Government Affairs Intern (Volunteer)

The Alliance for American Leadership (A4AL.org) is a grassroots coalition of foreign policy experts, veterans, and young professionals dedicated to revitalizing American leadership. We believe international humanitarian and development assistance strengthens U.S. national security, boosts our economy, and upholds the values that define our country.

Our members support policy changes to bolster foreign aid and elect members of Congress on both sides of the aisle who support diplomacy and development. We recently held a Hill Day at the Capitol with over 130 advocates from across the country. We also held a bipartisan press conference with Reps. Jamie Raskin, Brian Fitzpatrick, Herb Conaway, and James Walkinshaw. We're seeking Government Affairs Interns to help us make the case to both parties, including in the offices that are hardest to win.

Interns may work remotely or in-person in Washington, D.C. Our in-person staff meets at the Capitol building 3 days a week. 

As a Government Affairs Intern, you will help A4AL engage congressional offices across the political spectrum, with a special focus on making the case for American leadership. You will work on questions at the heart of the current fight: Congress's Article I power of the purse and the release of appropriated funds.

You will prepare audience-specific briefing materials for Republican and Democratic offices and research constitutional appropriations questions, including impoundment law and the Impoundment Control Act. You will track OMB apportionments and the status of withheld foreign assistance funds, draft one-pagers making the national interest case for development programs, and help schedule, prepare, and staff meetings with congressional offices. You will also maintain our congressional office tracker and meeting records.

As we head into the midterm elections, we are putting all hands on deck to support our bipartisan slate of endorsed candidates. Therefore, we expect all interns to spend at least two hours per week phonebanking for our endorsed candidates, no matter what team they are on. Phonebanking is one of the key ways we form relationships with Members of Congress and move our policies to the finish line. In certain cases, we may still accept interns onto our team who cannot meet this requirement if they are especially talented in other areas. 

We are looking for an interest in separation of powers, appropriations, or administrative law, professional written and verbal communication, and comfort engaging offices and audiences on their own terms. Discretion and sound judgment are essential.

The Alliance for American Leadership runs a remote internship program as well as an in-person program in Washington, D.C.; Ft. Lauderdale, Florida; West Palm Beach, Florida; and Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Interns can choose to work virtually or in person at any of our locations. Many of our interns work 40 hours per week, and we encourage you to treat this as a full-time job if you can; however, some work part-time.

This is an unpaid, voluntary internship. We’re happy to help arrange academic credit or CPT.