Application Guide
How to Apply for Summer Intern, Venture Success: Portfolio Support
at Emerson Collective
🏢 About Emerson Collective
Emerson Collective stands out by uniquely blending philanthropy, impact investing, and policy innovation to drive tangible social change and community renewal. Working here means contributing to a mission-driven organization that leverages diverse strategies—from funding to advocacy—to address systemic challenges, offering a rare opportunity to see how capital and creativity intersect for social good.
About This Role
This internship focuses on supporting the Venture Success team by operationalizing portfolio support through CRM data management, assisting with event execution for founders and investors, and creating content to amplify the team's impact. It's impactful because you'll directly enable the team to scale its support for social entrepreneurs, strengthen ecosystem connections, and help tell the story of Emerson Collective's venture work.
💡 A Day in the Life
A typical day might start with auditing CRM data to ensure accuracy for portfolio tracking, followed by a team meeting to plan an upcoming workshop for founders. In the afternoon, you could draft a founder spotlight using Canva, then collaborate with another department on a cross-functional initiative to amplify impact. The day often blends operational tasks with creative storytelling in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who Emerson Collective Is Looking For
- A rising junior or senior who can leverage analytical skills in Excel/Sheets to audit CRM data and identify automation opportunities for portfolio support.
- Someone detail-oriented enough to ensure accuracy in data entry and event logistics, while also thinking strategically about how to improve processes.
- A proactive multitasker comfortable navigating ambiguity—like juggling event planning, content creation, and cross-functional projects—and meeting deadlines in a dynamic environment.
- A communicator skilled in using tools like Google Slides, ChatGPT, and Canva to craft compelling founder spotlights, event briefs, and marketing materials that align with Emerson Collective's mission.
📝 Tips for Applying to Emerson Collective
Highlight specific experience with CRM systems (even if basic) and give an example of how you've used Excel/Sheets for data analysis or automation in a past project or class.
Mention any event planning or coordination experience, especially for professional or networking events, and tie it to supporting 'hands-on tactical workshops' for leaders.
Showcase content creation skills by linking to a portfolio or describing a project where you used Canva, Google Slides, or similar tools for storytelling or marketing.
Emphasize your ability to navigate ambiguity—describe a time you managed multiple projects with shifting priorities, ideally in a mission-driven or startup-like setting.
Tailor your resume to include keywords from the job description, like 'portfolio support,' 'cross-functional initiatives,' and 'ecosystem partners,' to pass initial screenings.
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
["Express genuine passion for Emerson Collective's mission of social change through impact investing and policy, and explain why their blended approach resonates with you.", 'Detail a relevant project or experience where you demonstrated analytical and operational skills—such as data analysis, process improvement, or event support—and how it prepares you for this role.', "Highlight your ability to create compelling content (e.g., writing, design) and how you'd use it to elevate the Venture team's messaging to founders and investors.", "Discuss your interest in cross-functional collaboration and how you've worked with diverse teams to advance shared goals, linking it to Emerson Collective's interdisciplinary model."]
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → Explore Emerson Collective's portfolio companies and impact investing focus areas to understand the types of ventures they support and their social change goals.
- → Review their recent initiatives or press releases related to venture success, events, or storytelling to grasp their current priorities and messaging.
- → Learn about their cross-functional model by researching how they integrate philanthropy, investing, and policy—note any specific programs or partnerships mentioned on their website.
- → Look into the San Francisco social impact and venture ecosystem to contextualize how Emerson Collective operates within it, including key partners or events they might engage with.
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Submitting a generic application without mentioning Emerson Collective's mission or showing how your skills align with their focus on social change and impact investing.
- Overlooking the technical requirements—failing to highlight proficiency in Excel/Sheets, Google Slides, or content creation tools like Canva, which are explicitly listed.
- Demonstrating poor attention to detail in your application materials, such as typos or inaccuracies, since the role emphasizes accuracy in data and analysis.
📅 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:
Application Review
1-2 weeks
Initial Screening
Phone call or written assessment
Interviews
1-2 rounds, usually virtual
Offer
Congratulations!
Ready to Apply?
Good luck with your application to Emerson Collective!