Strategy Intern Jobs in Naperville, IL (NOW HIRING)

The Development Intern is a key support role within the Development & External Engagement team. This position provides hands-on experience in nonprofit fundraising, donor engagement, and event coordination. The intern will assist with day-to-day development operations, contribute to donor communications, and support fundraising initiatives that advance Chicago Scholars' mission.

The Development team covers donor data management, grant research and writing, and donor, volunteer, and Alumni relationship management and stewardship. This position would have the opportunity to learn a wide breadth about nonprofit development.

This is an excellent opportunity for a college student interested in nonprofit development, philanthropy, and social impact.

This role is a part-time & hourly position without benefits. The rate per hour is $17/hour, and the number of hours that you will be permitted to work each week is up to 15 hours on average. The number of hours per week can be flexible to accommodate school schedules and heavy project periods.

Donor Engagement & Stewardship

• Assist with donor outreach activities, including drafting thank-you messages and stewardship communications
• Support tracking of donor interactions and updates in the CRM system (e.g., Salesforce)

Research & Prospecting

• Conduct research to identify prospective donors and grant opportunities
• Support in compiling and summarizing donor data
• Assist in maintaining accurate and organized prospect records

Events & Campaign Support

• Provide logistical and administrative support for fundraising events, campaigns, and stewardship initiatives
• Assist with event preparation, including materials, registrations, and follow-up communications
• Participate in on-site event support as needed

Communications & Content

• Help curate content for newsletters, donor reports, and digital communications
• Support storytelling efforts by gathering Scholar impact stories, data points, and program highlights
• Contribute to campaign materials as appropriate

Administrative Support

• Assist with data entry and document organization
• Maintain development files and shared resources
• Collaborate with team members on ongoing projects and priorities

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the internship, the Development Intern will:

• Gain exposure to nonprofit fundraising strategy and donor lifecycle management
• Develop skills in research, writing, and project coordination
• Build familiarity with CRM systems and development operations
• Strengthen professional communication and collaboration skills
• The Intern will have the opportunity to create learning objectives in collaboration with their manager, related to nonprofit development

Additional Responsibilities:

• This role will occasionally work on nights and weekends for Scholar and Development events and programming and may have the opportunity to manage an intern. This role is also required to attend and support mandatory all staff events.
• Other duties, as assigned.

Requirements

• Education: Completed at least first year of college, must be a current Chicago Scholar in good standing
• Experience: 0-2 years
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Detail-oriented with strong organizational abilities
• Interest in nonprofit work, fundraising, or social impact
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines
• Chicago-based college student preferred, though qualified scholars living outside of Illinois are welcome to apply

Technical Knowledge

• Outlook
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office; experience with CRM tools is a plus
• Flexibility and ability to take feedback professionally, not personally

Core Competencies

• Accountability/Project Management: Effectively manages own work, and work of teams when relevant, ensuring delivery of high-quality work.
• Teamwork/Collaboration: Demonstrates awareness and respect of cultural and individual values. Listens to ideas from others, even when different from own. Is careful to ensure all sides are heard reaching a conclusion. Shares time, energy and knowledge with others to ensure they can succeed.
• Communication: Communication is the ability to read and interpret information effectively, clearly articulate a plan of action, and influence others by way of written and verbal mechanisms.
• Adaptability: Ability to operate flexibly in changing contexts and operating environments. Ability to manage change effectively to support teams and reach intended goals.

AI Literacy & Engagement Our team leverages AI to augment human creativity and enhance impact. In this role, you will be encouraged to experiment with AI tools to improve your work and drive efficiency. We seek individuals who demonstrate curiosity about emerging technologies and are comfortable integrating AI into everyday tasks. You will proactively identify areas of friction in workflows where AI can improve speed, quality, or insight, while maintaining a strong understanding of data security, privacy, and ethical considerations in AI use.

Starting Salary: $17 per hour, usually 15 hours per week (part-time hourly role without benefits)

Best Offer First Policy: The data nationally show for every $1 paid to white men, women earn 82 cents, black men earn 88 cents, and black women earn 76 cents. Women and black and brown people are also less likely to negotiate than their white male peers. Chicago Scholars has decided to offer our best offer first rather than wait for a potential negotiation. This allows us to set salaries based on market data and internal equity and ensure fair and equal pay for every role.

If you have questions regarding either of the above policies, or any of Chicago Scholars employment policies, please reach out to the Human Resources team at humanresources@chicagoscholars.org with the subject line: Policy Question.

To Apply

Please click 'Apply' to submit your application which should include a resume and cover letter by 4 pm CST Monday, July 20, 2026. Please include a cover letter that creatively tells your Chicago Scholars story.