Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Intern Community Engagement & Grant Research

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Our greatest asset are our people. City of Minnetonka employees work together to drive change and make a meaningful impact on the community. We support one another in our personal and professional lives. You can expect to make a difference because in Minnetonka you and your work matter.

The DEI Community Engagement & Grant Research Intern will support the Citys equity initiatives by strengthening outreach efforts elevating resident voices and identifying funding opportunities that advance inclusive programs and services. This role blends community engagement research writing and project coordination. The ideal candidate is passionate about reducing disparities developing accessible engagement strategies and using data and storytelling to improve municipal decision-making.

This is a full-time seasonal position for Summer 2026.

Community Engagement Support

• Assist with planning coordinating and staffing community engagement events listening sessions and cultural celebrations.
• Help build accessible outreach materials (flyers surveys social media posts translations).
• Support efforts to engage historically underrepresented communities through culturally responsive methods.
• Track engagement outcomes and prepare summaries for internal teams and the DEI Commission.
• Conduct resident interviews or focus groups (with supervision) to gather feedback on city programs.

• Research local state federal and philanthropic grant opportunities aligned with DEI goals.
• Prepare summaries of potential funding sources including eligibility requirements and deadlines.
• Draft components of grant applications (narratives needs statements demographic data impact measures).
• Assist in building a grant-tracking system for DEI and cross-departmental use.
• Support data gathering for reporting and evaluation.

• Conduct literature and best-practice reviews on equitable engagement inclusive policy design and culturally responsive programming.
• Help gather and analyze demographic community feedback and program participation data to inform DEI strategies.
• Assist in preparing materials for DEI team meetings the DEI Commission and City Council updates.

Education and Experience

• Currently enrolled in or recently completed a college or university program in Public Policy Sociology Ethnic Studies Communications Urban Studies Nonprofit Management Political Science or related fields. Or equivalent experience through community work volunteering grassroots organizing or lived experience.
• Experience coursework or demonstrated interest in community engagement equity public administration or research.

• Experience designing surveys facilitating discussions or conducting outreach.
• Familiarity with grant-writing fundraising or nonprofit resource development.
• Knowledge of DEI frameworks community engagement strategies or multilingual abilities (any language).

Skills & Competencies

• Strong research and writing skills especially for summarizing findings clearly.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication abilities with a culturally responsive lens.
• Ability to build trust with diverse communities and work professionally with residents staff and partners.
• Organized detail-oriented and able to manage multiple projects.
• Commitment to diversity equity inclusion and ethical community engagement.

• Hands-on experience conducting DEI-centered engagement in municipal government.
• Training in grant research grant writing and project evaluation.
• Opportunities to present findings to DEI leadership or the DEI Commission.
• Exposure to city operations cross-departmental collaboration and equity planning.
  

Not Sure You Meet All the Qualifications
If this role interests you but youre unsure about meeting all the listed requirements we encourage you to apply! Your unique experiences may be more relevant than you think and we value both technical skills and diverse perspectives.

How to Apply:

1. Click Apply at the top of the page before the closing date.
2. Submit these documents via the online application system (no zip files or links):
   • Resume
   • Cover Letter
3. Questions Contact Human Resources at .

Hiring Process:

• Open Job Posting:Requisition is open and accepting applications.
• Selection Process: Qualified applicants join a candidate pool. Hiring managers select candidates for interviews and/or assessments. Youll be notified if selected.
• Pre-Employment Screening: This may include a drivers license a criminal history background check a drug test a physical exam a work assessment or simulation and if education-based proof of qualifications.

Contact Us:
For position-related questions email Katie Xiong at .

Veterans Preference:
Veterans can request preference under MN Statute 197.455 by submitting a DD214 with their application.

Equal Opportunity Employer:
The City of Minnetonka values diversity and does not discriminate based on race color creed age religion national origin marital status disability sex sexual orientation familial status public assistance status or other protected classes.