Summer 2026 Internship — Project Track 2

Secure the Mission: Nonprofit Security Assessment Lab

Deliver practical cybersecurity support and a professional security risk assessment to a real community organization.

Track Focus

Community security in practice

Technical support, risk assessment, security improvements, and privacy guidance for a mission-driven organization.

Project Sponsor

This track is sponsored by a nonprofit leader committed to strengthening community organizations through better security.

Community Sponsor

Rachel West

AllWomenCount

Rachel brings a practitioner’s perspective on the real security challenges facing nonprofits and community organizations. Her organization, AllWomenCount, serves as the partner for this track’s hands-on security assessment work.

About This Track

Apply your cybersecurity skills to solve real problems for a local community organization that needs your help.

This track connects interns with a community nonprofit to provide practical security support alongside a structured risk assessment. Rather than working on simulated scenarios, you will engage with real systems, real staff, and real constraints—delivering outcomes the organization can act on immediately.

Interns will help improve the organization’s day-to-day technical reliability, assess its cybersecurity posture, and leave behind clear, prioritized recommendations that staff can follow without requiring deep technical expertise.

Scope of Work

Four interconnected areas of support, from hands-on troubleshooting to written security guidance.

Technical Support

Hands-on help with common PC and system issues.

Assist with systems showing failures or instability, slow performance, malware detection and removal, and general troubleshooting—providing mission-aligned support as an alternative to ad hoc external services.

Cybersecurity Assessment

Evaluate the organization’s systems and identify risks.

Review current devices and workflows, identify vulnerabilities, and produce a prioritized list of recommendations the organization can realistically implement.

Security Improvements

Practical fixes across passwords, storage, and endpoint protection.

Work on password practices, account protection, secure data handling, basic endpoint security, and malware prevention—focusing on changes with the highest practical impact.

Privacy and Data Protection

Protect how sensitive program and donor data is handled.

Review data flows for programs and sponsors, recommend improvements to protect sensitive information, and introduce simple privacy best practices staff can sustain independently.

Expected Outcomes

Concrete deliverables the organization can use and that you can discuss in future interviews.

Improved reliability of computers and systems for the organization’s daily work.
Reduced downtime from common technical issues.
A professional security risk assessment report suitable for stakeholders, grant conversations, and partner discussions.
Clear, prioritized security recommendations written for non-technical staff.
Lightweight documentation for recurring technical problems.
Increased staff confidence in handling basic tech issues independently.

Skills You’ll Learn

Gain experience across security assessment, client communication, and practical defense.

Security Assessment

Structured methods for evaluating an organization’s security posture and identifying real risks.

Client Communication

Translating technical findings into plain-language recommendations for non-expert stakeholders.

Endpoint Security

Hands-on troubleshooting, malware removal, and basic endpoint hardening in a real environment.

Privacy & Data Handling

Reviewing data flows and recommending practical improvements for protecting sensitive organizational data.

Report Writing

Producing professional assessment reports and documentation that stakeholders can act on.