Application Guide

How to Apply for Strategic Partnership Intern

at Kiva

🏢 About Kiva

Kiva is a pioneering nonprofit that has mobilized over $2 billion in crowdfunded loans to empower more than 5 million borrowers across 100+ countries, proving that small amounts of capital can create massive impact. What sets Kiva apart is its digital-first, values-driven culture—operating with a lean team of 130+ employees and 700+ volunteers worldwide—where every role directly contributes to expanding financial access for underserved communities. Working here means joining a mission-driven organization that blends cutting-edge technology with grassroots impact, offering the rare chance to see your work translate into real dreams realized.

About This Role

As a Strategic Partnership Intern, you'll be at the forefront of Kiva's growth engine, identifying, researching, and helping to secure partnerships with corporations, foundations, and other institutions that can amplify Kiva's lending capital and reach. You'll support the partnerships team with market analysis, pitch development, and relationship management, gaining hands-on experience in business development for a global nonprofit. This role is impactful because the partnerships you help build directly fuel Kiva's ability to lend to more borrowers, scaling solutions for gender equity, climate resilience, and small business growth.

💡 A Day in the Life

A typical day might start with a team check-in call, followed by researching potential corporate partners and updating the CRM with leads. You could spend the afternoon drafting a partnership proposal or creating a pitch deck for a foundation, then collaborating with the partnerships manager to refine messaging. You'll also attend cross-functional meetings, contribute to strategy discussions, and perhaps analyze data on past partnerships to identify areas for improvement—all while working remotely and connecting with colleagues across time zones.

🚀 Application Tools

Generate Cover Letter

AI-powered, tailored for Kiva

Interview Prep

Practice questions for this role

🎯 Who Kiva Is Looking For

  • Currently pursuing a bachelor's or master's degree in business, international development, marketing, or a related field, with a strong academic record and demonstrated interest in social impact.
  • Excellent research and analytical skills—able to synthesize market data, identify potential partners, and craft compelling value propositions that align with Kiva's mission.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills, with experience drafting proposals, pitch decks, or partnership outreach materials (e.g., through prior internships, student clubs, or volunteer work).
  • Proactive, self-starter attitude with the ability to manage multiple projects in a remote, fast-paced environment; familiarity with CRM tools (e.g., Salesforce) and Google Suite is a plus.

📝 Tips for Applying to Kiva

1

Highlight any experience you have in partnership development, business development, or fundraising—even if it's from student organizations or volunteer roles—and explicitly connect it to Kiva's mission of expanding financial access.

2

Demonstrate your understanding of Kiva's unique crowdfunding model and its key focus areas (e.g., gender equity, refugees, climate change) by referencing specific campaigns or partnerships in your application.

3

Show your global mindset: mention any international experience, cross-cultural communication skills, or language abilities that would help you engage with Kiva's diverse partners and borrowers across 100+ countries.

4

Use Kiva's values (Impact first, Extreme ownership, Be curious and bold) as a framework in your cover letter and interviews—provide concrete examples of how you've embodied these values in past experiences.

5

Since this is a remote internship, emphasize your ability to work independently, manage time zones, and collaborate effectively using digital tools; mention any remote work or virtual team experience.

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

["Your passion for Kiva's mission and a specific example of how you've contributed to financial inclusion or social impact through previous work, volunteering, or coursework.", 'Your research and analytical abilities: describe a time when you identified a partnership opportunity, conducted market research, or developed a pitch that led to a successful outcome (e.g., securing a sponsor for a student event).', 'Your communication skills: highlight experience drafting proposals, creating presentations, or engaging stakeholders, and how you tailor messages to different audiences.', "Your ability to thrive in a remote, values-driven culture: give examples of self-management, curiosity, and ownership in past roles, and how you align with Kiva's values."]

Generate Cover Letter →

🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Explore Kiva's website, especially the 'About Us,' 'Impact,' and 'Partners' sections, to understand their lending model, key focus areas, and existing corporate/foundation partnerships.
  • → Read Kiva's annual reports and blog posts to get up to speed on recent milestones, challenges, and strategic priorities—this will help you speak fluently about the organization's direction.
  • → Research the broader landscape of impact investing, microfinance, and crowdfunding platforms to understand Kiva's competitive position and potential partnership opportunities.
  • → Look up recent news articles or press releases about Kiva's partnerships (e.g., with corporations like Google, Visa, or the Mastercard Foundation) to identify trends and areas where you could add value.

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 Why are you interested in strategic partnerships at Kiva specifically, and how do you see this role contributing to Kiva's mission of expanding financial access?
2 Describe a time when you conducted research to identify a potential partner or funder. What was your approach, and what was the outcome?
3 How would you approach crafting a partnership pitch to a corporate foundation that has never worked with Kiva before? Walk us through your process.
4 Tell us about a situation where you had to manage multiple deadlines or projects simultaneously. How did you prioritize and ensure high-quality work?
5 Kiva operates remotely with a global team. How do you stay motivated, organized, and connected to colleagues in a remote work environment?
Practice Interview Questions →

⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Submitting a generic cover letter that could apply to any nonprofit or internship—failing to mention Kiva's specific model, values, or impact areas shows a lack of genuine interest.
  • Focusing only on what you want to gain from the internship rather than how you can contribute to Kiva's mission; emphasize your skills and how they align with the team's goals.
  • Neglecting to demonstrate remote work readiness or cross-cultural competence; Kiva is a global, digital-first organization, so highlighting these abilities is crucial.

📅 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 Kiva!

← Back to Job Listing Apply Now →