Fund Development Intern

Position Summary 

The Fund Development Intern will gain firsthand experience in nonprofit fundraising by supporting YWCA USA’s Fund Development team. This internship offers an opportunity to build skills in prospect research, data management, donor stewardship, and storytelling for grants and reporting within a national organization advancing racial and gender equity. 

Intern(s) will work closely with the Director of Development to support key fundraising activities, gain exposure to development strategy, and assist in preparing materials for individual and institutional donors. This internship is designed to enhance classroom learning through real-world application in nonprofit development. 

Time Commitment: 10-15 hours per week 

Responsibilities 

Data Clean-up 

Improve the accuracy of donor records and support donor re-engagement strategies 

Review returned mail and other sources for donor information 

Access a donor CRM database to update or flag invalid contact info 

Research correct donor information to update records with missing information  

Impact Story Collection 

Support storytelling by gathering recent success stories from local YWCAs 

Review recent grantee reports 

Coordinate with program staff as needed 

Draft compelling narratives for use in reports or donor outreach 

Organize stories by theme or program area 

Other Responsibilities 

Review and organize donor data, including returned mail, to support donor re-engagement strategies 

Assist in identifying trends or gaps in donor retention and report to the development team 

Support collection of impact stories from YWCA local association grant reports, including follow-up with program staff and content drafting 

Write concise, compelling summaries of success stories and other program outcomes for use in donor reports and outreach 

Assist with routine development tasks such as prospect research, preparing donor acknowledgements and updating donor records 

Learning Objectives 

By the end of this internship, the student will be able to: 

Apply data management and skills to improve donor retention strategies  

Demonstrate the ability to identify and communicate program impact through storytelling  

Conduct grant and donor prospect research using online databases and public records 

Draft donor-facing communications, including impact stories, summaries, and acknowledgements 

Explain the donor lifecycle, from cultivation through stewardship, in a national nonprofit context 

Reflect on their own development as a nonprofit professional and articulate their learning in writing or discussion 

Physical Demands and Work Environment 

The physical demands described here represent those that an intern must meet to perform the essential functions of this position successfully. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions. 

YWCA USA is a hybrid of physical and remote office environments; you will collaborate with colleagues who are based across the United States. You should be prepared to work remotely. 

Availability to work approved hours per week. 

The role requires long periods of sitting and using a computer and some light physical tasks, such as printing, filing, etc. 

Ability to communicate effectively in person, on video, and via phone. 

Internship Benefits 

Hands-on learning and skill advancement 

Career exploration in the nonprofit sector 

Mentorship from an expert supervisor and connection to other professionals 

Assistance with post-internship planning (may include a letter of recommendation, interview preparation, etc.)