Development Intern

Development Intern

The Development Intern is a key support role within the Development & External Engagement team. This position provides hands-on experience in nonprofit fundraising, donor engagement, and event coordination. The intern will assist with day-to-day development operations, contribute to donor communications, and support fundraising initiatives that advance Chicago Scholars' mission.

The Development team covers donor data management, grant research and writing, and donor, volunteer, and Alumni relationship management and stewardship. This position would have the opportunity to learn a wide breadth about nonprofit development.

This is an excellent opportunity for a college student interested in nonprofit development, philanthropy, and social impact.

Donor Engagement & Stewardship

• Assist with donor outreach activities, including drafting thank-you messages and stewardship communications
• Support tracking of donor interactions and updates in the CRM system (e.g., Salesforce)

Research & Prospecting

• Conduct research to identify prospective donors and grant opportunities
• Support in compiling and summarizing donor data
• Assist in maintaining accurate and organized prospect records

Events & Campaign Support

• Provide logistical and administrative support for fundraising events, campaigns, and stewardship initiatives
• Assist with event preparation, including materials, registrations, and follow-up communications
• Participate in on-site event support as needed

Communications & Content

• Help curate content for newsletters, donor reports, and digital communications
• Support storytelling efforts by gathering Scholar impact stories, data points, and program highlights
• Contribute to campaign materials as appropriate

Administrative Support

• Assist with data entry and document organization
• Maintain development files and shared resources
• Collaborate with team members on ongoing projects and priorities

Learning Outcomes

• Gain exposure to nonprofit fundraising strategy and donor lifecycle management
• Develop skills in research, writing, and project coordination
• Build familiarity with CRM systems and development operations
• Strengthen professional communication and collaboration skills
• The Intern will have the opportunity to create learning objectives in collaboration with their manager, related to nonprofit development

Additional Responsibilities:

• This role will occasionally work on nights and weekends for Scholar and Development events and programming and may have the opportunity to manage an intern. This role is also required to attend and support mandatory all staff events.
• Other duties, as assigned.

Requirements

•

Education:

Completed at least first year of college, must be a current Chicago Scholar in good standing

•

Experience:

0-2 years

• Strong written and verbal communication skills

• Detail-oriented with strong organizational abilities

• Interest in nonprofit work, fundraising, or social impact

• Ability to manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines

• Chicago-based college student preferred, though qualified scholars living outside of Illinois are welcome to apply

Technical Knowledge

• Outlook

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office; experience with CRM tools is a plus

Core Competencies

• Accountability/Project Management: Effectively manages own work, and work of teams when relevant, ensuring delivery of high-quality work.
• Teamwork/Collaboration: Demonstrates awareness and respect of cultural and individual values. Listens to ideas from others, even when different from own. Is careful to ensure all sides are heard reaching a conclusion. Shares time, energy and knowledge with others to ensure they can succeed.
• Communication: Communication is the ability to read and interpret information effectively, clearly articulate a plan of action, and influence others by way of written and verbal mechanisms.
• Adaptability: Ability to operate flexibly in changing contexts and operating environments. Ability to manage change effectively to support teams and reach intended goals.

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