The RISE intern with the City of Greenville will gain hands-on experience in municipal government by actively participating in the day-to-day operations of the City of Greenville. The intern will:

• Attend City Council meetings, committee meetings, and other official council functions.
• Work closely with City Council member Tina Belge,
• Shadow other City Council members and the Mayor to better understand the responsibilities of elected officials, including constituent engagement, policy development, and collaboration with city staff.
• Assist with research on policy issues, community concerns, and emerging topics relevant to the City Council and staff.
• Help gather data, summarize information, and prepare background materials that support informed decision-making.

Before applying to this position, please read the full job description here.

Greater Good Greenville multiplies the good of nonprofits, philanthropic funders, and caring community members with know-how, resources, and connections to each other for collective action on the community’s most pressing challenges. This summer, Greater Good Greenville is seeking 3 RISE interns to help with the following focus areas:

1) Study of high impact coalitions – research advocacy and working coalitions to understand which attributes lead to success, and assess coalitions in Greenville County;

2) Communications campaign on Greenville County nonprofits and funders – prepare video content, blog posts, and social media content for a communications campaign to feature a wide variety of nonprofits and philanthropic funders in Greenville County; and

3) Support for 2026 voter education and turnout activities – assess 2025 statewide primary voter turnout, create a report for wide community distribution, and create messaging to support nonpartisan voter education and turnout, including scheduling candidates for podcast interviews.

Before applying to this position, please read the full job description here.

Greenville Housing Fund (GHF) is a nonprofit community development financial institution (CDFI) dedicated to increasing affordable housing opportunities across Greenville County. GHF seeks an intern to assist with core operational and governance-support functions, including reporting, organizing internal workflows, supporting internal policy and procedure updates, assisting with board governance materials, and audit preparation. Working closely with the Vice President of Operations and Program Manager, the intern will support the launch and sustainability of housing programs, contribute to the community resource list, and help maintain the organization’s GIS housing map and public-facing website. The intern will attend meetings with public officials, community partners, and Board members; and will observe how data, capital, governance, and the public converge to shape housing access and neighborhood stability.

Before applying to this position, please read the full job description here.

Greenville Together: A Home for All is a community-wide initiative working to functionally end homelessness in Greenville County by making it rare, brief, and non-recurring. Greenville Together is seeking a Data & Impact Intern to support evaluation, analysis, and storytelling related to homelessness response efforts in Greenville County. This role is ideal for a student interested in public policy, economics, data analytics, public administration, sociology, or related fields who wants hands-on experience applying data to real-world social challenges.

The intern will play a key role in analyzing cost savings and community impact associated with housing interventions, helping answer a critical question for policymakers and the public: What does it cost our community to leave people unhoused, and what do we save—financially and socially—when we house them? The internship will involve analyzing data and communicating impact through storytelling and data visualization.

Before applying to this position, please read the full job description here.

The Institute for Child Success (ICS) is an independent research and applied policy organization that supports policymakers, service providers, government agencies, funders, and business leaders focused on early childhood development, healthcare, and education. They seek holistic solutions to complex early childhood challenges by proposing smart public policies grounded in research, shaping the dialogue about our children’s futures and build a more just society.

ICS seeks an Innovative Financing Intern who will work with a dynamic team dedicated to exploring and implementing financial strategies to drive social impact. This role offers hands-on experience in innovative financing models, such as impact investing, social bonds, and blended finance, with a focus on projects that address critical social and economic challenges. The intern will contribute directly to initiatives that foster positive change and enhance community well-being, providing them with a strong foundation for a career in impact-driven finance, social policy, or public service. Daily tasks will vary, offering a blend of research, analysis, strategic thinking, and hands-on project work.

Before applying to this position, please read the full job description here.

Public Education Partners (PEP) strengthens, supports, and advances public education in Greenville County by championing teachers, equipping families, and advancing collaboration. The Urban League of the Upstate advances equity and economic empowerment for Black and other underserved communities through advocacy, education, and economic stability. This internship will include responsibilities with both organizations, including collaborative work around family engagement and empowerment in Greenville County that both PEP and the Urban League are helping to lead.

Key duties at PEP will include supporting the development of its Equip Families Framework, including the inaugural Parent Summit and other parent education activities and resources; supporting Greenville County Schools’ Summer Academy programming and back-to-school activities; and developing video materials for PEP’s social media and website.

