The Greater Washington Partnership (GWP) is inviting applications for its Fall 2026 Economic Growth Internship, offering an exciting opportunity for students and recent graduates who are passionate about economic development, entrepreneurship, regional growth, innovation, and public-private collaboration. This paid internship places successful applicants at the center of one of the United States’ most influential regional economic organizations, where they will contribute to initiatives that shape the future of the Greater Washington metropolitan region.

The internship provides participants with meaningful professional experience by allowing them to work alongside policy experts, business leaders, government officials, nonprofit organizations, and economic development professionals. Interns will contribute to research, stakeholder engagement, event coordination, and strategic initiatives designed to strengthen economic competitiveness across Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC.

If you are looking for an internship that combines research, policy, business strategy, entrepreneurship, and regional development, this opportunity offers an outstanding platform to gain practical experience while building valuable professional networks.

About Greater Washington Partnership

The Greater Washington Partnership is a unique nonprofit alliance that brings together many of the most influential employers throughout the Greater Washington region, spanning Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia.

Unlike traditional nonprofit organizations, the Partnership serves as a bridge between the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. It convenes leaders from business, government, education, and community organizations to solve regional challenges and promote sustainable economic growth.

Its mission focuses on addressing critical issues including:

• Skills and workforce development
• Talent attraction and retention
• Regional transportation and mobility
• Infrastructure development
• Inclusive economic growth
• Entrepreneurship
• Innovation
• Business competitiveness

The Partnership envisions transforming the corridor stretching from Baltimore to Richmond into one of the world’s most competitive, prosperous, and attractive places to live, work, invest, and build businesses.

About the Economic Growth Internship

The Fall 2026 Economic Growth Internship is designed for individuals interested in understanding how regional economies grow and how cross-sector partnerships influence public policy, innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic opportunity.

The internship supports implementation of the organization’s Region Rising Report, a strategic roadmap released in 2026 that outlines priorities for creating a stronger and more resilient regional economy.

Interns will become active contributors to projects that advance these priorities through research, stakeholder engagement, innovation programming, and policy support.

Rather than observing from the sidelines, interns become part of the Economic Growth team, contributing ideas and supporting projects that directly influence regional development initiatives.

Internship Responsibilities

Selected interns will participate in a broad range of professional activities, including:

1. Research and Policy Analysis

Interns will conduct detailed research across several important policy and economic topics, including:

• Regional economic development
• Entrepreneurship
• Procurement
• Affordable housing
• Financial inclusion
• Innovation ecosystems
• Business competitiveness

They will also analyze findings and prepare concise reports that help guide strategic decision-making.

2. Stakeholder Engagement

Interns will help coordinate collaboration among numerous stakeholders by:

• Scheduling meetings
• Preparing meeting agendas
• Developing briefing materials
• Recording meeting notes
• Tracking follow-up actions
• Supporting ongoing communication

This exposure provides firsthand experience in managing relationships across multiple sectors.

3. Supporting the Region Rising Initiative

The internship directly supports implementation of the Partnership’s Region Rising Report.

Interns will assist with:

• Research supporting report initiatives
• Monitoring progress
• Gathering economic insights
• Supporting strategic projects
• Coordinating implementation activities

4. Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programs

Interns will contribute to programs that promote innovation throughout the region.

This includes supporting the Partnership’s Next Level Accelerator, which works with entrepreneurs and startup ecosystems.

Responsibilities may include:

• Assisting with entrepreneur engagement
• Supporting accelerator programming
• Researching innovation trends
• Helping organize entrepreneurship initiatives

5. Event Planning and Coordination

Interns will work with several internal departments to support events and public engagement.

Tasks may include:

• Coordinating logistics
• Preparing event materials
• Communicating with speakers
• Supporting registrations
• Assisting during live events
• Helping with post-event follow-up

6. Cross-Functional Collaboration

Interns will collaborate with various organizational teams including:

• Marketing
• Communications
• Public Policy
• Business Development
• Events
• Economic Growth

This interdisciplinary exposure allows interns to understand how nonprofit organizations coordinate large-scale regional initiatives.

7. Strategic Thinking

Rather than simply completing administrative tasks, interns are encouraged to contribute ideas and serve as thought partners on improving the Partnership’s economic growth initiatives.

