Development Internship (The Glass House)
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PROJECT SUMMARY
The Development Intern will support the fundraising and donor engagement work of The Glass House, a site of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Working closely with the Development team, the intern will help strengthen individual giving efforts through donor research, stewardship, event support, and database and operations projects. This internship is designed to provide hands-on experience in arts and cultural nonprofit fundraising, including how donor relationships are cultivated and stewarded, how appeals and campaigns are executed, and how data, research, and storytelling support philanthropic success.
National Trust internships are temporary experiential learning opportunities with no expectation of employment at the conclusion of the internship.
For this internship, the National Trust is offering a stipend of $4,000 to help offset expenses. The period of the internship would be from approximately June 1 – July 24 , for approximately 28 hours per week (some flexibility of end dates may be available) .
DUTIES
• Support Membership and Annual Fund programs through data updates, donor list generation, and preparation of segmented outreach materials.
• Assist with event coordination for member and donor programs, including logistics, guest list management, and event-day staffing support.
• Conduct prospect and donor research using publicly available sources and internal records; summarize findings to inform cultivation strategies.
• Support donor stewardship: draft thank-you letters and acknowledgements, assist with donor updates, and help track stewardship touchpoints.
• Help prepare materials for fundraising initiatives (appeals, renewals, membership communications): proofreading, formatting, and assembling mail/email components as assigned.
• Support planning and execution of donor and member events: invitation lists, RSVP tracking, run-of-show notes, and day-of logistical support.
• Inventory and organize development collateral (case statements, impact language, donor benefits) and propose updates to ensure consistency and accuracy.
• Participate in weekly development meetings; take notes and track action items to support project follow-through.
• Complete a capstone mini-project (e.g., a donor stewardship calendar, a refreshed prospect list for a specific initiative, or an event follow-up and thank-you workflow) and present learnings at the end of the internship.
EDUCATIONAL VALUE TO THE INTERN
The intern will gain experience under the mentorship of respected preservation and museum professionals, with deep expertise in institutional and individualphilanthropy, in an educational setting at one of the nation’s leading sites of American Mondern architecture. The intern will also have the opportunity to participate in educational programming offered via the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s organization-wide internship program. Students may also be eligible for college or graduate school academic credit at the discretion of their institution.
Specifically, the intern will gain knowledge in the following areas:
- Membership & Annual Giving Programs: How membership and annual appeal strategies are structured, segmented, and executed.
- Donor Stewardship & Engagement: Best practices for acknowledging gifts and sustaining meaningful relationships with members and donors.
- Fundraising Events: Planning and executing donor and member events as tools for cultivation, engagement, and stewardship.
- Fundraising Communications: Development of donor-facing materials, including appeals, renewals, and event communications.
- Development Operations & Data Management: How donor data, reporting, and list management support effective fundraising efforts.
- Nonprofit Development Strategy: The role of individual giving in advancing the mission of a cultural and historic site.
At the end of the project the intern will have produced a tangible work product such as a stewardship plan and/or prospect research portfolio, along with templates or documentation that can be used by the Development team. These deliverables may be added to their professional portfolio.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Strong written communication and attention to detail, with the ability to draft and proofread donor-facing materials and handle data accurately.
- Interest in nonprofit fundraising and cultural institutions, particularly membership, annual giving, and donor engagement at an arts or historic site.
- Must be in office 2 days/week for 5 hours each
- Basic analytical and problem-solving skills, including issue identification and prioritization. Basic project-organization skills.
- Excellent attention to detail.
- Ability to collaborate and achieve results with supervision, including ability to interact professionally with key internal and external stakeholders as needed. Public contact and ability to work successfully in close proximity to others required.
- Strong organizational skills required, with ability to prioritize, multi-task efficiently, and meet deadlines in a timely fashion
- Ability to adapt and be flexible in a dynamic work environment. Ability to work effectively with frequent interruptions required. Able to handle frequently changing and/or unscheduled tasks with accuracy.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills. Friendly and professional demeanor on the phone and in writing, with ability to speak and write clearly in English. Bi-lingual language skills a plus.
- Ability to work effectively with culturally diverse colleagues; connections to or experience helping to engage culturally diverse audiences and partners a plus. Bi-lingual language skills (especially English/Spanish) a plus.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office products required, including Outlook, Word, and Excel. Familiarity with other software a plus.
- Ability to work effectively in a remote environment, maintaining productivity and communications to meet deadlines and goals, is required.
- Bachelor’s level studies (or equivalent years of experience) required; current or rising juniors, seniors or graduate students preferred. Studies or demonstrated interest in arts administration, nonprofit management, history, museum studies, communications, business, or related fields preferred.
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