Development and Fundraising Intern

Development and Fundraising Internship (400 hours)

Data Management:

• Utilize Salesforce to update and maintain records for DataArts, CharityNavigator, and GuideStar.
• Research and enter new contacts into Salesforce, including business cards collected from various team members.

Grant Application Support:

• Assist in the preparation of NEA applications and other major funding proposals.
• Compile necessary documents for grant applications and reports, including letters of intent, narrative responses, budgets, multimedia materials, and evaluation analytics for a 6-month to one-year period. 

Stewardship Activities:

• Write and send handwritten thank-you notes to donors and members, incorporating creative elements from students.
• Extend invitations and communicate membership perks to engaged members.
• Campus plaque renewal, inventory, documentation, photos, make new ones and costs 

Corporate Outreach:

• Compile a list of companies for potential contributions to our gift bags and contact at least 20 companies to gather information.
• Implement strategies to engage with local corporate neighbors and invite them to our campus. 

Event Planning and Coordination:

• Research best practices for increasing event attendance and brainstorm potential new methods.
• Event research for peer organizations including how other organizations partner to host existing events at their location. 

Marketing and Advertising:

• Compile a list of relevant websites and magazines for advertising opportunities and establish contact.
• Identify and engage influencers and tastemakers to expand our outreach efforts.

Learning Objectives:

• Gain a basic understanding of foundation, corporate, and government fundraising, through exposure to the grant preparation process
• Develop a basic understanding of the organization’s individual support base through the Annual Fundraiser and Annual Fund Campaigns
• Articulate key components of a fundraising event
• Understand the importance of the stewardship process for nonprofits as a customer service (and retention) function of the organization
• Learn the basics of how to use Salesforce, a cloud-based industry standard for Customer Relationship Management; Classy; Charity Navigator; GuideStar, a database that aggregates information about all nonprofits registered with the IRS; ChatGPT; and other fundraising technology used for campaign creation and collection

This is an internship through the Los Angeles Department of Arts and Culture. 2026 Arts Internship positions will be open to currently enrolled undergraduate (2 or 4-year) and community college students who reside or attend college in Los Angeles County. Recent graduates may apply as long as they have completed their degree between May 1 - December 1, 2026. The Department of Arts and Culture encourages eligible students from all ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds, as well as disabled students, to apply. Eligible students may participate in the program only once.

Note:

• Students who have already earned a BA, BS, or a higher degree are not eligible for the Los Angeles County Arts Internship Program.
• High school students who are co-enrolled in college classes are not eligible to participate in the program.
• Students who have previously participated in the program are not eligible to participate a second time.
• Students must posses the legal right to work in the United States.
• Students who are invited to participate in the program will be asked to provide verification of eligibility via college transcripts, driver’s license, and other documents to show enrollment status and/or LA County residence.