Request for Information for a Community-Oriented Residential Summer Internship Program for Tech Sector Interns

RFI No. 2026-JAII-03

The Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (“MassTech”) is issuing this Request for Information (RFI No. 2026-JAII-03) seeking input and ideas from organizations interested in partnering on the the development of a new, tech focused community-oriented residential summer internship pilot program launching in Summer 2026. The Innovation Institute anticipates providing financial support to selected partner(s) to help execute the pilot.  

Program Context

MassTech is initiating this process through an RFI so we can be fully engaged in conversations with potential respondents as this collaboration develops. Respondents are encouraged to bring their most innovative ideas and creative use of assets to this challenge as well as to work iteratively with MassTech on the genesis of this program at the earliest opportunity.  

For more than a decade, the MassTech has provided stipends for college students pursuing summer technology internships across the Commonwealth through the MassTech Intern Partnership (“MTIP”) program. Our core mission with this talent initiative has always been to increase the "stickiness"—the likelihood that talented college students will choose to start and build their careers in Massachusetts after graduation.  

Program Goals

This RFI is seeking information to inform an anticipated pilot initiative focused on testing the proposition that providing state-subsidized, community-oriented summer housing in Greater Boston/Cambridge that is paired with structured cohort-based programming and potentially inclusive meal support can improve long-term retention of early-career tech talent.  

MassTech is committed to supporting the Commonwealth’s emerging tech talent and believes that a sense of community can be galvanized through a novel approach to improve the conditions, for interns in Massachusetts that face the challenges of the cost and scarcity of summer housing and access, to shared innovative programming opportunities that would be transformational for many students. By creating a community-oriented residential environment where interns live and share experiences, we aim to foster lasting personal and professional relationships, thereby forging a stronger, more enduring connection to the Massachusetts tech and innovation ecosystem.

MassTech seeks bold, thoughtful concepts that improve the long-term connection between emerging talent and stakeholders across Massachusetts’ technology and innovation ecosystem. The components below outline the core dimensions of this pilot and are intended to inspire creative, mission-aligned responses.

A. Residential and Community-Oriented Model: Articulate a residential experience that goes beyond housing to create a vibrant, supportive community for interns.

B. Exposure to MA Tech Ecosystem: Foster connections both in the workplace and to the wider tech ecosystem through activities such as speaker series, guest dinners, site visits, etc.

C. Cross-Disciplinary Bonding Experience: Describe a shared, immersive experience outside the technical domain that brings interns together through creativity, reflection, and collaboration.

D. Student Recruitment and Program Accessibility: Outline an inclusive recruitment and outreach approach, developed in collaboration with MassTech, that attracts a diverse, multi-institutional cohort of highly motivated interns while ensuring broad access by limiting participation from any single institution to no more than 25% of the cohort.

E. Program Evaluation and Budget: Share a vision for how success would be measured, including indicators of community strength and interns’ interest in remaining in Massachusetts after graduation, alongside a high-level per-student cost framework. 

Eligibility Requirements

Respondents must be a Massachusetts-based nonprofit. Respondents may partner with other organizations to deliver various aspects of the program as part of their response.  

Full details included in the RFI linked below. 

Download Application Documents:

• Download RFI No. 2026-JAII-03 (PDF)