Internships that build Iowa’s local news future
An internship can be a first step into a career in local news and a chance for an Iowa news outlet to invest in its next generation. The Iowa Newspaper Foundation helps member outlets offer paid, hands-on experiences where interns learn from working professionals and contribute to their communities.
For news outlets: Internship Matching Funds Grants
INF provides $1,000 in matching funds to help INA member news outlets offer paid internships. Selected outlets recruit, hire and supervise their own interns, giving them meaningful work, regular guidance and a chance to learn how a local news organization serves its community.
Internships may include reporting, photography, audience engagement, newsletters, video, design, advertising or other work that supports local news. A strong application explains what the intern will do, who will mentor them and what they can expect to learn.
How the program works
- An INA member news outlet applies for matching funds.
- INF reviews applications and selects participating outlets.
- Each selected outlet recruits, hires, pays and supervises its intern.
- The outlet and intern each complete a short report at the end of the internship.
Applications are open now through November 30 for the 2027 grant cycle.
Access end of internship news outlet report HERE
For students and emerging professionals
Interested in exploring a career in local news? An internship offers hands-on experience, a chance to build your skills and an opportunity to see the difference local news makes.
Participating outlets select and hire their own interns. Explore current openings and follow each outlet’s application instructions.
Coming Soon! View current internship openings
End of internship intern report to complete
What an internship can make possible
INF-supported interns have reported stories, photographed their communities, worked on audience outreach and learned from experienced colleagues. Their contributions help local news outlets serve their communities while giving emerging professionals a foundation for what comes next.
Questions?
Contact Jana Shepherd at jshepherd@inanews.com or 515-422-9051.
Hear From Our Interns
The best measure of a program is what it does for the people in it. Here is what two of our interns had to say.
Rachel Bare interned at the Spencer Daily Reporter in the summer of 2024. Rachel was accepted to Yale University, where she plans to pursue a degree in engineering. Yale admissions staff noted that her newsroom internship played a meaningful role in distinguishing her application. “I will be forever grateful to the people I interviewed and worked with as a newsroom intern. The experience, even in a typical summer, is unparalleled. My Yale acceptance is merely a happy consequence of working an incredibly privileged and worthwhile job, which I would happily recommend to anyone seeking a summer of genuine service.”
Lizbeth Garcia Tellez interned at the Marshalltown Times-Republican in the summer of 2024, working in sales and marketing and bringing her public relations studies into a real newsroom setting. “My internship at the Times-Republican was an enriching experience. I had the unique opportunity to create a Spanish page aimed at increasing awareness and engagement within the local Spanish-speaking community, and to connect with community members and leaders. This experience has helped shape my career path and expanded my network.”
