Community Development Internship Jobs in Fairfield, CT

About NORD: The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) is the leading independent nonprofit organization representing individuals and families affected by rare diseases. At NORD, philanthropy is about more than fundraising. It is about building community, elevating voices, and showing up when people need support the most.

This internship is designed for someone who believes in causes, community, and connection and wants hands-on experience helping people come together around something meaningful.

The Opportunity: The Philanthropy & Awareness Intern will support NORD's individual giving and community fundraising efforts, helping inspire generosity, elevate awareness, and strengthen engagement across the rare disease community.

This role is ideal for someone who enjoys organizing, storytelling, and bringing people together for a cause. You will work closely with NORD's Philanthropy team and collaborate with colleagues in marketing and community engagement, gaining real-world experience in how nonprofit organizations build momentum, pride, and impact. The skills you develop here — from communication and relationship management to data literacy and digital strategy — are transferable across industries and will strengthen your professional foundation no matter where your career takes you.

This is an unpaid internship with a flexible schedule, lasting from May-December 2026 with flexibility to adjust start and end date based on student availability.

What You Will Do

• Support Running for Rare, NORD's national peer-to-peer fundraising program, and help celebrate fundraisers participating in iconic races such as the New York City Marathon, Boston Marathon, and other national events gaining exposure to large-scale event fundraising and building project coordination and participant engagement skills valued across nonprofit, marketing, and event management careers
• Help amplify runner and fundraiser stories through social media and campaign messaging, developing your storytelling, copywriting, and digital communications skills as you learn how authentic narratives inspire people to give and get involved
• Support individual giving and monthly giving campaigns, gaining hands-on experience with donor-centered communication and building relationship management and written communication skills as you learn how long-term fundraising communities are formed through trust and consistency
• Support Streaming for Rare by engaging gamers, streamers, and digital creators who raise funds and awareness through livestreams and online communities, gaining experience in digital community engagement and online campaign strategy — a growing and highly marketable skillset
• Help identify development and outreach opportunities by learning how to use data and insights to support fundraising decisions, building foundational analytical thinking and impact reporting skills that translate into roles across strategy, business, and program management
• Build hands-on familiarity with nonprofit fundraising and CRM platforms such as Salesforce, Classy, Double the Donation, and FreeWill gaining technical fluency in industry-leading tools that are recognized and valued by employers across the nonprofit sector and beyond
• Contribute to donor stewardship and gratitude efforts, including thank-you messaging and meaningful engagement touchpoints, developing professional relationship-building and client communication skills grounded in best practices in donor care
• Support awareness-driven fundraising campaigns by helping prepare content, messaging, and materials that encourage participation, sharing, and generosity strengthening your content development and campaign coordination abilities
• Assist with basic campaign tracking and reporting, learning how participation and engagement data connect to real-world impact and building your comfort with data-informed decision making
• Participate in special projects and initiatives, with opportunities to take ownership of select tasks or campaign elements from start to finish developing initiative, accountability, and strategic thinking with guidance and mentorship along the way

Who This Is For

• Students or recent graduates with an interest in philanthropy, nonprofit work, community engagement, marketing, or social impact
• Someone who has participated in philanthropic or service-based organizations and enjoys rallying people around a cause
• A strong communicator who is organized, dependable, and thoughtful
• Someone who enjoys working behind the scenes to help big moments come together
• A self-starter who is comfortable working remotely and collaboratively

What You Will Gain

• Hands-on experience in nonprofit philanthropy and individual giving
• Exposure to peer-to-peer fundraising, monthly giving, and matching gift programs
• Transferable skills in communication, storytelling, relationship management, digital engagement, data analysis, and project coordination that apply across industries
• Technical experience with platforms including Salesforce, Classy, Double the Donation, and FreeWill and other tools recognized by employers across the sector
• Real contributions you can speak to confidently on your resume and in interviews
• Experience collaborating across philanthropy, marketing, and community teams
• Mentorship from experienced philanthropy professionals
• A deeper connection to a mission that truly matters

Working Conditions

This is a U.S.-based, fully remote, unpaid internship with a flexible structure and meaningful responsibility. Interns will participate in virtual meetings and collaborative work during standard business hours and will be supported through mentorship and regular check-ins.

We expect the internship to last from May-December 2026 with flexibility to adjust start and end date based on student availability.

To Apply

Interested candidates should send their resume and a brief summary of their interest to NORD Human Resources at talent@rarediseases.org.