Who We Are
At TPL, we're a team of outdoor advocates who believe in connecting everyone to the outdoors. As an ethos, we believe access to the outdoors is a fundamental human need and essential to our health and well-being. ​We're committed to creating more places that bring us outside—parks, trails, playgrounds, and public lands—and making them available and welcoming to everyone, everywhere, regardless of ZIP code. We also understand that land has meaning; it tells the story of our history. That's why, through our Black History and Culture initiative, we're working to preserve sites that more fully represent the Black American experience; and we're an ally and partner to Tribal and Indigenous communities, working in partnership to reconnect them with their ancestral lands.

One hundred million people, including 28 million children, don't have nearby access to a park within ten minutes of their home. We're determined to change this outdoor equity gap–and as a result, nine million people and counting now have access because of our work. We have miles to go and a plan to get there. We're inclusive change-makers who believe in connecting everyone to the outdoors. We inspire by paving the way forward and strengthening our connection to nature. Join us! 

Position Summary:  
The Federal Relations team at Trust for Public Land (TPL) is seeking two highly motivated undergraduate students or recent graduates for a Spring 2026 internship, beginning January 2026. Our team is dedicated to TPL’s mission to create parks and protect land for people. We are responsible for TPL’s federal policy strategy and advocacy, including appropriating federal funds for conservation programs, ensuring equitable outdoor access, protecting public lands, and increasing opportunities for outdoor recreation. 
The Federal Relations Interns will fill a distinct role on our team, while sustaining ample opportunities to collaborate. The Intern will work on our federal portfolio including, but not limited to trails, tribal lands, Black history and culture, landscape protection, community schoolyards, and federal grants. Both positions will also include assorted administrative, clerical, and programmatic tasks. These duties will be in support of staff’s lobbying activities on Capitol Hill and our federal grant management.  

Essential Functions:

• Support the implementation of our national campaign to increase funding for local parks and schoolyards across the country 
• Research Trust for Public Land initiative areas including federal schoolyards and urban park legislation, tracking support and opportunities to engage members of Congress 
• Research and track federal grant and funding programs focused on increasing equitable access to the outdoors 
• Conduct research and prepare blogs, advocacy letters, fact sheets, internal communications, and press releases related to schoolyards and park equity 
• Track outreach and communication to members of Congress 
• Attend lobby meetings, coalition meetings, federal agency webinars, etc. 
• Participate in regular team and organizational meetings 
• Perform general administrative duties in support of assigned project work 

Qualifications:

• Strong commitment to TPL’s shared values (Belonging, Creativity, Collaboration, Impact, and Hope) to effectively work across the organization.
• At least 3 months experience in an internship position required. Policy, government, or environmental experience strongly preferred 
• Demonstrated desire to learn about our work 
• Excellent oral and written communication skills 
• Detail oriented and organized 
• Self-motivated, passionate, and professional 
• Must be a team player; ability to work both independently and in a collaborative environment 
• Willingness to adapt and remain flexible as projects and priorities change 
• Basic computer skills and working knowledge of Microsoft Office programs 

Compensation:
Trust for Public Land is a hybrid work environment, and this role will ideally be located near our Washington DC Trust for Public Land office. As a temporary, part-time intern, you will be paid at a rate of $19/hour. 
Applicants must be able to work 12-32 hours per week. The Internship runs approximately 16 weeks, from January 20th  through May 15th. 

Trust for Public Land’s active goal is to be an inclusive and equitable place to work and build community. As the organization actively works to eliminate racial and other disparities it welcomes candidates with diverse backgrounds and/or multicultural skillsets. We are open to the possibility that a great candidate for this job may not precisely meet all the above criteria; if you believe you are the right person for this job and can persuasively make that case, we encourage you to apply.