Spring 2025 Paid Undergraduate/Graduate Intern, State Campaigns

The ACLU seeks an Undergraduate or Graduate Intern in the State Campaigns unit of the ACLU’s National Political Advocacy Department. This position is at the ACLU’s National office in Washington, DC.

The Team: 

The National Political Advocacy Department (NPAD) works to strengthen the efforts of the ACLU at the federal, state, and local levels of government. The department harnesses the political power that comes from having more than eight million members and supporters, as well as affiliates in every state. By organizing grassroots lobbying and issue campaigns using modern tactics, the ACLU seeks to achieve change as profound in the legislative, administrative and electoral arenas as it has accomplished through the courts. 

The State Campaigns unit is responsible for formulating, developing and executing state campaigns across the country in key issue areas including, but not limited to: Reproductive Justice, Voting Rights, Immigrants’ Rights, Privacy and Technology, Smart Justice and First Amendment Rights. 

What You’ll Do: 

The intern will support the Senior Advisor & Regional Campaigns Lead for the Southwest, the Regional Campaign Strategist for the Southwest, and their work with ACLU affiliates in Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah. 

Your Day to Day 

• Provide campaign tactic support for legislative and lobbying campaigns: joining strategy meetings, taking notes, drafting scripts for phone/text banking, creating paid media assets 

• Support with research, analysis and writing for state campaign projects and efforts 

• Assist the regional lead and campaign strategist in developing persuasive and informative outreach materials, including fact sheets, talking points, and campaign plans 

• Bill tracking, analysis and reporting on legislation 

• Provide research support for relevant news coverage and updates on various issues 

What You’ll Bring: 

• Familiarity with and deep interest in campaigns, ideally with campaign experience 

• Strong research, writing and communication skills 

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, and conducting internet research 

• Ability to handle multiple projects and meet deadlines in a fast-paced working environment 

• High level of independence, attention to detail, and organization 

Future ACLU-ers Will: 

• Be committed to advancing the mission of the ACLU 

• Center and embed the principles of equity, inclusion and belonging in their work by demonstrating commitment to diversity with an approach that respects and values multiple perspectives 

• Be committed to work collaboratively and respectfully toward resolving obstacles and conflict 

Internship Logistics: 

• Location: Our internship program offers a limited number of remote or hybrid intern positions. This internship is remote or hybrid from our DC National office. 

• Time Commitment: Term-time internships may be completed on a part-time basis (15-20 hours/week) or full-time (35 hours/week).  

• Internship Duration: Full-time internships span 10 consecutive weeks and part-time 12 weeks. 

• Stipend: A stipend is available for students who are lawfully authorized to work and do not receive compensation from other sources. Students with external funding may receive a partial stipend to bring their total funding up to the level of the ACLU’s stipend amount for that term. Arrangements can be made with educational institutions for work/study or course credit. Below are the stipend rates: 

• $20/hour for undergraduate students or equivalent experience  

• $24/hour for graduate and law students or equivalent experience 

Why the ACLU: 

For over 100 years, the ACLU has worked to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and laws of the United States. Whether it’s ending mass incarceration, achieving full equality for the LGBTQ+ community, establishing new privacy protections for our digital age, or preserving the right to vote or the right to have an abortion, the ACLU takes up the toughest civil liberties cases and issues to defend all people. 

Our Commitment to Accessibility, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion  

Accessibility, equity, diversity, and inclusion are core values of the ACLU and central to our work to advance liberty, equality, and justice for all. For us diversity, equity and inclusion are not just check-the-box activities, but a chance for us to make long-term meaningful change. We are a community committed to learning and growth, humility and grace, transparency and accountability. We believe in a collective responsibility to create a culture of belonging for all people within our organization – one that respects and embraces difference; treats everyone equitably; and empowers our colleagues to do the best work possible. We are as committed to anti-oppression and anti-racism internally as we are externally. Because whether we’re in the courts or in the office, we believe ‘We the People’ means all of us. 

With this commitment in mind, we strongly encourage applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status and record of arrest or conviction, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. 

The ACLU is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual with a disability and need assistance applying online, please email [email protected]. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.