Government and Multilateral Relations Intern – Donor Engagement

About the program:

This internship is hosted within WRI’s Global Development / Government and Multilateral Relations team. As a global nonprofit, WRI relies on the generosity of donors to drive innovative research and impactful solutions that protect nature, improve lives, and combat climate change. Fundraising plays a vital role in enabling WRI to influence policy, scale up action, and transform human systems across energy, cities, food, water, and land. This internship directly supports WRI’s Resource Mobilization Strategy (2023–2027) by advancing efforts to expand and diversify government funding partnerships. The intern will help implement new business development strategies in Europe and beyond—supporting WRI’s ambition to diversify income streams and strengthen institutional resilience against funding volatility.

Internship Highlight:

In this role, you will support the WRI’s Global Development/Government and Multilateral Relations team's donor diversification strategy.  You’ll contribute to new business development plans and gain exposure to high-level fundraising efforts within a global nonprofit context.

You will:

• Engage directly with actionable strategies to help diversify WRI’s government donor pipeline
• Gain hands-on experience in high-level institutional fundraising—mapping donor priorities, identifying engagement opportunities, monitoring calls for proposals, and preparing outreach materials
• Collaborate with WRI’s programmatic and core functions teams and engage with institutional donors
• Develop high-level analytical skills in tracking governmental funding trends, key budget cycles, and SDG-aligned strategies
• Understand dynamics in donor relations and government funding partnerships, while contributing to adaptive, resilient non-profit revenue models
• Grow professionally in donor engagement, strategic communications, and global development cooperation—ideal for students focused on public policy, international development, and non-profit leadership.

What you will do:

Support institutional cooperation and fundraising opportunities with the Government of Luxembourg (50 %):

• Conduct in-depth research of Luxembourg’s main development cooperation actors and funding modalities
• Track relevant policy, budget, and institutional developments in Luxembourg, as they relate to WRI’s Strategy
• Identify engagement and fundraising opportunities, draft briefing materials and support the implementation of WRI’s Luxembourg Government Fundraising and Engagement Plan
   

Support institutional cooperation and fundraising opportunities with another government and/or multilateral agency that the team has identified for new business development (50 %):

• Support the development of outreach strategies to engage additional priority donors
• Assist in internal coordination and documentation related to government donor diversification efforts
• Support engagement with the identified donor through the development of prep materials for key engagements and research topics, as needed.

What you will need:

• Currently pursuing a degree in in international relations, political science, development studies, economics, public policy or related field or related field (graduate program preferred)
• Interns at WRI Europe must be registered in a study program with a Dutch college or university for the full duration of the internship
• Experience conducting policy, donor, or institutional research (from coursework or practical work)
• Familiarity with international development, public funding, or multilateral engagement
• Strong analytical and writing skills
• Ability to synthesize complex information into concise, actionable insights
• Experience working with data or tracking funding mechanisms
• Attention to detail and ability to follow structured processes for research and documentation
• Ability to work with a multicultural team in a matrixed organization.

Conditions of the internship:

• This is a 6-month internship with a start date of 22 September 2025.
• This internship will be based at the WRI Europe office in the Hague with some flexibility to work from home.
• This internship offers a reimbursement of 700 euros per month based on full-time working hours (32 hours per week).

How to apply:

Please submit a resume and cover letter by 27 July 2025. Applicants must apply through the WRI Careers portal to be considered. You are encouraged to link to any relevant blogs, projects or other pieces of work that demonstrate your suitability for the internship.

About Us:

Founded in 1982, World Resources Institute (WRI) is an independent, nonprofit global research organization that turns big ideas into action at the nexus of environment, economic opportunity, and human well-being. We are working to address seven critical challenges that the world must overcome this decade to secure a sustainable future for people and the planet: climate change, energy, food, forests, water, sustainable cities, and the ocean. WRI has a global staff of over 1,800 people with work spanning 60 countries. We have offices in Africa, Brazil, China, Europe, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Colombia and the United States, as well as a growing presence in other countries and regions.  
 

The foundation of our work is delivering high-quality research, data, maps, and analysis to solve the world’s greatest environment and international development challenges and improve people’s lives. We work with leaders in government, business, and civil society to drive ambitious action and create change on the ground. Equally important, we bring together partners to develop breakthrough ideas and scale-up solutions for far-reaching, enduring impact.

Our mission and values:

WRI’s mission is to move human society to live in ways that protect Earth’s environment and its capacity to provide for the needs and aspirations of current and future generations.

Our values are shared ideals that bind us together: Integrity, Innovation, Urgency, Independence, Respect.

Our culture:

WRI is committed to advancing gender and social equity for human well-being in our mission and applies this principle to our organizational and programmatic practices. We are committed to providing equal opportunities in employment, we embrace all diversity and encourage women, the LGBTQ+ community, persons with disabilities, Afro-descendants, and Indigenous people to apply. Recognizing our strong commitment to gender equality, WRI has also been awarded EDGE certification.

Our team carefully reviews all applications.