Key duties at the Urban League will include assisting with logistics and preparation of materials for the Pilot Family intake and other workshops; updating and formalizing the community resource database and quick-reference toolkits for removing immediate family barriers; and creating a system to track key outcomes.

Before applying to this position, please read the full job description here.

The Riley Institute empowers emerging and established leaders—across sectors and throughout society—with the knowledge and tools to advance equity and drive social and economic progress in South Carolina and beyond. We aim to strengthen public education; promote the power of diversity to help teams, organizations, and communities thrive; and elevate informed, evidence-based approaches to critical public issues.

The Riley Institute seeks a Marketing and Communications Intern to take the lead on social media management, creating and implementing a social media plan and content creation. The intern will also help maintain the Riley Institute’s website, email marketing lists, and photography/collateral. They will learn about the ways in which the Riley Institute’s work intersects with policy and will have the opportunity to contribute to blog posts and/or op-eds.

Before applying to this position, please read the full job description here.

Soteria Community Development Corporation advocates for economic and social justice for those and their families impacted by the criminal justice system. They work to create opportunities for previously incarcerated individuals to reenter society through transitional housing, life skills, job training, and employment.

Soteria CDC is seeking a Community Development Intern to support ongoing initiatives. This internship offers the opportunity to work across each of the organization’s major departments, including Soteria House (the transitional living program), volunteer management, marketing, development, advocacy, and executive leadership. Responsibilities will vary by department and may include assisting with case management for formerly incarcerated individuals, screening volunteer applications, supporting fundraising efforts, collecting and recording stories for marketing purposes, and shadowing the Executive Director.

Before applying to this position, please read the full job description here.

This internship may count toward Furman’s Poverty Studies Minor. Please contact the chair of Poverty Studies with any questions.

United Ministries is a direct services organization that serves individuals and families experiencing scarcity by providing basic needs for stability and supportive services to achieve self-sufficiency. Annually, United Ministries serves more than 3,000 individuals and families in the areas of homeless services, housing stability, and economic mobility. The RISE intern at United Ministries can expect to work directly with individuals experiencing scarcity each morning. Tasks will include serving in the food pantry, supporting guests at the day shelter, and observing emergency assistance appointments each morning. Afternoons will be spent on larger projects related to communications and community engagement, including a strategic communications project and onboarding a new volunteer management platform.

Before applying to this position, please read the full job description here.

This internship may count toward Furman’s Poverty Studies Minor. Please contact the chair of Poverty Studies with any questions.

United Way of Greenville County (UWGC) mobilizes people and resources to improve lives, strengthen the community, and advance equity for the benefit of all. Their key areas of work include affordable housing and homelessness, childcare, transportation, education, and higher earnings. The volunteer spirit of Greenville County fuels so much of what UWGC is able to accomplish and, each year, thousands of volunteers donate their time to make a difference for others.

The RISE intern at UWGC will support community volunteerism through projects such as volunteer opportunity mapping, enhancing volunteer placement by strengthening the Hands On Connect portal, engaging with community partners, and supporting events and service projects. The intern will work cross-departmentally and gain exposure to cross-sector partnerships that address local challenges.

Before applying to this position, please read the full job description here.

Village Engage is a nonprofit community organizer that provides educational opportunities, space for dialogue, and avenues for action to tackle systemic injustices facing Greenville, SC. Under the Mill Village Ministries umbrella, Village Engage provides education and pathways to engagement and purposeful action. They facilitate JustFaith programs, host social justice events in Greenville, and call participants to action through community organizing and advocacy.

The RISE intern at Village Engage will assist with the planning and implementation of community convenings and educational programming. They will also assist with interviews, story collection, and surveys to assess impact and inform program planning.

Before applying to this position, please read the full job description here.

YouthBASE is a unique educational intervention program offered after school and during the summer for at-risk children. Its mission is to equip children in K5 through 2nd grade with behavioral, academic, social, and emotional competencies so they may succeed at school, home, and in the community.

The RISE intern at YouthBASE will work directly with children in the YouthBASE summer program from 8am – 2pm each day, implementing daily academic instruction and assistance in reading, writing, and math. They will also co-plan and co-lead social-emotional skill-building activities. Afternoon hours will be spent working on an independent project – researching community resources and creating a resource guide for YouthBASE families.

Before applying to this position, please read the full job description here.