Applications are currently open for both the 2025 Cleveland Foundation Summer Internship, as well as the 2025-26 Cleveland Foundation Public Service Fellowship! Learn more about both opportunities:
Summer Internship Program
Now in its 26th year, the Cleveland Foundation Summer Internship Program connects undergraduate and first-year graduate students with meaningful, career-related experiences in the nonprofit and public sectors. Interns are placed at nonprofit and governmental agencies across Greater Cleveland for an 11-week paid summer internship.
Why Apply?
Cleveland Foundation Summer Interns not only benefit from career-related work experience at their host sites, but also participate in and coordinate seminars that highlight the work of local nonprofit and public sector organizations, their roles within the community, and opportunities for professional development. Visit our blog to hear firsthand from former summer interns who share highlights and takeaways from their internship experiences. And watch this short video, featuring former interns who talk about the value of the program:
Who’s Eligible to Apply?
- Applicants must be a college junior or senior in fall 2025, a graduating senior in spring 2025, or first year graduate students in spring 2025.
- If not a student attending a college or university in Cuyahoga, Lake or Geauga counties, applicants must be a permanent resident of Cuyahoga, Lake or Geauga counties.
- Applicants should exhibit interest in the nonprofit or public sectors.
- Applicants must not be a relative of a member of Cleveland Foundation staff or Board of Directors.
How to Apply
Applications for the 2024 Summer Internship Program can be submitted online through Feb. 4, 2025.
Public Service Fellowship
Launched in 2016, the Cleveland Foundation Public Service Fellowship immerses talented, emerging leaders from across the country in the work of Cleveland’s public sector, providing them an opportunity to develop their skills, enhance their networks, and jumpstart a career in public service.
Why Apply?
The program is ideal for recent grads with a passion for public service. It offers:
- A 12-month, full-time paid placement at a selected public sector agency in Cleveland, providing meaningful career-related work experience
- A $47,000 salary with health benefits and a $1,000 signing bonus
- Participation in professional development that prepares fellows for 21st century public service, administered by Cleveland Foundation staff and professionals with expertise in their fields
- A small cohort with individualized coaching, supervision and support
- Immersion in the rich civic and cultural life of Cleveland, with first-hand opportunities to network and connect with a diverse array of senior leaders, organizations, and community members. Learn more about the program, and hear former fellows share their experiences, in this short video:
Who’s Eligible to Apply?
- College graduates who earned their undergraduate degrees between spring 2021 and spring 2025 or their graduate degree in spring 2025. A wide range of degrees, including liberal arts and those pertaining to more technical and/or specialized areas of study, are welcomed
- U.S. citizens, permanent residents or individuals who are eligible to work in the U.S. for the duration of this program
- They cannot be a relative of a member of the Cleveland Foundation staff or the foundation’s Board of Directors
How to Apply
Applications for the 2025-2026 Public Service Fellowship can be submitted online through March 4, 2025.
