Who we are

The American Journalism Project is a venture philanthropy dedicated to rebuilding local news. We believe local journalism is a public good and are securing its future by creating the conditions for values-driven, community-led nonprofit local news to sustainably provide the journalism our democracy requires. We mobilize new resources for local news and channel them into the business and operations capacity of nonprofit outlets, helping to build sustainable, long-lasting institutions. Our strategy in pursuit of a sustainable future for local news is supported by three pillars:

• We build organizations from the ground up, partnering with local leaders and philanthropies to identify and address information gaps
• We grow existing nonprofit news organizations poised for expansion by providing capital and hands-on coaching to help them scale sustainably
• We catalyze the local news movement by rallying philanthropic dollars and raising awareness about the crisis and the solutions underway to resolve it

Since our launch in 2019, the American Journalism Project has raised more than $224 million for local news across the country. We have completed two national funds and built a portfolio of 50 nonprofit news organizations across 36 states, including eight that we launched from scratch. These outlets are reshaping how local news is sustained and serves communities– building sustainable business models, telling the full stories of their communities, and prioritizing impact over profit.

Our values

• Local First: We know that local journalism must serve and be led by local communities. We make a practice of listening to, and making decisions with – not for – those communities, and connecting them to find strength in each other.
• Bold Leadership: We understand the severe economic challenge facing local news and thus democracy, and we embrace a sense of possibility with courage, urgency, and perseverance.
• Constant Learning: We recognize the unknown in front of us. Therefore, we operate with humility and a commitment to continuous improvement and collaboration.
• Commitment to Equity: We commit to creating a better, more diverse, and more inclusive news media that advances human and civil rights. We actively fight against injustice and racism, and that starts with doing the work ourselves.
• Integrity: We accept the responsibility of earning trust every day. We operate with honesty, transparency, dignity, and respect, and without allegiance to party, ideology, profit, or power.

Your team

The communications intern will join the American Journalism Project’s Communications team, led by the Head of Communications. The Communications team, which sits on our larger Advancement Team, leads a multi-channel communications strategy to share the work of the American Journalism Project and its grantee partners across the United States. The intern will report to the Communications Associate.

The position

The intern would join the team for three months part-time (approx. 10–15 hours/week). Interns are paid $20 per hour, and all internships are fully remote. Over the course of the internship period, the intern will work closely with our Communications Associate on the following projects:

Social media content creation

Help grow the American Journalism Project’s visibility and deepen its brand storytelling through engaging, mission-aligned content for Instagram and LinkedIn. You’ll support our communications efforts by producing both short-form videos and evergreen posts that highlight the importance of local journalism and showcase the work of AJP and our portfolio.

What you’ll do:

• Collaborate with the Communications Associate to identify storytelling opportunities, including timely grantee wins and evergreen brand themes.
• Produce 4–6 short-form social videos (30–90 seconds) and draft platform-specific captions.
• Ensure videos reflect AJP’s brand tone and meet accessibility standards (e.g. closed captions, legible text).
• Create a library of evergreen copy and accompanying graphics that can be used to communicate our core messaging across our social platforms.
• Ensure all content meets AJP’s brand and accessibility standards (e.g. closed captions, legible text).

Newsletter welcome experience redesign

Help improve how new subscribers are welcomed to AJP’s newsletter, with the goal of increasing early engagement and setting the stage for long-term audience retention.

What you’ll do:

• Collaborate with the Communications Associate to audit AJP’s current newsletter welcome flow.
• Research and benchmark welcome journeys from other leading nonprofits and media organizations.
• Draft or revise welcome email copy, incorporating compelling calls-to-action and personalization.
• Deliver a refreshed welcome email informed by best practices and aligned with AJP’s tone and goals.
• Analyze available data (e.g. open rates, click-through rates) to assess performance and inform improvements.

Who you are

This role is a fit if…

• You are interested in exploring a career in the nonprofit sector, specifically in the area of communications.
• You are interested in learning more about rebuilding local news across the country.
• You work well as an individual and with a team.
• You are comfortable joining a fully remote organization.

What background and skills do you have? (We know not all candidates will have all the skills we list, and that’s OK. Tell us more about your relevant skills in the application!):

• A strong interest in communications, media, journalism, public interest work or the nonprofit sector.
• Basic knowledge of content creation tools like Canva, Adobe InDesign or similar platforms.
• Some experience editing short-form video content for social media platforms using Adobe Premiere, CapCut, Final Cut Pro or similar tools.
• Experience with or interest in social media strategy, especially for LinkedIn or Instagram.
• Clear writing skills and a knack for translating big ideas into concise social copy.
• A visual eye and good instincts for how to make content engaging, informative, and accessible.

Please submit an application through our portal. All candidates must be authorized to work in the U.S. If you have any questions, please feel free to email careers@theajp.org with “Communications Internship” in the subject line.

The American Journalism Project is dedicated to equal employment opportunities for all applicants and employees. The American Journalism Project encourages people of all races, colors, national origins, ancestries, creeds, religions, genders, ages, disabilities, veteran status, sexual orientations, and marital statuses to apply.