Living Cities Summer 2025 Internship Program

Living Cities is excited to offer internship opportunities for graduate students to gain hands-on experience in the non-profit sector. Our internship program is designed to provide students with meaningful learning experiences in specific programmatic areas and organizational operations. As a Living Cities intern, students will have opportunities to acquire valuable skills and build their awareness of racial equity and inclusion, strategic philanthropy, policy, and systems change.

The Living Cities Summer 2025 Internship Program (June 2025-August 2025) is searching for highly motivated candidates for a paid, hybrid internship in the following teams and departments:

• Finance and Accounting
• Center for Wealth Equity

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION

Founded in 1991, Living Cities is a member collaborative of prominent foundations and financial institutions. We foster transformational relationships across sectors and connect leaders, stakeholders, and policy influencers committed to closing racial income and wealth gaps in America’s cities. We partner with cross-sector leaders in cities across the country to imagine and create an America in which all people are economically secure, building wealth, and living abundant, dignified, and connected lives. Our staff, investments, convenings, and networks support efforts that operationalize racial equity and inclusion in local government, create inclusive narratives, bring communities together to strategically address systemic racial inequities and build wealth among BIPOC communities through specific tactical pathways, i.e., entrepreneurship, homeownership, and access to capital.

Living Cities harnesses the collective and collaborative power of philanthropy, financial institutions, and local governments to close racial income and wealth gaps in U.S. cities. Our committed membership, leadership, staff, community network, partners, investments, and strategic direction all support our efforts to eliminate systemic barriers and inequities in entrepreneurship and business growth, access to capital, and homeownership for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). Our shared vision is that people in U.S. cities are economically secure, building wealth, and living abundant and connected lives.

TEAMS AND INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Finance and Accounting

Living Cities is seeking an Accounting Intern to join the Finance & Accounting (F&A) team. This internship provides a hands-on opportunity to support the nonprofit’s mission in advancing vibrant, equitable communities. The intern will gain experience in operational accounting, financial reporting, audit preparation, and internal control processes.

Operational Accounting (A/P, A/R, Corporate credit card management)

• Assist F&A with any operational duties such as accounts payable (A/P) and expense report processing with the goal of understanding how these processes support organizational operations as a whole.
• Get acclimated to financial systems and gain hands on experience with LC applications including invoice processing software (Bill.com), expense management software (Concur), and LCs ERP (Sage Intacct).
• Gain insight into how GAAP accrual accounting impacts financial statements and budgets.
• Assist with updating and enforcement of LCs record retention and document destruction policy

Financial Reporting and Month End Close

• Shadow the month-end close process for both Living Cities and the Blended Catalyst Fund (BCF).
• Update Balance Sheet account reconciliations included monthly work papers (e.g. Expense capitalization and amortization/depreciation, expense prepayment, A/R aging).
• Attend budget compilation and review meetings, taking notes and following up on action items as needed.
• Ad hoc financial analysis or reporting task as required.

Internal Audit Support and External Audit Preparation

• Support external financial audit preparation by organizing and compiling financial documents and assisting with audit confirmations.
• Organize and compile financial documents needing to be reviewed internally for completeness and accuracy prior to annual external financial audit.
• May be involved in the documentation or testing of internal controls and LC processes prior to external audit – audit fieldwork slated for September 2025.

DESIRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Must be a current graduate student with relevant coursework in studies such as accounting, auditing, business law, banking and finance.
• An interest or prior exposure to urban planning and policy, racial and social justice, community development, communications, sustainable development, research, political economy, housing policy, and economic development a plus.
• Students who have recently graduated may be eligible to participate for the preceding summer, up to September.
• Capable of managing competing priorities with an attention to detail in a fast-paced, dynamic environment with aggressive deadlines and a high level of ambiguity, balancing long-term goals with day-to-day demands.
• Aptitude in problem-solving with the ability to analyze data and metrics to drive decision-making.
• Excellent project management skills, with a track record of developing and implementing new or improved systems and processes, achieving strong results while maintaining an inclusive, collaborative leadership style.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to develop and maintain productive relationships across lines of difference and to serve as an organizational culture carrier.
• Comfortable working within a team with a results driven approach.
• Interest in addressing economic inequality especially for low income Americans of color; experience in the urban, social change field is a significant asset.
• Prior ERP (e.g. Sage INTACCT, GP, Solomon, QBO) and CRM (SalesForce, iMIS) a plus but not required

Center for Wealth Equity/Impact and Insights

The CWE Intern will support the Center’s mission by assisting with research and knowledge management activities. This paid internship offers hands-on experience in analyzing wealth equity initiatives and supporting knowledge translation for various stakeholders. The position reports to the Director and works closely with the Associate and Senior Associate.

