Application Guide

How to Apply for KIP Spring 2027 - Policy Intern - Fulcrum Foundation

at Standtogether

🏢 About Standtogether

Stand Together is a philanthropic community founded by Charles Koch that invests in social entrepreneurs and organizations tackling America's biggest problems, with a strong emphasis on removing barriers that keep people trapped in poverty. The Fulcrum Foundation, its regulatory reform arm, works to streamline state permitting and licensing systems so that entrepreneurs, workers, and small businesses can thrive. Working here means contributing to a mission-driven, free-market policy agenda while gaining hands-on experience with real legislative impact.

About This Role

As a KIP Spring 2027 Policy Intern with the Fulcrum Foundation, you'll work directly with the Policy Director and Legal Director to research state regulatory and permitting reform, verify legal citations, and test AI tools for regulatory analysis. Your work will feed directly into briefings, model legislation, and materials used by state legislators, governors' offices, and executive agencies. This is a rare opportunity to combine legal research, policy writing, and emerging technology in a role that shapes real reform across the country.

💡 A Day in the Life

You'll start your day by reviewing a draft model bill from the Legal Director, checking every citation against state statutes and flagging any discrepancies. Later, you'll spend time testing a new AI tool to see how well it extracts regulatory requirements from a state agency's guidance document, then document your findings for the Policy Director. You might also draft a short blog post on a pending permitting reform bill, collaborate with the management team on a briefing for a governor's office, and join a remote team check-in to align on priorities for the week.

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🎯 Who Standtogether Is Looking For

  • Current law or public policy student (or recent graduate) with a proven ability to read, interpret, and verify statutes, regulations, and guidance documents.
  • Detail-oriented researcher who can spot a missing citation or an inaccurate legal claim from a mile away and is comfortable cross-checking multiple sources.
  • Curious technologist who enjoys experimenting with AI tools and low-code platforms—no programming experience required, but a willingness to test, learn, and even build simple AI-powered applications is essential.
  • Clear, persuasive writer who can translate complex regulatory concepts into accessible blog posts, op-eds, and policy briefs for state-level audiences.
  • Self-starter who can manage multiple research and writing tasks in a remote, fast-paced environment while collaborating closely with senior leadership.

📝 Tips for Applying to Standtogether

1

Highlight any experience you have with statutes, regulations, or legal materials—even if it's from a law school clinic, policy research assistant role, or internship—and be specific about the types of documents you've worked with.

2

Demonstrate your comfort with AI tools by mentioning specific platforms you've used (e.g., ChatGPT, Claude, low-code tools like Airtable or Zapier) and how you've applied them to research or writing tasks.

3

Show your attention to detail by ensuring your application materials are flawless—this role involves verifying legal citations, so any typo or inconsistency will be noticed.

4

Mention any familiarity with cost-benefit analysis or regulatory reform concepts, even if it's from a course or self-study, and connect it to the Foundation's mission.

5

Tailor your cover letter to the Fulcrum Foundation's specific focus on state regulatory and permitting reform, and explain why you're excited to support work that goes directly to legislators and governors' offices.

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

Emphasize your ability to research and analyze state statutes and regulations, and provide concrete examples of how you've verified legal citations or synthesized complex legal material. Highlight your willingness to experiment with AI tools and low-code platforms, and describe any instances where you've used technology to improve research or writing. Show that you can write persuasively for a policy audience, perhaps by referencing a blog post, op-ed, or policy memo you've written. Finally, connect your interest in regulatory reform to Stand Together's mission of removing barriers to opportunity, and explain why you want to work specifically with the Fulcrum Foundation.

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Explore the Fulcrum Foundation's website and any published reports, model legislation, or blog posts to understand their specific regulatory reform priorities and state-level focus.
  • → Research Stand Together's broader philanthropic network and its principles, including the Koch network's approach to free-market policy and poverty alleviation.
  • → Look into recent state regulatory reform efforts in areas like occupational licensing, permitting, and zoning to familiarize yourself with the current landscape and key debates.
  • → Investigate how AI is currently being used in legal and policy research, including tools like Harvey, Casetext, or low-code platforms, to speak knowledgeably about the intersection of technology and regulatory analysis.

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 Walk us through a time you had to verify a complex legal citation or regulatory reference—how did you ensure accuracy and completeness?
2 How have you used AI tools or low-code platforms in your research or writing? What worked well, and what limitations did you encounter?
3 Describe a regulatory reform initiative you find promising at the state level. What makes it effective, and what barriers might it face?
4 This role involves writing for external audiences like legislators and governors' offices. How do you tailor your writing to be both accurate and persuasive for a policy audience?
5 Why are you interested in the Fulcrum Foundation's specific approach to permitting and regulatory reform, and how does it fit with your career goals?
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⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Submitting a generic cover letter that doesn't mention the Fulcrum Foundation, state regulatory reform, or the specific responsibilities like AI tool testing and citation verification.
  • Failing to demonstrate attention to detail—such as typos, inconsistent formatting, or inaccurate claims—in your application materials, since this role requires meticulous verification of legal citations.
  • Showing reluctance to engage with technology or AI tools, or implying that you prefer purely traditional legal research without any interest in experimenting with new software.

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to Standtogether!

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