Development Intern

Posted 6 days ago

illinois policyChicago (IL)

Fundraisers Other Social Advocacy Organizations

SENIORITY

Intern

SALARY

$18.00 per hour

Apply

About the role

Development Intern Illinois Policy Institute Temporary, Part-Time | October December 2026 | Chicago, IL USA (In Person) The Illinois Policy Institute is seeking a highly organized, detail-oriented development intern to provide short-term administrative support to our Development and External Relations team from October through the end of 2026. This role is designed for an undergraduate or graduate student who is dependable, comfortable handling high-volume administrative work, and interested in gaining practical experience inside a fast-paced nonprofit development operation.

About the Role: This is an administrative-heavy, hands-on role supporting year-end fundraising and ongoing development prospecting projects. The intern will assist with printing, postage, internal and donor mailings, data reconciliation, research, project fulfillment, and other time-sensitive development needs. Accuracy, organization, discretion, and follow-through are essential. The intern must be available to work in our downtown Chicago office approximately two days per week. Hours are flexible and can be structured around undergraduate or graduate school schedules.

Key Responsibilities:

Prepare, print, assemble, and organize donor and prospect mailings
Manage postage, envelopes, labels, inserts, and other mailing and fulfillment needs
Support internal mailings and distribution of development materials
Assist with data reconciliation, data entry, list cleanup, and basic CRM/database projects
Conduct donor, prospect, foundation, and other development-related research as assigned
Support fulfillment of ongoing development prospecting projects and outreach campaigns
Organize and prepare materials for donor meetings, stewardship, and year-end fundraising activity
Assist with document organization, filing, scanning, copying, and other administrative projects
Provide responsive general administrative support to the Development team as priorities arise

Qualifications:

Undergraduate or graduate student with availability through the end of 2026 Exceptional attention to detail and commitment to accuracy
Strong organizational skills and ability to manage repetitive, deadline-driven tasks
Dependable, responsive, and willing to take ownership of administrative projects from start to finish
Professionalism and discretion when handling donor and organizational information
Comfort with Microsoft Office; familiarity with Salesforce or another CRM is a plus
Ability to work independently while also responding quickly to team needs
Availability to work in the downtown Chicago office approximately two days per week; scheduling can be flexible around classes

What You Will Gain:

Practical experience supporting a professional nonprofit fundraising operation during the critical year-end giving season
Exposure to donor prospecting, research, data management, stewardship, and fundraising operations
Experience managing real development projects with clear deadlines and deliverables
Mentorship and exposure to experienced development professionals

Compensation & Benefits: This is a temporary, part-time internship position lasting until the end of December 2026. Weekly schedules will not exceed 20 hours a week. Compensation is $18.00 per hour. As a temporary internship position, this role is not eligible for employer-sponsored benefits, including but not limited to health insurance, dental or vision coverage, retirement plans, paid time off, or other fringe benefits. While we thank all applicants in advance for their interest in this position, we are only able to contact those to whom we can offer an interview. Only direct applications will be considered. No phone calls, please.

Before you apply

Applying takes about a minute. These four things decide how fast it moves after that.

Your profile is current

It's what we read first. Occupations, seniority and locations matter more than a long history.

Two examples you can talk through

Not a portfolio — just two pieces of work where you can explain the decisions and what you'd change.

A number in mind

What you're on now and what would make you move. We negotiate better when we know both.

Your notice period

Employers plan around it, and it's the question that stalls offers most often.

Once you apply, someone reads it and calls you before anything reaches the employer — usually within two working days.