Primary Functions

• Support research and data collection activities
• Assist in organizing and categorizing knowledge resources
• Help maintain knowledge management systems

Key Responsibilities

Research Support 

• Conduct literature reviews on wealth equity topics
• Assist in gathering and organizing materials from Living Cities members
• Support environmental scanning activities
• Support citation management and documentation

Project Support 

• Help prepare materials for team meetings
• Assist in tracking project timelines and deliverables
• Assist with administrative tasks as needed

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

INTERNSHIP APPLICATION PROCESS

The Living Cities Internship Program uses a rolling admissions process. This means that applications are considered as received once the position is posted. Our internship program offers opportunities throughout the year. If a senior staff member is interested in your application, you will be contacted to begin the interview process. If selected, you will receive an official offer from the Living Cities Talent and Human Resources department. Once a position is filled, all applicants will be notified by email.

Complete applications will include:

• Your resume (required for all applicants)
• Cover letter – including the Team you are interested in Interning for
• Your current school transcript (does not have to be official)
• 2 Professional references (prior internships, professors or school officials speaking to your character)
• A 500-word essay describing your specific interests, motivation, and experiences in building your knowledge of racial equity and inclusion, research, strategic philanthropy, non-profit finance, policy, urban affairs, and systems change.
  • How may your skills and coursework complement the work of Living Cities?
  • How may this internship help you to meet your professional goals?

Submit completed applications to LCInternship@livingcities.org. Only complete applications will be considered. The Living Cities Internship Program is small and highly selective. Applicants must be eligible to work in the United States to be eligible for an internship. Living Cities does not sponsor a work visa for students enrolled in an internship. Selected applicants must be able to produce valid and full work authorization, residency, or citizenship documentation.

Additional eligibility requirements include:

• All applicants must be at least 18 years or older upon the start of the internship program and must reside in the United States.
• Internships run for approximately 10-16 weeks (length depends on semester or trimester).
• Applicants must have a 3.0/B average and must submit a copy of school transcripts and proof of enrollment in school.
• Applicants must be willing to work in Living Cities’ hybrid work schedule.

Some internship positions may entail additional eligibility requirements. Read each position description carefully to determine if it matches your qualifications.

If the internship is for school credit, students are responsible for obtaining any appropriate school departmental approvals to determine specific academic assignments required. Living Cities does not issue credit, but we will work with you to complete documentation from your school.

SALARY

• $25.00 per hour; up to 20 hours per week
• Internship Term: 6 – 12 weeks (June 2025-August 2025)

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY

None

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Hybrid schedule. This Internship operates in a professional office environment.

Racial Equity & Inclusion (REI)

• Foundational knowledge and core concepts
• Understands why racial equity is an integral part of Living Cities’ approach, inside and outside the organization
• Displays clear willingness to learn and apply REI history and concepts REI Practice and Analysis
• Engages with curiosity, humility and openness in discussions about race, equity and power inside and outside of the organization
• Understands how the construct of race has impacted the distribution of power and resources and recognizes its impact on current and future outcomes across systems

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that an intern must meet to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

As much of our work is performed on a computer, the intern must be able to remain in a position that allows them to do so effectively. Additionally, they may require some movement

around the office to access files or other equipment or technology. As collaboration and communication are a large part of our work, the intern must also be able to exchange information accurately in these situations, whether verbally or in writing.

We will work with each intern to provide reasonable accommodation as needed.

POSITION TYPE

Temporary position with defined dates.

TRAVEL

Travel is primarily local during the business day, although some out-of-area and overnight travel may be expected.

AAP/EEO POLICY STATEMENT

Living Cities is committed to building a culturally diverse and inclusive team at all levels. We are an equal opportunity employer and provide opportunities to all interns and applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

Please note this internship description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the intern for this internship period. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.