The build4good initiative is an intern-mentorship program that matches post-secondary students who are majoring in computer science, integrated digital media, UI/UX design, or other technology-related fields to mission-driven nonprofit organizations with technology-specific project needs.
This mostly remote summer intern-mentorship program aims to inspire a network of future leaders to develop socially minded technology, discover public interest and social impact careers, and help nonprofits harness the power of technology for social good.
Since summer of 2020, student interns embark on a 10–12 week paid project-based mentorship and skill-building journey. The build4good internship provides students with opportunities to transfer classroom-learned skills to real-world application, add new technical skills, gain 21st-century skills such as collaboration, project management, problem-solving and communication, and explore potential careers in the public interest technology and social impact sectors.
Host organizations have access to students with skills such as website design and development, app design and development, backend development, data visualizations including interactive web maps, data analytics, expanding online community engagement, and addressing privacy/security challenges.
For more information, visit: https://www.build4good.tech
build4good hosted the first of three applicant workshops on December 9, 2024. The recording can be found by clicking on this Applicant Workshop 1 Recording.
If your organization is interested in hosting a build4good intern during the summer of 2026, please complete this short form. Once we have received your interest form, we will follow-up and schedule a call to discuss further.
Applications for the 2026 cohort are now closed. Please check back in December 2026 for information on the 2027 cohort.
Listen and be inspired from the next generation of public interest technologists.
The inaugural OER and Accessibility AI Hackathon hackathon in Washington DC brought together diverse teams, including student interns, educators, developers, designers, and data scientists from the US and UK. Over two days, participants collaborated to create open-source edtech prototypes using open educational resources (OER) to better serve students with disabilities. The event aimed to explore AI’s potential in making digital educational materials more accessible and adaptable, with teams developing innovative solutions such as voice-assisted technology and alt-text generators, while also fostering interest in public interest technology careers among college students.
Read a case study by the Siegel Family Endowment on how build4good builds the next generation of public tech professionals. build4good, an initiative of New America, matches promising college students in technology-related majors with nonprofit organizations that have technology-specific project needs. Participating nonprofit organizations also benefit from the partnership; build4good interns bring expertise, energy, perspective, and capacity to their work, expand employer access to tech talent, and advance the goal of effectively harnessing the power of technology for social good.
Stef Mills reflects on the value of Digital Promise’s partnership with the public interest technology program build4good. Interested organizations can fill out a 2025 Host Application.
Hear directly from build4good co-founders, host organizations, and alumni in the build4good Internship Experience video.
Since the summer of 2020, build4good interns have embarked on paid project-based mentorship and skill-building journeys. The program provides students with opportunities to transfer classroom-learned skills to real-world application, add new technical skills, gain 21st-century skills such as collaboration and problem-solving, and explore potential careers in public interest technology and social impact.
Curious about what build4good interns can do? Our interns have worked on projects ranging from data mapping to building LLMs. View this resource to see projects that interns and alumni have worked on with their host organizations, at build4good hackathons, and beyond.