship (November 2024 - May 2025) - The Chicago Community Trust

Internship Title: Community Impact Internship (Policy Change and Collective Power Track)

Description:?This is an academic year internship (November 2024 - May 2025) in which the Intern will be closely integrated within two teams within the Trust's Community Impact Department, Policy Change (PC) and Collective Power (CP).

The Opportunity: The Trust is currently implementing a strategic refinement process to narrow and deepen our engagement in a set of focus areas aimed at building wealth for Black and Latine individuals and households in the Chicago region. These focus areas include:

• Community Wealth

• Homeownership and Home Equity

• Income and Assets

To advance these focus areas and achieve our strategic goals, we believe reforming inequitable policies that have prevented Black and Latine communities from building wealth for generations is critical. We further acknowledge that community members and leaders who have experienced the impact of inequitable systems and historic disinvestment in their communities must have a voice in determining what is needed to repair past harm and inform the approach toward a thriving future.

The intern for PC and CP will be integral to supporting both teams and helping to develop and inform how both teams align their work with our programmatic efforts, ensuring we collectively make a meaningful impact on our strategic goals.

About the Advocating for Policy Change and Building Collective Power Strategies

Advocating for Policy Change and Building Collective Power are cross-cutting strategies within the Community Impact Department that support and engage in policy, advocacy, community organizing, leadership development, and narrative change to achieve our strategic goals. We know achieving our goals requires reforming inequitable laws and policies that created and perpetuated the racial and ethnic wealth gap. We also believe all communities will be stronger when community members and leaders are included in developing reforms that impact their lives.

Through grantmaking and engagement, we aim to create the conditions for residents to connect and collaborate to advance issues of importance to them, as well as advance systemic policy reforms to achieve the Trust’s strategic goal to grow wealth among Black and Latine individuals and families in the Chicago region. Most notably, the Trust has supported and participated in activities that led to expanding the earned income credit at the state level, reforming the property tax sale system, and promoting equitable transit-oriented development through the city’s Connected Communities Ordinance.

Expected Assignments:

• Research and provide background memos on key policy issues and policy reform proposals to inform potential Trust engagement, examples of which may include property appraisal systems, guaranteed income programs, access to capital, post-secondary education completion, and vacant land and blighted properties, zoning reforms, government grantmaking and contracting reforms, and other topics as assigned.

• Throughout the year and according to legislative and budget cycles of city, state and county track proposals to inform Trust engagement and policy strategy

• Support the Trust’s Equitable and Inclusive Economic Recovery Strategy by compiling, cleaning, and analyzing American Rescue Plan Act expenditure data.

• Analyze media coverage of Trust’s strategies and key focus areas to help identify missing narratives or voices.

• Gather and update contact lists of key stakeholders, partners, and grant recipients of the APC and BCP team

• Participate in grantmaking processes by reviewing and scoring proposals, participating in site visits, and drafting grant recommendations

• Assist in planning and coordinating virtual and in-person meetings and convenings. Audiences may include grant recipients, philanthropic partners, community and policy leaders, and/or elected officials.

• Support and coordinate key projects and events aimed at advancing the Trust’s strategic goals.

• Other duties as assigned.

Ideal major: Graduate level Public Policy; Political Science; Public Administration; Urban Planning; Social Science, Economics; Business; Social Work; Law; Communications; Journalism, or other related fields.

Salary:?$20.00/hour

Hours per week:?21 hours from November 2024 - May 2025 (2 in office; 1 day remote)

Internship Timeframe:?November 2024 - May 2025

Application Materials

• Interested candidates should submit the following:

• Resume

• Cover Letter

Application Timeline

• We will contact applicants directly if there is further interest. Thank you for your interest in The Chicago Community Trust Internship Program.

Position Competencies:

• Passionate about building a strong Chicago where equity is central, and opportunity and prosperity are within reach for all

• Ability to convey information and ideas through a variety of media (email, web chat, in-person, etc.).

• Active listening skills to understand and respond appropriately to others.

• Ability to work effectively with others to achieve common goals.

• Willingness to share information, support colleagues, and contribute to a positive team dynamic.

• Ability to identify problems, analyze situations, and develop effective solutions.

• Creative thinking to approach challenges from new angles.

• Openness to change and ability to manage multiple tasks or projects.

• Willingness to learn new skills and adapt to new situations.

• Ability to prioritize tasks and manage time efficiently to meet deadlines.

• Organizational skills to keep track of multiple responsibilities.

• Ability to build and maintain positive relationships with colleagues and partners.

• Ability to focus on the finer points of a task or project to ensure accuracy and quality.

• Thoroughness in completing tasks and checking work.

Preferred Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Proficient in Microsoft Excel (creating pivot tables, data cleaning, conditional formatting, and data visualizations)

• Ability to conduct legislative/policy research

• Excellent organizational skills and ability to prioritize, manage multiple tasks, and work independently

• Exceptional attention to detail.

• Must have reliable technology to access the Internet and proficiency with Zoom, Teams and other remote workspace tools

• Experience using Salesforce preferred, but not required