Development Intern, Auditorium Theatre

Roosevelt University; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 19,320 - 27,517; Part time

Job summary

Roosevelt University is seeking a detail-oriented Development Intern to assist in fundraising operations and donor communications during a critical period. The role involves supporting event planning, drafting donor appeals, and managing grant proposals.

The ideal candidate should have strong writing and organizational skills, with 3–5 years of experience in nonprofit development, and be available for evening hours on August 8. The internship offers practical experience within a collaborative fundraising team, in an on-site capacity.

Qualifications

• 3–5 years in nonprofit development, grant writing, or institutional fundraising.
• Ability to manage deadlines.
• Commitment to confidentiality and ethical standards.

Responsibilities

• Assist with event planning timelines and vendor coordination.
• Support guest list management and onsite registration/check-in.
• Draft donor appeals and grant proposals.
• Coordinate approvals and collaborate on design for appeals.

Skills

Strong writing, editing, and organizational skills

Comfort with spreadsheets and data entry

Professionalism and reliability

Attention to detail

Education

High school or GED; higher education preferred

Tools

Experience with CRM or database

Job description

The Auditorium seeks a detail-oriented, curious, and proactive Development Intern to support fundraising operations and donor communications during a high-impact season. This internship provides practical experience across events, data, grant writing, and individual giving within a collaborative fundraising team.

Position Overview

The Development Intern will learn and apply fundraising principles, perform daily fundraising tasks, draft appeals and grant proposals, support fundraising events, and work closely with the fundraising team to meet program goals.

Responsibilities

• Assist with event planning timelines, run of show, and vendor/venue coordination.
• Support guest list management, handle sponsor and VIP benefits, and manage onsite registration/check‑in.
• Provide day‑of support including silent auction and wine pull coordination (available on August 8).
• Help draft a CRM Data Standards & Procedures Manual covering data entry conventions, gift processing workflows, coding/attributes, and reporting basics.
• Document standard operating procedures for campaign, fund, and appeal structures, and support data hygiene tasks such as record updates, list pulls, and segmentation QA.
• Draft one donor appeal (direct mail, emails, and other outreach) tailored to a specific segment with a clear case for support.
• Coordinate approvals, collaborate on design, segmentation, and performance tracking for the appeal.
• Produce a donation page using the DonorDrive platform.
• Write one grant proposal (need statement, program description, outcomes, budget overview) or one grant wrap‑up report (outcomes, outputs, demographics, lessons learned).
• Gather supporting data, coordinate reviews, and finalize grant submissions or archives.

Qualifications

• Strong writing, editing, and organizational skills with sharp attention to detail.
• Comfort with spreadsheets and data entry.
• Professionalism, reliability, and ability to manage deadlines.
• Commitment to confidentiality and ethical standards in handling donor information.
• Availability to work the Center Stage Soirée on August 8 (evening hours required).
• Years of experience: 3–5 years in nonprofit development, grant writing, or institutional fundraising.
• High school or GED requirement; higher education is preferred.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with any CRM or database (e.g., Salesforce NPSP, Raiser's Edge, EveryAction, Neon, Bloomerang).
• Prior exposure to development, events, marketing/communications, or grant writing.
• Familiarity with accessibility, inclusive language, and donor‑centered communications.
• Interest in performing arts and/or architecture.

Work Arrangements

Schedule: 15–20 hours per week; some evening or weekend hours required. Work mode: on‑site. Hourly rate: $17 per hour.