Advancement and Events Intern
Project Summary:
The Advancement and Events Intern works closely with Membership Director, Event Coordinator, Membership Assistant, Development Officers, and the Operations and Research Manager. The Advancement Department exists to identify, cultivate, solicit and steward individuals, companies, and foundations interested in supporting the Minnesota Historical Society through membership or donations. As an intern, you will be assisting the core teams of the Advancement and Membership Department—Membership and Events, Major Gifts, Research and Prospect Management, Corporation Sponsorships, Foundations, Legacy Giving, Gifts Processing. The internship will provide substantial support in nonprofit membership and event work, and advancement, while gaining valuable experience working in one of the nation's leading historical societies.
Responsibilities:
- Support the planning and execution of in-person and virtual fundraising and membership events. Some travel required.
- Collaborate on CRM initiatives and database optimization projects.
- Draft and edit donor and prospect communications - for documents that will be provided to MNHS donors.
- Provide support for membership phone coverage, by delivering quality customer service while strengthening member and donor relations.
- Gather information and data to submit into the CRM database. Ensure all information and data is accurate before submission.
- Assist with preparation and execution of fundraising and membership mailings.
- Conduct prospect research on individuals, foundations, and corporate donors to identify potential sources for funding support.
- Provide cross-departmental support to the Advancement team on special projects.
Knowledge Intern is Expected to Gain:
- In-depth exposure to fundraising and membership within a nonprofit museum setting.
- Project ownership within a mission-driven environment.
- Collaboration and networking with multiple areas in the Advancement and Membership Office, as well as the organization.
- The opportunity to build customer service skills and potentially work with donors.
- Practical CRM and database management experience.
- Prospect research and development skills specific to cultural institutions.
- Experience in event strategy and production.
- Understanding of membership strategies around communication, benefits, retention and growth.
Qualifications:
- Currently enrolled as an undergraduate (junior or senior) or graduate student, or have graduated within the past 12 months at the time of application.
- Ideal candidates might be currently pursuing, or a graduate with a degree in the following areas: Communications, journalism, writing, public or nonprofit administration, library and information science, marketing and public relations.
- Some experience in customer service with the potential to communicate with donors and members.
- Project management skills along with being detail-oriented.
- Familiarity with or willingness to learn a variety of CRM and research-related databases.
- Ability to write and communicate clearly and accurately.
- Passion for professional writing.
- Comfortable with taking on multiple tasks and working as part of a team and independently.
- Interest in a potential career in the nonprofit industry, especially in member-facing relations and special events.
- Working knowledge of the Google Drive suite, including Google Docs, Calendar, Mail, and Sheets.
- Working knowledge of Microsoft Suite, including Word, Excel, etc.
- Experience with research and the tenacity to uncover hard-to-find information.
- Some AV experience is preferred.
- Some experience with in-person or virtual events preferred.
Interns are required to participate in three, in-person seminars focused on professional development, learning how cultural organizations operate, and building a network of industry professionals. At the end of the semester, interns complete a final presentation to share their work.
Please ensure you are available for these dates when applying:
- Thursday, June 18 from 11:30am-1:00pm
- Thursday, July 21 from 1:00-3:00pm
- Thursday, August 13 from 3:30-5:30pm
- Final Presentations: Thursday, August 27 from 11:00am-1:00pm