Internship Benefits

Participants can expect numerous professional benefits, including:

• Paid internship at $20 per hour
• Practical experience in economic development
• Exposure to regional policy development
• Networking with business and government leaders
• Experience working within a leading nonprofit organization
• Professional mentorship
• Research and analytical experience
• Event management experience
• Collaboration across multiple sectors
• Enhanced communication and leadership skills
• Strong resume-building experience
• Exposure to entrepreneurship ecosystems

Internship Schedule

The internship is expected to begin:

• End of August 2026
• Early September 2026

Work schedule:

• Tuesdays
• Wednesdays
• Thursdays

Expected weekly commitment:

• 25–29 hours per week

Internship Location

Washington, DC

The Partnership’s office is:

• Located south of Dupont Circle
• Accessible by Metro
• Positioned within one of the nation’s leading policy and business hubs

Compensation

Selected interns will receive:

• $20 per hour

This makes the internship both professionally rewarding and financially beneficial for students and recent graduates.

Required Qualifications

Applicants should meet the following requirements:

• Currently enrolled as a junior or senior undergraduate student
• OR enrolled in a postgraduate program
• OR be a recent graduate
• Strong written communication skills
• Strong verbal communication skills
• Excellent presentation skills
• Proficiency with Microsoft PowerPoint
• Experience using Microsoft Excel
• Familiarity with Microsoft Word
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced work environment
• Strong organizational abilities
• Ability to manage multiple assignments simultaneously
• Comfortable working with evolving priorities
• Team-oriented mindset
• Curiosity about regional economic growth
• Interest in cross-sector collaboration

Preferred Qualifications

Although not mandatory, the following qualifications will strengthen an application:

• Previous internship experience
• Work-based learning experience
• Interest in entrepreneurship
• Interest in procurement
• Interest in affordable housing
• Interest in financial inclusion
• Data analysis experience
• Data visualization skills
• Creative problem-solving ability
• Resourcefulness
• Familiarity with the Baltimore-to-Richmond region
• Event coordination experience

Why This Internship Stands Out

Many internships focus narrowly on administrative work.

This internship offers significantly broader exposure by allowing participants to contribute to:

• Public-private partnerships
• Economic research
• Entrepreneurship ecosystems
• Regional competitiveness
• Policy development
• Innovation strategy
• Stakeholder engagement
• Economic inclusion

Participants gain insight into how large-scale economic initiatives are developed and implemented while building relationships with influential leaders from multiple sectors.

Who Should Apply?

This opportunity is ideal for students and recent graduates interested in careers involving:

• Economic development
• Public policy
• Urban planning
• Government relations
• Public administration
• Business strategy
• Entrepreneurship
• Economic research
• Consulting
• Nonprofit leadership
• Regional planning
• Innovation management

                                                             APPLY HERE

Important Information

• Organization: Greater Washington Partnership
• Position: Economic Growth Intern
• Location: Washington, DC
• Internship Type: Paid
• Work Schedule: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays
• Hours Per Week: 25–29
• Compensation: $20 per hour
• Start Date: End of August/Early September 2026
• Visa Sponsorship: Not available
• Work Authorization: Applicants must already be eligible to work in the United States.

Application Process

Interested candidates should:

1. Review the Greater Washington Partnership’s mission and recent initiatives.
2. Explore the organization’s LinkedIn page and media coverage to understand its work.
3. Prepare an updated resume highlighting relevant education, research, leadership, internship, and communication experience.
4. Submit their application through the organization’s official application portal.

Application Deadline

No application deadline has been specified in the opportunity announcement. Interested applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible since internship positions may close once filled.

Conclusion

The Greater Washington Partnership Economic Growth Internship represents an outstanding opportunity for students and recent graduates seeking practical experience in regional economic development, entrepreneurship, policy research, and cross-sector collaboration. Beyond earning competitive hourly compensation, interns will gain valuable exposure to high-level strategic initiatives that shape one of America’s most economically significant regions. Through hands-on involvement in research, stakeholder engagement, innovation programming, and policy implementation, participants will build skills and professional networks that can serve as a strong foundation for future careers in public policy, nonprofit leadership, consulting, business strategy, and economic development. Applicants who are passionate about creating lasting economic impact and contributing to inclusive regional growth should strongly consider applying as soon as possible.

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