Type of Activity: General Operating Support
Grantee: Pay Our Interns Action Fund
Amount: Updated to $550,000 in 2023
What is Pay Our Interns Action Fund?
Born of a social media campaign led by two former unpaid congressional interns, Pay Our Interns Action Fund is a nonprofit that advocates for paid internship programs in all congressional offices. In 2017, they published a report showing how few Congress members paid their interns, and began lobbying candidates and current members of Congress to commit to paying their interns.
Their efforts led to the creation of an internship fund allocation of $5 million initially and was increased to $13.8 million in 2018.
Why do we think this organization is important?
Pay Our Interns Action Fund is an effective voice for paid internships on Capitol Hill. Democracy Fund Voice believes that unpaid internships are a structural barrier to creating a cCongress and congressional staff that looks like America. We are proud to support Pay Our Intern Action Fund’s mission to advocate for paid internships on Capitol Hill and to work with members of Congress to create effective, equitable internship programs.
How is Democracy Fund Voice supporting Pay Our Interns Action Fund?
In 2023 an amendment was approved to increase the amount of the grant by $100,000 for a total of $550,000.
In 2022 an amendment was approved to increase the amount of the grant by $150,000, for a total of $450,000, and to extend the grant period through April 2023.
In 2019, Democracy Fund Voice approved a grant of $50,000 to Pay Our Interns Action Fund. In 2020, an amendment was approved to increase the amount of the grant by $100,000 and in 2021 an amendment was approved to increase the amount of the grant by $150,000 for a total of $300,000.